Saadiya Razzaq

This paper intends to investigate, through available literature and web searches, the role of policy research institutions in South Asia in accelerating the monitoring and implementation of health-related SDGs. It is argued that SDGs are not only relevant, but also critical for the region, and policy research institutions are playing their role in evidence generation, knowledge sharing, and policy research. As they are facing the challenges of donor dependency, financial constraints, and the law and order situation, among other things, it is therefore suggested that a network of health policy research institutions be formed at the regional or global level with regional chapters to facilitate their role in accelerating the growth on SDGs. If supported and facilitated enough in terms of resources, capacity building, and independence in research, these institutions can be vital players toward the attainment of SDGs.

Saadiya Razzaq is a team leader and senior research associate at Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) Pakistan