NEW YORK
\nPakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to fulfilling the goals and objectives in the World Summit for Social Development and 24th General Assembly session.
\nDuring 61st Session on Commission on Social Development in New York, Deputy Permanent Representative at Pakistan Mission to the UN Aamir Khan expressed Pakistan\u2019s commitment for poverty eradication, promotion of productive employment and fostering of social inclusion.
\nAmbassador Aamir Khan said despite extra-ordinary progress in human and social development achieving higher education standards, employment growth, rising incomes and mitigating poverty for hundreds of millions of the world\u2019s population, yet we have not been able to reduce inequalities.
\n\u201cWe also experienced regression and the gap between the rich and the poor, among and within nations, has been growing. The poor are still poor; the rich are much richer\u201d: he said.
\nHe expressed deep concern on the worsening inequality that has accelerated since the global financial crisis at the end of the first decade of this century.
\n \u201cIt is today the Pandemic of inequalities which is playing more havoc with people\u2019s lives and livelihoods than any other challenge in recorded history\u201d he added. \u201cThe poorest countries and the poorest and most vulnerable people suffer the most. The richer nations have injected around $17 trillion to stimulate their economies\u201d: Ambassador Aamir Khan said.
\nThe developing countries are struggling to find even a fraction of the $4.1 trillion, estimated to recover from the pandemic and achieve the SDGs: he said.
\nThere is a also an eminent threat of debt deficits and economic collapse in several countries, causing massive human suffering: he warned. \u201cInternational solidarity is more essential today than ever before. The developing countries must be provided with the necessary means to recover from the crises and to achieve the SDGs\u201d he insisted.
\n\u201cOut of Pakistan\u2019s total population of 220 million, over 68% is below the age of 30 and 27% ages of 15\u201429 which demonstrate that more employment opportunities will have to be created for the inclusive social and economic development\u201d, he said.
\n\u201cThe Pakistan Federal and provincial governments have introduced programs for employment generation, including Youth Empowerment Programme, loan and laptop awarding schemes, establishment of the National Incubation Centers for promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, paid internship programmes, microcredit schemes, entrepreneurship initiatives, and vocational training programmes\u201d, he informed.
\n\u201cThe Government is also making efforts to improve employment opportunities for youth by boosting the private sector, creating a robust environment of entrepreneurship, improving exports, and improving the access to internet services\u201d
\nMentioning recent floods, he said that \u201cPakistan is still reeling from the worst natural disaster of its history. At this time national emergency, the Government provided cash grants of over $250 million to over 2 million households. Despite our financial constraints, we mobilized $1.5 billion for emergency relief\u201d
\n\u201cWe utilized our existing robust social protection mechanism: Benazir Income Support Programme for this purpose.\u201d To bridge inequalities within and among countries Pakistan to mobilize from all possible sources: fulfillment of the 0.7 percent ODA target; redistribution of the $650 billion SDRs and allocation of new SDRs; concessional finance from the multilateral institutions and development banks; and debt relief and restructuring.
\nIt was also suggested that international financial institutions should distance themselves from the contractionary policies to ensure debt repayments at this time of financial difficulties. The developing countries should be provided with fiscal resources and actions should be taken to lessen their borrowing cost.
\nHe also called for decent work, social protection systems, including nationally defined social protection floors should be made part of national development strategies.
\nHe urged to take efforts for upscaling investments in sustainable infrastructures to generate employmen and to promote quality education, overcome digital divide and provide financial and technical assistance to the developing countries.
\nHe also urged that discriminatory practices and trade protection measures need to be discouraged and necessary measures are to be taken to promote export led growth in developing countries.
\nPakistan reaffirmed its abiding commitment to fulfilling the goals and objectives in the World Summit for Social Development, and the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly, especially poverty eradication, promotion of full and productive employment, and the fostering of social inclusion. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NEW YORK Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to fulfilling the goals and objectives in the World Summit for Social Development and 24th General Assembly session. During 61st Session on Commission on Social Development in New York, Deputy Permanent Representative at Pakistan Mission to the UN Aamir Khan expressed Pakistan\u2019s commitment for poverty eradication, promotion of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":313176,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[20,12192],"class_list":{"0":"post-313151","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news","8":"tag-pakistan","9":"tag-poverty-alleviation"},"yoast_head":"\n