The Social Policy and Development Centre (SPDC) is a non-profit, policy research institute which was established in April 1995 as a limited company with headquarters in Karachi and Liaison Office in Islamabad, Pakistan. SPDC has made significant intellectual contribution in placing issues of pro-poor growth and social development on Pakistan’s policy-making agenda. Main areas identified for research are: poverty, inequality, governance, provincial finances, social sector policies, gender issues and pro-poor macro economic policy. Having established its creditability, SPDC is considered as one of the outstanding policy institutions of Pakistan. Focusing on public policy analyses and social sector development, the centre has a multi-disciplinary approach. Being an independent and non-partisan research organization, the centre collaborates/cooperates with organizations relevant to the mandate of SPDC both at home and abroad. It determines its own agenda and has successfully mainlined its autonomy besides, ensuring flexibility and balance between responsive and proactive social sector research.