VIEW FROM THE CPA CHAIRPERSON
posed by sustainable development? Let’s ask ourselves, can we do it? The Dhaka Declaration created a South Asian Speakers Forum, a unique platform to set a roadmap for the region to take the agenda of the SDGs forward. It is therefore an opportune time to shed light on the critical challenges that need to be addressed in achieving the goals. It gives an opportunity to reflect on all the agendas that Parliamentarians want to set for themselves.
Parliaments comprising of peoples’ representatives have a major role to play in materializing the pledges set out in the Dhaka Declaration: “Parliaments should advocate for national sustainable development plans and strategies that reflect national needs and inspire action at the local level where it matters most. Through their core functions of law making, representation, appropriation of resources through budgets and oversight, parliaments have a crucial role to play in turning the SDGs into reality. Parliaments should ensure that legislation and policy supports the implementation of national sustainable development strategies. Each parliament may devise a methodology as appropriate to make it compatible with sustainable development. Legislation should also reflect the fact that the SDGs are interlinked and not independent of each other.”
It is a time of transition. Initiatives are underway to effectuate a paradigm shift in the global development agenda. We believe in ensuring development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We all stand resolute to commit ourselves in continuing to build “The Future We Want.”5 Speakers’ strongly feel that in upholding this commitment the Parliaments of the South Asian Regions need to come together, pool their resources, draw upon their strengths and cooperate among themselves to meet the common challenges of poverty eradication, adverse effects of climate change, attaining gender equality, removing disparities and inequalities, ensuring food security, nutrition, health and education opportunities for all.
In order to reach the goals it is necessary to focus on the inner theme of the SDGs. “The SDGs aim to create universal action oriented goals that articulate the need and opportunity for the global community and actors to come together to create a sustainable future in an interconnected world.”6 At the heart of this South Asian Regional Cooperation, the driving force is the staunch conviction to improve the lives of the people and bring about significant positive changes in a fundamental way, to ensure every individual has a life with dignity.
The concerns relating to resource constraints were pertinent. How Parliamentarians can find innovative solutions in mobilizing required resources was emphasized. How systematic barriers to achieving SDGs can be overcome was also a key issue. It was emphasized that Parliamentarians need to identify the modes to bring about the necessary changes in democratic government and also what would be the best way to strike a balance between economic growth and ecological conservation. Evaluating the successes and lacking of Millennium Development Goals was identified as an important component. I congratulate the adoption of the Dhaka Declaration on Achieving SDGs in South Asia and believe that this Declaration will pave the way forward for the South Asian Parliaments to effectively engage and work together to meet the targets of the SDGs in the South Asian Region. The Dhaka Declaration marks the beginning of fruitful regional cooperation and partnership between the South Asian Parliaments. “We pledge to promote and advocate for strong regional inter- parliamentary cooperation on the SDGs, as well as for the promotion and development of joint initiatives between parliaments. We recognize that
Above: Speakers attending the South Asian Speakers’ Summit on Achieving Sustainable Development Goals held in Dhaka, Bangladesh (from left to right) HE Mr Abdul Raouf Ibrahimi (Speaker of National Assembly of Afghanistan); HE Sumathipala Udu Watuwage Janath Priya Thilanga (Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Sri Lanka); Hon. Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury MP (Speaker of Bangladesh Parliament and Chairperson of the CPA); HE Smt. Sumitra Mahajan (Speaker of Lok Sabha, India); HE Mr Abdullah Maseeh Mohammad MP (Speaker of the People’s Majlis of Maldives); HE Mr Jigme Zangpo (Speaker of National Assembly of Bhutan).
regional cooperation can play an important supportive role in the achievement of the SDGs in South Asia, through the sharing of best practices, building productive capacities through regional value chains supported by regional connectivity, pipelines and energy grids, and the pooling of resources.” We need to be mindful that this Dhaka Declaration is not mere ‘political rhetoric’ but a substantive instrument not only chartering the way forward but also to translate our commitments into action. I would like to conclude by emphasizing that in all our endeavors to achieve the SDGs by 2030, critical is the ‘political will’. Parliaments of South Asia demonstrating and pledging a strong political will to bring about desired change will succeed in achieving the vision of the SDGs. Let me end with a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt.- “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”
The South Asian Speakers’ Summit took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 30-31 January 2016 organized by the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU), Bangladesh
References 1
Parliament and Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. 2
The Dhaka Declaration on Achieving Sustainable Development Goals, adopted
Governance for Sustainable Development, The Challenge of Adapting Form to Function: Ed. by William M. Lafferty, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, UK. Northampton, MA, USA. 2004 - Introduction: form and function in governance
on 31 January 2016 in Dhaka, Bangladesh in South Asian Speakers’ Summit. 3
for sustainable development: William M. Lafferty. 4
The Politics of Sustainable Development, Dick Richardson in the Politics of Sustainable Development: Theory, Policy and Practice within the European Union, Edited by Susan Baker, Marin Kousis, Dick Richardson and Stephen
Young, Routledge, London and New York, 2005. 5
The Rio + 20 Outcome Document. 6 Sen 1996, Koehler etal 2012; Bern Stein etal 2014.
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