ALIGNING LOCAL GOVERNANCE WITH SDGS: A STUDY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCILORS IN PAKISTAN AND CHINA

Abstract

This comparative study investigates how local government councilors in Lahore (Pakistan) and Chongqing (China) have contributed to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 (No Poverty) and 5 (Gender Equality) between 2001 and 2024. Employing a mixed-methods approach that integrates legal, institutional, and policy analysis with quantitative indicators, it evaluates how variations in local governance frameworks shape developmental outcomes. In Lahore, limited fiscal and political autonomy combined with bureaucratic centralization and entrenched patronage has constrained the effectiveness of elected union councils, particularly in empowering female representatives despite a 33% quota. In contrast, Chongqing’s top-down governance model has enabled remarkable poverty reduction through centralized investment and planning, yet local participation and gender equality remain structurally limited. Drawing on data from the World Bank, World Economic Forum, and recent scholarship, the study finds that both systems exhibit restricted local agency in SDG implementation. The analysis highlights that genuine progress toward SDG localization requires greater devolution of authority in Pakistan and the institutionalization of participatory mechanisms within China’s centralized governance framework.