Beyond good intentions: questioning the 'leaving no one behind' agenda in global development, evidence from Pakistan.

This paper looks at how global development projects implemented through non-governmental organizations (NGOs) engage with the Sustainable Development Goals promise of ethnic inclusion. Using beneficiary representation as an indicator, we conducted Focus Group Discussions and interviews with non-profit sector practitioners in Pakistan. Responses show that NGOs often use practices that reinforce existing biases, including community outreach through public spaces, dominant languages and informal social circles. Such practices lead to ethnic minorities being underrepresented. Furthermore, international actors have encouraged the non-profit sector in Pakistan to be more competitive, pushing resources away from community mobilization and rewarding efficiency over commitment. This shift from normative ideas of inclusion leads to selection practices that are cost efficient but not inclusive. Several recommendations are made in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]