WHO COVID19 Guidelines in BRAILLE LANGUAGE

Pakistan SDGs Unit Develops SDGs Indicators and Targets in Braille Language to "LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND"

Federal SDGs Unit, in collaboration with Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Social and Economic Development Associates (SEDA), UNDP and ICCO Cooperation under the umbrella of National Initiative on Sustainable Development Goals has developed WHO Guidelines and Considerations during COVID19 Outbreak in Braille. Federal SDGs Unit has been consistent in advocating the inclusion of data for disability in the National SDGs Dashboard. This huge success is primarily one of those important steps which translates the important data, researches, content and findings especially designed for the PWDs. These two publications have been disseminated to provincial units for further circulation to the Government Department, Welfare organizations, NGOs, CSOs and Private entities working for the PWDs.

The initiative is focused on the PWDs, Persons with Special Abilities under the agenda of SDGs to Leave No One Behind. The Braille guidebook includes all the official World Health Organization guidelines making Pakistan’s Federal SDGs Unit one of the first ones to take one step ahead.

The Braille is locally translated in URDU for localization in the national language. Many organizations, welfare departments and special education sectors can use the guideline for teaching of the WHO Guidelines to the persons with disability to see, but who have an in-depth command on the braille. Such individuals can have a greater insight of the details about COVID19 pandemic. The booklet indicates the precautionary measures, information about the COVID19 and its spread. Moreover, the contents make PWDs play their role in knowledge and insights of the Covid19.

Based on the daily visual contents of communication, broadcasted on TV, social media and briefings of the WHO for the social distancing measures, this booklet contains all the necessary information in Braille. The PWDs can not only benefit from this on a reader’s level but practically implement it in their lives. It is mandatory for every individual to stay safe during COVID19 which requires certain practical steps. Easily understood graphics for prevention against COVID19 come into action while browsing internet, sharing contents, driving on the road or safely doing grocery, but on the level of PWDs, this has a greater advantage of maximized awareness in their minds.

The unit is disseminating the booklets to the provincial units to further circulate among the provincial bodies, NGOs and Welfare/Special Education departments to ensure the guidelines reach the right people. This certainly is not the first time in Pakistan there is something done for PWDs, under the National initiative on SDGs. Last year as well, Federal SDGs Unit in collaboration with UNDP successfully launched the first SDGs Guidebook with details of Goals and targets in Braille in English. The word “Disability” is mentioned 11 times in SDGs and urges for the rights of the PWDs in many forms. Continuous efforts for PWDs is always included in the Annual Work Plan of the Unit. Another big project apart from braille, was the Sign Language video explanation of SDGs and Targets recorded and released last year.

All these initiatives keep the SDGs team at the Federal Unit, in continuous spirit, of working towards the PWDs in Pakistan.

 

 

Report Compiled by:

Zuhair Shabbir

Pakistan Stock Exchange launches a comprehensive SDGs section on its official website

The upcoming ten years have been marked as the “Decade of Action”- a nudge to every citizen, every organization and authority to play its vital role in the progress of achieving the SDG goals. This especially includes the private entities. UNDP Pakistan’s Federal SDGs Unit has held consultations, as well as sensitization, on SDGs in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad in partnership with Provincial Planning and Development departments Federal Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives. After developing the National SDGs framework, six themes with 32 indicators have been identified for the private sector to report on SDGs.

The Pakistan Stock Exchange website have developed a comprehensive section for SDGs on its official website where the private sector, registered with the Pakistan Stock Exchange, is asked to report on these 32 indicators. Its landing page displays all the requisite information about the SDGs in the context of Pakistan, while the scroll down sections are dedicated for Limited Companies and how SDGs can be aligned with their ongoing activities.

The relevancy of the baseline targets and their prioritization is summarized in the informative document. It also mentions the obstacles and problems that can hinder the achievement and implementation of the SDGs. The methodology to report or publish online the status of the progress of SDGs is also available.

A reporting mechanism present on the website clearly explains the essential data calculations and input methodologies to be done by companies. Meanwhile, the annual progress that must be shown, is available as a template on the website. This proper guide, with step by step infographics and documents, will be able to assist many private entities to streamline their objectives regarding SDGs.

The timeline for 2030 agenda; to achieve the SDGs, has worried some while curiosity still prevails in many forms. Some are at the learning phase while some seek the meanings of the indicators and targets in the current status quo. While the agenda is to “leave no one behind”, the bigger problem is to establish who is even a part of the SDG Marathon yet.

The year 2020 has marked the upcoming ten years as the “Decade to Action”, a nudge to every citizen, every organization and authority to play its vital role in the progress. A conventional need of communication and ideation of the SDG mapping is already the onus of the nation. Some organizations are showing a Fast Track Approach while prioritizing the SDGs, others tend to localize it for a better routine implementation.

Despite the greater responsibility, a proactive approach in implementing the SDGs and its reporting is the need of the hour. The weakest link in the chain is the process to tag and show the actual progress on SDGs. Formation of the Pakistan’s SDGs National framework has outlined a proposition to carry the process further. The urge and responsibility of the organizations to play their part has become essential and one such example is readily available at the Pakistan Stock Exchange website.

UNDP Pakistan following the NEC approved National SDGs framework developed by the Federal SDGs unit chalked out 6 themes and 32 indicators. Private sector registered with the Pakistan Stock Exchange is asked to report on those 32 indicators. The consultations as well as sensitization on SDGs were done at Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad in partnership with Provincial Planning and Development departments Federal Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives.

The PSX has uploaded a comprehensive section for SDGs on its official website(https://www.psx.com.pk/psx/resources-and-tools/sustainable-development-goal).

UNDP Pakistan Official Link to Story

About Author:

This Story is written by Zuhair Shabbir. A Communications Professional currently working with the Ministry of Planning Development & Special Initiatives and UN Pakistan on the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable development goals. Zuhair has been a thorough Communications expert and has designed the National Communications Strategy for the SDGs for Pakistan. His experience includes 15 years of Communications, Marketing and Digital growth roles with various Development Sector Organizations and Private Companies/Brands. He has comprehensively developed various programs and designs for organizations to achieve better awareness and advocacy of Sustainability.