Achieving Decent Work and Sustainable Growth: Pakistan’s Commitment to SDG 8
Achieving Decent Work and Sustainable Growth: Pakistan’s Commitment to SDG 8:
Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8) aims to "Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all." This goal emphasizes the importance of economic growth that benefits everyone, creates job opportunities, ensures decent work conditions, and addresses challenges related to unemployment, especially among marginalized groups, youth, and women. Sustainable business practices, technological innovation, and protection of workers' rights are core aspects of SDG 8.
Key Points of SDG 8:
1.Sustained Economic Growth:
Promote at least 7% GDP growth per year in the least developed countries.
Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrades, and innovation.
According to the World Bank, Pakistan's economic growth in 2024 is estimated to be 1.8%.It is far from the 7% GDP Growth.This is due to a number of factors, including: high inflation, import controls, tight macroeconomic policy and policy uncertainty.Political instability and notrious rulers in the country.
2.Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth:
Promote policies that ensure growth benefits everyone, especially the poor, and create equal opportunities.
Foster economic inclusion and reduce inequality by supporting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
To achieve inclusive and sustainable economic growth in Pakistan in 2024, key policies should focus on broadening the tax base, improving state-owned enterprise management, enhancing human capital development, scaling up social protection programs, promoting export-oriented sectors like IT, agriculture, and manufacturing, while simultaneously implementing environmental safeguards and prioritizing climate-resilient practices across industries.
3.Full and Productive Employment:
Achieve full employment and decent work for all, including youth and persons with disabilities, and ensure equal pay for equal work.
Address the issue of unemployment and underemployment, with a special focus on reducing youth unemployment.
To achieve "Full and Productive Employment" in Pakistan in 2024, key policy areas to focus on include:
l Promoting private sector investment in job-creating industries, particularly manufacturing and services.
l Upskilling the workforce through targeted training programs.
l Facilitating access to finance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
l Addressing regional disparities in employment opportunities, and implementing active labor market policies to connect job seekers with available positions.
l All while considering the need for fiscal consolidation and addressing structural challenges in the economy.
4. Decent Work for All:
Promote labor rights and safe working environments for all workers, including migrants, women, and those in precarious employment.
Eliminate forced labor, modern slavery, and child labor, especially in its worst forms.
In Pakistan, progress on this goal has been slow, with some challenges including:
l The annual growth rate of real GDP per capita declined from 2.04% in 2014-2015 to -3.36% in 2019-2020.
l There is no comprehensive national policy or coherent provincial policies for skills and entrepreneurship development.
l Women have limited access to the labor market, both formal and informal.
l There are ineffective linkages between industry and training institutions.
l Suboptimal workplace practices hinder a growth environment for private enterprises.
l The International Labour Organization (ILO) has developed a Decent Work Country Programme for Pakistan to define priorities and targets for decent work. The program includes interventions to promote decent work opportunities for vulnerable groups, such as child and bonded laborers
5.Technological Innovation and Productivity
Encourage technological innovation and upgrades to improve labor productivity and create new job opportunities.
Pakistan need to focus on industries and sectors that can provide long-term, sustainable employment, including green jobs and also new technologies.
These technologies are:
l Advanced artificial intelligence (AAI),
l Neurotechnology,
l Biotechnology,
l Climate intervention technologies,
l Quantum computing and communication—
have the potential to impact the lives of billions of people around the Pakistan, for better or worse.
6.Protection of Labor Rights:
Ensure the protection of labor rights and promote safe, secure working conditions for all workers.
Create frameworks that foster decent working conditions, social protection, and collective bargaining rights.
In 2024, Pakistan is working on several initiatives to protect labor rights, including:
1.Child Domestic Labour Bill
The bill aims to criminalize the use of children under 18 in domestic labor. It proposes to insert a new section into the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860, which would punish offenders with up to seven years in prison and a fine of at least 500,000 rupees.
2.Labor law reforms:
The governments of Punjab and Sindh are working on labor law reforms with the help of the ILO. The reforms will include a "Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work" section that will apply to all workers, employers, and occupiers in all sectors.
3.3rd National Labour Conference
The conference highlighted issues such as inadequate wages, precarious employment conditions, and lack of social protection. The labor movement leadership presented a joint declaration that emphasized the importance of solidarity and cooperation among labor stakeholders.
4.UNI PALC Conference
The conference brings together Pakistani unions to adopt resolutions, elect new leadership, and advance workers' rights.
Pakistan's labor laws include minimum wage, payment of wages, and annual leave
7.Youth Employment:
Significantly reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET).Improve access to quality education and training to enhance youth employability.
The Pakistani government is working on several programs to improve youth employment in 2024, including:
1.National Youth Employment Policy:
The final stages of preparation are underway for this policy, which will focus on providing decent jobs. The policy will also aim to increase the number of women in the workforce.
2.Youth Education Employment Empowerment Project (YEEEP)
This project is a collaboration between the Government of Sindh, the Sindh Education Foundation, and UNDP Pakistan. The project provides training and employment opportunities to vulnerable youth in Sindh.
3.PM Digital Hub
This will be a one-window operation dashboard that is being prepared.
4.Job market survey
The government is calling for a detailed job market survey to help guide skill training programs.
5.Upcoming programs
These include environmental training programs and establishing sports academies.
8.Financial and Trade Inclusion:
It primarily aims to include everybody in the society by giving them basic financial services without looking at a person's income or savings. Financial inclusion chiefly focuses on providing reliable financial solutions to the economically underprivileged sections of the society without having any unfair treatment
The financial inclusion index (FII) is a comprehensive tool designed to measure and assess the progress of financial inclusion in Pakistan. The primary objective of the index is to provide a holistic view of financial inclusion, evaluating various dimensions that contribute to the overall inclusion landscape. Only 13% of Pakistani women have financial accounts compared to 34% of men, with similar disparities in digital finance.
9. Sustainable Tourism:
Promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs, promotes local culture, and ensures economic development in local communities.The aim of sustainable tourism:-
When responsibly planned and managed, tourism has demonstrated its capacity
l To support job creation,
l Promote inclusive social integration,
l Protect natural and cultural heritage,
l Conserve biodiversity,
l Generate sustainable livelihoods and
l Improve human wellbeing
10.Global Resource Efficiency:
Improve global resource efficiency in consumption and production and decouple economic growth from environmental degradation.The theme of the 2024 report:Bend the trend: Pathways to a Liveable Planet as Resource Use Spikes.
In conclusion, SDG 8 plays a vital role in shaping Pakistan’s economic future by promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable growth, as well as ensuring decent work for all. Despite challenges such as high unemployment, a large informal sector, and gender inequality in the workforce,Corrupt elites and Political instability, there are significant opportunities for improvement. Key strategies include fostering economic diversification, strengthening education and vocational training, addressing informal labor issues, and integrating sustainable business practices.
For Pakistan to meet the objectives of SDG 8, continued policy reforms, investment in human capital, and emphasis on sustainable industries like green jobs will be critical. By aligning national policies with SDG 8, Pakistan can promote a more equitable, productive, and sustainable economy, ensuring inclusive growth and improved employment opportunities for all citizens
