Reliable and evidence-based data is critical for driving socio-economic, technological, and environmental development in Pakistan, said Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam, according to a press statement. Speaking at the closing ceremony of a three-day capacity-building workshop titled "Data for Development" on Friday, she underscored the importance of accurate data in addressing poverty, inequality, unemployment, and climate change.
The workshop, organised by the UN Population Fund in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and other development partners, brought together representatives from government and non-governmental organisations to discuss data's role in shaping Pakistan's development trajectory.
"In a country grappling with challenges like poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation, data is the foundation for crafting effective policies, designing impactful programmes, and ensuring accountability in development efforts," Alam stated.
She stressed that gaps in credible data remain a significant obstacle to achieving development goals in Pakistan. "Properly collected, analysed, and utilised data holds the key to unlocking sustainable growth, social equity, poverty reduction, and climate resilience," she said.
Alam highlighted the necessity of evidence-based decisions for effective governance. Real-time, accurate data, she explained, enables policymakers to identify pressing needs in sectors like health, education, agriculture, and infrastructure.
"For instance, poverty data can help map regions with high deprivation levels, allowing the government to direct resources more efficiently to marginalised communities," she said.
Alam added that data also plays a vital role in tracking progress toward development goals, for example, health data can inform the allocation of resources to underserved rural areas, improving access to medical services and enabling timely responses to disease outbreaks such as polio or dengue.
She highlighted how data can aid in tackling environmental challenges, such as deforestation, water scarcity, and carbon emissions. "Real-time environmental data can be of unprecedented significance for achieving sustainability goals, balancing economic growth with environmental preservation, and building climate resilience," she remarked.
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