Role of Local Government in Sustaining Development Goals: A Case Study of Pakistan

Abstract

This study focuses on local governments in Pakistan as an important part of the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It argues that, by being closest to the community, local governments are in an ideal position to convert global goals into localized policies and development programs. This study looks into the viability and challenges of local governance in the SDG implementation process and identifies institutional, financial, and policy impediments that have slowed this effort. It goes on to discuss how the process of decentralization via the 18th Constitutional Amendment has helped the localization of SDGs, specifically in poverty eradication, education, health, and environmental sustainability. A qualitative research design has been adopted for this study in order to explore local governance performance and its restrictions based on the secondary data from academic literature, policy documents, media sources, and institutional reports. These findings indicate that although local governments form vital links in the SDG chain, their performance is still severely weakened by a multitude of factors: a lack of financial resources, weak institutional capacity, poor intergovernmental coordination, and political interference. This kind of structural reform, as well as inclusive governance, has the potential to empower local governments as significant catalysts in bringing about sustainable development, which improves the quality of life for marginalized people in Pakistan.