NUML SDG Marathon 2022 ; SDG 9(Industry ,Innovation & Infrastructure)

Social Action Project

A

oa, I Aliya Haroon and my partner Farhat Bibi of Bs Governance and public policy semester 4 morning session were given the task to cover sustainable development goal no.9. Sustainable Development Goals are the goals to make a world better place for future generations by sustaining our resources. They are 17 goals laid by UN to be achieved by year 2030.Our goal SDG 9 was about Industry, Innovations and Infrastructures. Main aim of it was to build strong and resilient infrastructures, to promote inclusive and sustainable industries and to boost innovations. It has total 8 targets of which first five were outcome targets whereas the remaining three were means of achieving these targets. Overall its first five targets talks about to develop reliable infrastructure to support human wellbeing, to promote sustainable industries, to provide access to financial and other services to small scale industries, to upgrade infrastructures, move towards adoption to clean and environmentally sound technologies and to enhance scientific research .Whereas the remaining three are means to achieve the above targets and are about to facilitate resilient infrastructure in developing countries, to support technology development and to increase access to internet .Towards the progress Pakistan has made on SDG 9 is that it has firstly set targets to increase manufacturing value from 13% to 16% GDP. Secondly it increases manufacturing employment from 15% to 18% GDP .Thirdly it increases small scale industries from 8.4% to 12%GDP and it also increases the research expenditure from 0.2% to 2 % GDP .Pakistan has also enacted two laws namely the National Energy Efficient and Conservation Act 2016 which is about the use of energy efficiently and wisely whereas the Balochistan Mass Transit Act Authority 2017 is a project under CPEC .Also Pakistan has implemented digital Pakistan policy which is about to improve human wellbeing by ensuring the availability of affordable and reliable high quality digital services .National University of Modern Languages has made the following progress on SDG 9;The Industry Technology Cell of Numl help transform research and ideas into commercially viable products following are its projects ;

• ·       E-commerce Web App
• ·       Event Care Management System
• ·       Design of animation themes and flyers
• ·       Rector’s Suggestion Box
• ·       Publication Management System
• ·       Task Management System
• ·       Library Management System
• ·       Thesis Repository
• ·       Online QEC Evaluation
• ·       Student E-Registration

Towards our activities regarding this project so firstly we conducted an online webinar in which we engaged 30 participants which were not only from our university but also from other universities, for example; Fast, Air,IIUI,Nust,Comsat & Ripah. Secondly we made a campus drive in which we visited 10 departments (Islamiat ,English ,Physcology ,IR ,German, Peace and conflict studies, Computer Science, Software engineering, Math's) and create awareness about our goal through pamphlets and by telling them about the aims ,importance and ways to achieve SDG 9.Thirdly we conducted interviews from 32 peoples among them 70% of population don`t know about SGD whereas 30%has little bit knowledge or have heard about it .The questions we asked from them and the answer they give are following :

Q1: How to build a sustainable society?

Ans; By conserving the resources.

Q2: How much are you familiar with SDG 9?

Ans; Almost all were not aware.

Q3: How do industries play a part in achieving SDG?

Ans; Industries will help in creating more job opportunities and will drive economic growth.

Q4: How can Pakistan help to achieve SDG?

Ans; By encouraging recycling for resource conservation and by promoting education.

In last our recommendations regarding SDG 9 is that we should promote our industries as this would lead to more made in Pakistan products and would boost our economic growth and this will too drive employment opportunities and would help to overcome poverty. Secondly we should make resilient and strong infrastructure for the wellbeing of humans and lastly we should come up with new alternatives to conserve our resources and shift towards environment friendly technologies