District Human Development Reports-Provincial launching ceremonies
Concerned with the dismal state of MDGs and Pakistan’s ranking on Human Development Index, SPO led the process of developing research based District Human Development Reports of four districts (SWABI, D I Khan, Pakpattan and DG Khan) under AAWAZ program. The initiative is first of its kind in Pakistan whereas national level Human Development Reports are routinely published by UNDP which provide ranking of various districts but no reports at district level are available.
These District HD reports capture the current state of a range of human development (mainly key health and education) indicators in the selected districts. One of the core objectives of AAWAZ is to stimulate an effective demand for social services by enabling the citizens to voice their opinions. These reports will advance a pro-poor agenda by drawing on the basic elements of human development. The reports will also avail a valuable opportunity to contextualize debates about the MDGs and SDGs at the district level especially after local governments are finally in place.
To unveil the findings of HD reports of Punjab and KP, SPO organized two provincial launching ceremonies at Lahore andPeshawaron 17th and 19th of November. The events were widely participated by senior provincial health and education officials, legislators, academics, civil society, AAWAZ program partners (SPO, AF, SAP-PK, Sungi and DAI) and communities as well as citizen at large.Faisal Buzdar, the researcher of the District HD reports presented the findings and recommendations of the reports. Chief Executive SPO, Naseer Memon who inspired the idea of producing District Human Development Reports, encapsulated the state of Human development in Pakistan and the significance of District Human Development reports in both events.At Peshawar provincial launching, SPO vice chairman of the BoD welcomed the participants and explained needs of human development in KP.
At Lahore event, Najma Afzal, MPA (PMLN) and member of health parliamentary committee in Punjab Assembly chaired the event and Dr. Amir Ud Din Chohan Provincial Coordinator health department Punjab, Syed Ibrar shah Director public school Punjab represented provincial government andcommended the findings of the reports. SarfrazKazmi Provincial Manager FPAP and Professor Jamil Najam, educationist also positively commented on the reports in addition to Irfan Mufti of SAP-PK, the AAWAZ consortium partner. At Peshawar event, Idrees Khan (Chief Planning OfficerHigher Education Department) and Mohammad Hafeez (Economist Health Department) represented KP government and lauded the District HD Reports initiative. Syed Jaffer Shah (provincial legislator) chaired the event and pledged to take up the findings of the district reports of SWABI and D I Khan in the provincial assembly for debate.
