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Pakistan ramps up Protected Areas
From the Himalayas to the deserts of Balochistan, to the mangroves of Sindh, Pakistan’s natural diversity is spellbinding, but it is also under threat.
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Pakistan ramps up Protected Areas
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Pakistan
Pakistan affirmed its commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as its own national development agenda through a unanimous National Assembly Resolution in 2016. Since then, the country has made considerable progress by mainstreaming these goals in national policies and strategies and developing an institutional framework for SDGs implementation in Pakistan. SDG support units have been established at federal and provincial levels with the planning institutions (Ministry of Planning Development and Special Initiatives and Provincial Planning and Development Departments) to guide SDGs implementation and monitoring it progress. In 2018, the Government designed and approved a National SDGs Framework that envisages a national vision to prioritize and localize SDGs. Localized provincial SDG Frameworks are being formulated. The focus of the government is on mainstreaming SDGs in planning processes, ensuring strong monitoring and reporting on SDGs, ensuring public financial allocations are aligned to SDGs and alternate financing modalities are being explored, and to benefit from use of technology to accelerate progress towards SDGs.
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24 November 2020
Assisting Impoverished Marginalized Communities in Floods Ravaged Rural Sindh
It’s perturbing to see hundreds of women and children lining up to a water purification tanker with buckets and utensils to fetch clean drinking water for their families in Umerkot, Sindh. These families are waiting patiently for their circumstances to change as they battle all sorts of difficulties in accessing nutritious food, sanitation facilities, and even shelter. They have been left homeless by the unprecedented flooding in the province.
With the Pakistan government already grappling with the COVID-19 crisis, the Sindh flooding brought to fore even more challenges to act swiftly to support vulnerable households and strengthen their resilience.
Situation in Rural Sindh
The heavy rains in the monsoon season (about 3 times hugher than average) contributed to heart wrenching agony for the already marginalized groups in rural Sindh affecting more than 2.4 million people. The unofficial count may be more than 3 million. Gruesome scenes unfolded as whole families who managed to survive the floods were forced to leave their drowning possessions and find shelter on the side of the narrow broken roads- in the open air. There was little or no access to clean drinking water, food items, hygiene products, or basic facilities like toilets. The flooding not only left the populations barehanded, it also destroyed the major source of livelihoods for the next six months, their livestock and the cotton crop, just as it was ready for harvest, plunging them deeper into poverty.
While the media focus has mainly been on mainland Karachi and the flooding in relatively better off localities, the vulnerable minority communities in the rural south have borne the brunt of this calamity. South Eastern Sindh already has the lowest development indicators in Pakistan, at par with Balochistan and the newly merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The floods happened during the COVID 19 pandemic and just as the cotton crop was to be harvested, which takes place twice a year. Cotton growing is an arrangement between landowners who provide the land in return for a tiny share of the harvest; smallholder farming families borrow finances to purchase seeds and fertiliser. The women from these families are the main harvesters, therefore they have been particularly affected by this shock. Men who tend to work as daily labourers in construction have been seeing their livelihoods significantly impacted by the COVID pandemic and the imposed public health restrictions (lockdowns, halt in construction, etc).
The men, women, elderly and children who managed to survive the floods have been sleeping under the open sky on the roads in makeshift shelters made of thin plastic tents forced to relocate every few days. Their homes, traditionally made of mud and thatched straw, have collapsed or have been severely damaged forcing them to stay on the streets, in the open, surrounded by flooded fields, without access to clean drinking water, with no toilet facilities and vulnerable to vector-borne diseases and other infections. Most people have lost a large part of their livestock and they are struggling to provide fodder for those animals that managed to survive.Chronic malnutrition and stunting is very visible. All the conditions are in place for high morbidity and an increase in mortality.
Response to the crisis
The United Nations in Pakistan has been supporting every effort of the Government in reaching the vulnerable populations that include ailing babies in urgent need of vaccination and life-savings medicines, at-risk populations to COVID-19 and other diseases like diarrhea, malaria and dengue.
While the government has been responding since the onset of the floods, the scale of the needs dwarfs the available resources. PDMA and NDMA assistance has been in the form of shelter with provision of tents- the most affected people cite shelter as their priority, along with food, water and mosquito nets.
As the UN Provincial Programme Team organised a Rapid Needs Assessment for 9 districts, WFP has distributed food rations for thousands of families; UNICEF and WHO have provided millions of water purifying tablets; WHO has provided bednets and medical supplies. The Humanitarian/Resident Coordinator has released the remaining USD 2.5 million of the Pakistan Humanitarian Pooled Fund. The additional USD 3 million from Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) is being directed to strengthen the assistance efforts for food availability, empowering communities by distributing cash, water and sanitation facilities, as well as critical health interventions focusing on women and children..
Building back better
While there has been a provision of aid and support, both from the government, the UN and partners, the challenges remain colossal and enormous efforts are still needed to help an already vulnerable population. More needs to be done to ensure better risk management and ensuring that communities are better prepared and more resilient to future shocks. The road is long for recovery and rehabilitation, yet immediate action is necessary to prevent loss of life. The humanitarian community is currently working on a concerted Humanitarian Response Plan for 2021 which will be augmenting the Government’s support to the vulnerable population while calling on other partners to ensure better mitigation of future shocks, provide more funding channeled to restore and repair infrastructure.
The UN in Pakistan is strongly committed to supporting the NDMA, the PDMA and other government authorities at Federal and Provincial levels to quantify the situation, raise awareness and support the response. The UN country team will continue to support immediate lifesaving activities focusing on food insecurity and health for vulnerable communities with a focus on women, minorities and the disabled.
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18 June 2020
Pakistan: Further desert locust damage forecast in coming agricultural seasons
The Government of Pakistan’s preliminary estimate of monetary losses due to desert locusts over the two coming agricultural seasons in 2020 and 2021 may range from US$3.4 billion to $10.21 billion.
Locust damage has significantly affected many farmers already, with further significant locust damage forecast at the end of summer.
In late January, the Government of Pakistan declared the desert locust a national emergency and set up the National Action Plan for Desert Locust Control and Surveillance and a high-level National Locust Control Centre.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is providing technical advice and procurement support to the Government for locust surveillance and control activities, including locust threat forecasts and control operation strategies.
FAO and the World Food Programme and partners, in coordination with the Government, will access needs in the worst-impacted districts, which have also experienced multiple shocks over the past 18 months, including drought, flash flooding, a cold wave and COVID-19.
The Government of Pakistan needs $372 million over the coming three years in additional funding to survey, control and recover from the locust damage.
FAO launched the Desert Locust Upsurge Global Response Plan 2020, which includes $12.5 million for Pakistan for crisis response, of which only $1.9 million has been funded.
More than 3 million people in Pakistan are facing severe acute food insecurity, with the situation particularly precarious in Balochistan.
It is estimated that approximately 34,000 households will need of emergency livelihood and food-security assistance due to crop losses. Many more people may be indirectly affected by crop losses leading to price rises in key commodities.
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16 June 2020
A Coordinated Response to Coronavirus
On Wednesday, 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) characterized the coronavirus (COVID-19) viral disease a pandemic, but it is a pandemic that can be controlled. Coronavirus (COVID-19) is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who heads the UN agency, said, in his statement, “Let me be clear: describing this as a pandemic does not mean that countries should give up.”
The UN Secretary-General urged all countries to take a comprehensive approach tailored to their circumstances – with containment as the central pillar. COVID-19 is affecting thousands of people, impacting countries’ health systems and having widespread social and economic effects. The UN entities working on development, the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, are supporting countries in their preparedness and response plans.
This page convenes sources of information and guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) regarding the current outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
WHO is working closely with global experts, governments and partners to track the spread and to provide guidance to countries and individuals on measures to protect health and prevent the spread of this outbreak.
To stay up to date with the latest information, please visit:
United Nations Covid-19 Response: https://www.un.org/coronavirus
World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Latest news on the United Nations’ response: https://news.un.org/en/events/un-news-coverage-coronavirus-outbreak
WHO guidance for countries: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Situation: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/685d0ace521648f8a5beeeee1b9125cd
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30 May 2021
Pakistan ramps up Protected Areas
From the Himalayas in the north to the deserts of Balochistan in the west, to the mangroves of Sindh in the south, Pakistan’snatural diversity is spellbinding, but it is also under threat.
In 2018, only 12 per cent of the country was classed as an environmentally protected area. According to Bloomberg, it was one of the six countries in the world most at risk from climate change. The country had one of the lowest forest covers in the region, with only 5 per cent cover. This was compared to a global average of 31 per cent. This put the country at increased risk from environmental dangers such as flooding, melting glaciers and droughts.
However, change is underway. In 2020, Pakistan’s government launched the ‘Protected Area Initiative’ which aims to increase protected areas such as national parks, wetlands and wildlife reserves to 15 per cent of the country’s total area by 2023. In the last two years, protected area coverage has already increased to 13.9 per cent and further progress looks assured.
Pakistan is following a global trend, according to the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) flagship report Protected Planet. Since 2010, 21 million km2of protected and conserved areas, or 42 per cent of the global total, has been added.
“Protected areas offer a range of environmental benefits – they safeguard biodiversity by protecting plant and animal habitats; protect against climate change by building resilience to natural disasters and providing carbon storage, and can help maintain food and water security,” said Susan Gardner, Director of UNEP’s Ecosystems division. “Their positive impact also extends to economies as protected areas can drive eco-tourism and create green jobs in developing countries.”
Sustainable Protected Areas
While the growth of protected areas is a welcome development, as the Pakistan government is aware, in order for them to be effective, the areas must be managed and controlled. While globally the target of 17 per cent of land protection has been met (Pakistan is behind the global average), less than 8 per cent, against a target of 10 per cent, of coastal and marine areas have been conserved.
Pakistan’s national parks date back to 1972 with the creation of Lal Suhanra, one of South Asia’s largest. Lal Suhanara is now one of Pakistan’s 31 parks which include desert, mountains, wetlands and coastal ecosystems. They are home to a wide array of species including the elusive and endangered snow leopard. However, many had fallen into disrepair and were parks and protected areas only in name. Part of the Protected Area Initiative is to ensure that these valuable environmental areas are operating and functional.
“It is key for Pakistan to not only increase the protected areas but to ensure that all areas that are protected are more than just paper parks. By this we mean they are fully functioning with community buy-in and staff to operate and protect them,” said Dr. Raja Omer, the Deputy Inspector General (Forests) in Pakistan.
In order to do this Pakistan is adding 7000 jobs to manage and work in the parks, a key boost after job losses due to COVID-19. UNEP’s Protected Planet Report 2020 finds that in order to be fully effective, jobs in protected areas must draw from and benefit the local communities and fully embrace women at all levels of planning and implementation.
“These jobs will ensure community buy-in and agency for the protected areas,” said Dr. Omer.
As Pakistan prepares to hold World Environment Day on June 5, in partnership with UNEP, the country continues to make positive progress. Last year Prime Minister Khan announced the creation of nine new National Parks and the rehabilitation of a further six. Pakistan aims to have at least seven of its national parks registered under the IUCN 'Green List of Protected Areas,' the gold standard for conservation.
“We have made good progress and we are confident we will meet our targets,” said Dr. Omer.
Story via UNEP
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19 May 2021
Pakistan restores mangroves for economy and ecosystem benefits
Tahir Qureshi had many nicknames. Father of the Mangroves. Mangrove Man. The mangrove hero of Pakistan. All reflect a life dedicated to the conservation and restoration of Pakistan’s mangroves.
As Pakistan prepares to host World Environment Day on June 5, ecosystem restoration, which includes critical ecosystems like mangrove forests, will be the focus. Mr Quershi, who sadly passed away in December 2020, played a key role in the development of mangrove restoration in Pakistan and will be fondly remembered at the event.
“He was a magnificent man. He understood the importance of mangroves in environmental conservation, he dedicated his life to them” said Mahmood Akhtar Cheema, the country representative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) partner, “He literally planted millions of mangroves.”
Mangroves are also a central part of the Pakistan government’s ambitious ‘Ten Billion Tree Tsunami’ drive. Led by Prime Minister Imran Khan and supported by UNEP, Pakistan has committed to planting 10 billion trees by 2023. Millions, if not billions, of these trees will be mangroves. By the end of June, this year one billion trees will have already been planted.
Ecosystem and economic benefits
Mangroves are one of the most productive and diverse ecosystems on the planet, without which, 39 per cent more people would be flooded annually. The IUCN estimates that mangroves provide exceptional carbon storage - three to five times that of tropical forests – and support livelihoods for over 120 million people globally. They are also home to more than 3,000 fish species are found in their ecosystem.
“Mangroves are an important tool in the fight against climate change. They reduce carbon in the atmosphere and they also make financial sense. Restoring mangroves is five times more cost effective than building ‘grey infrastructure’ such as flood walls, which also don’t help with climate change,” said Makkio Yashiro, regional ecosystems coordinator for UNEP.
But mangroves are under threat. Climate change, logging, agriculture, aquaculture, pollution and coastal development are all eroding their habitats. UNEP and partners found that over 67% of mangroves have been lost or degraded to date.
Restoring a critical ecosystem
Restoring mangroves helps support not only nature but also, economies. A hectare of mangroves is estimated to be worth between $33,000 and $57,000 per year. UNEP studies find that every dollar invested in mangrove restoration there is a benefit of four dollars. Simply put they are one of the most efficient, cost effective Nature-based Solutions (NbS).
In Pakistan, as well as the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami, organisations such as the IUCN have instigated a number of mangrove restoration projects. The IUCN has worked on projects including one with the Pakistani Navy to plant seven million mangrove plants and also public-private enterprises with Engro Elengy Terminal Private Limited (EETPL) in the Port Qasim area of Karachi.
As we enter the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which will run from 2021 to 2030 and aims to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide, mangroves have a key role to play in its success.
Story via UNEP
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10 December 2020
UNHCR’s skills project empowered refugee woman to earn at home amid coronavirus outbreak
QUETTA, 08 April 2020 – Saleema Habibullah, an Afghan refugee, has faced enormous struggles in her lifetime. Despite the tragic losses that she experienced, she leads a life free from fear and full of hope for the future, even in the most difficult of times.
“I was only twenty when all the men in my family where killed in a bombing incident in Quetta,” Saleema lamented. She described how her paternal uncle was so heart-broken that he died from a heart attack.
At the time, she fought for her family – a paralyzed aunt and cousin, whom were her only remaining relatives – by taking a bold step to leave her home and seek opportunities. Thanks to UNHCR’s Safe from the Start (SFS) programme, she learned new skills, such as embroidery, tailoring and kilim-making, and applies them daily.
The new skills enabled Saleema to become a master trainer at UNHCR’s programme being run by its partner. She has also established a centre at her house to provide skills to girls and run a small business. Saleema earns from the job and home-based business.
“Even at this challenging time, when the coronavirus outbreak has affected the country, I’m able to earn a decent living while staying at home,” she said.
Generously funded by the United States of America in 2019, the SFS is a livelihoods, hygiene and sexual violence awareness-raising project. Its aim is the economic empowerment of vulnerable women in the Afghan refugee community in Quetta.
Since the start of the programme in 2016, SFS trained 740 beneficiaries in marketable skills such as kilim and carpet weaving, tailoring, hand embroidery, machine embroidery as well as computer and English language courses (for literate beneficiaries).
All trainees participate in numeracy, literacy and health classes as well. A nursery is also available for young children accompanying their mothers during the day. Most of the beneficiaries are not only skilled artisans but aspiring female agents of change.
Originally from Kunduz in northern Afghanistan, Saleema could not continue her studies beyond primary school due to poverty. However, her life took a turn for the better when she got the opportunity to become a trainer with SFS. Today, she’s the sole bread winner in her family, paying off all of the heavy debt that they accumulated over time.
At first, her community didn’t respond well to her decision to pursue skills training. In fact, they didn’t even approve of a girl leaving the home, but Saleema stood firm against the frowning faces and unfriendly gestures. She kept working hard, learning new skills.
“Someday, I look forward to becoming a successful businesswoman,” mused Saleema. She says that women should be brave, lead prosperous lives and pursue their dreams.
By Humera Karim, UNHCR, Quetta, Pakistan
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09 December 2020
Social inclusion of vulnerable transgenders in times of COVID-19
Continuing with its commitment to ‘Leave No One Behind’, UNDP in Pakistan, with UNFPA’s support, conducted a rapid preliminary socio-economic assessment to gauge the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on transgender persons living in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
This initiative is the first outcome of the Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR) and UNDP Human Rights Taskforce on COVID-19 for collaboration on efforts through a human rights lens.
The assessment was conducted with representative sampling of 75 transgender persons (50 individuals in Rawalpindi and 25 in Islamabad), through transgender focal points of Islamabad and Rawalpindi— who are also members of the National Implementation Committee of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018. The Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR) was on board to ensure ownership from the government.
All geographical areas of Islamabad and Rawalpindi were a part of the assessment while the assessment itself was disaggregated along multiple categories including, but not limited to, key-informants’: age, disability if any, health status, pre-COVID19 employment/income generation capacity, residence, and any experience of Gender Based Violence (GBV)).
The sample-size was loosely based on Census 2017-18 findings[1] and in consultation with the trans-community, measuring at 50 key informants from Rawalpindi and 25 key informants from Islamabad-ICT. The findings of the assessmnet reveal serious socio-economic impact of the already marginalised communities of trangender persons; with limited mobility due to COVID-19, their earnings have declined considerably and they are facing issues of shelter, food and access to mandatory hygiene products such as masks, gloves and sanitizers.
National Consultation in 2018 on Political inclusion and Electoral participation of transgender community in Pakistan. © UNDP Pakistan/Shuja Hakim
The first assessment had the following findings and recommendations:
´ Trans-persons in the twin-cities have been gravely, disproportionately affected by socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
´ Measures to address the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic should consider the particular vulnerabilities of the trans-people, including older persons, those living with disabilities, compromised immune systems and the homeless, and ensure that trans-people are fully covered by relief to recovery packages and not rendered invisible or unheard at any stage.
´ All development partners, including decision-makers, must speak out against stigmatization and discrimination directed at the trans-people in the context of the pandemic.
´ Shelters, support services, and other measures to address gender-based violence during the COVID-19 pandemic and must take urgent steps to include the trans-population.
´ Measures restricting movement should provide protection for transgender and gender non-conforming persons. Law enforcement officials should be instructed and trained not to discriminate against this segment of the population.
The immediate needs identified through the assessment are:
The initial findings pointed out the challenges faced by the transgender community which includes:
´ Stigma and discrimination makes transgender people reluctant to disclose their health and socioeconomic status, and get help.
´ Transgender persons continue to experience discrimination from service providers and staff across the social protection and health care settings and social security safety nets – this leaves them poorer and more vulnerable in the face of COVID-19 pandemic.
´ Existing socio-economic marginalization and health conditions mean more of trans-persons live in a state of invisible multi-dimensional vulnerability and compromised health.
´ Transgender and non-binary persons living with hostile families under the current lockdown have to deal with stress and trauma, especially those who have recently come out as trans-persons, those who have recently undergone sex reassignment surgery or are taking hormones.
´ Most trans-persons are either living in temporary residences with other transgender persons in cramped-unsafe conditions or alone in locations other than their places of origin.
´ Most trans-community members are semi or poorly educated, therefore there are obvious and serious gaps in understanding written information and precautionary guidelines with regards to COVID-19. A community-based awareness mechanism should be introduced to educate them on COVID-19 prevention and response. This should be clubbed with the basic training on preparing cost-effective masks, disposing of masks and gloves, maintaining physical distance and keeping themselves safe in their personal spaces.
´ A group from this community has reported their unmet long-term medication needs which have been disrupted due to closure of OPDs in government hospitals. This requires urgent re-prioritisation of health services for those in need of chronic medical care.
The majority of trans-people have reported either none or limited funds available at their disposal to purchase basic necessities of life. Considering the uncertainty about ending the Corona Virus pandemic there is a dire need to look for alternative livelihood options for trans-people to enable them to earn their living.
MoHR with the support of UNDP in Pakistan and UNFPA Pakistan distributed Eid Relief Packages for COVID-19 affected transgender persons. © UNDP Pakistan/Shuja Hakim
In light of the assessment findings, UNDP with the support of UNFPA and in collaboration with Ministry of Human Rights will distribute assistance packages to the most vulnerable transgender persons living in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
UNDP and MoHR have been collaborating for the past two years for effective implementation of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018. This is possible by social inclusion of transgender persons through capacity building, institutional and policy support. UNDP Pakistan is also supporting the establishment of the first ever protection centre for vulnerable transgender persons living in the twin cities with the support of UNFPA. Discussions are currently underway on the structure and setup of the centre with MoHR and UNFPA.
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07 December 2020
Empowering female police trainees and officers of Sindh and Motorway Police
Madiha Anjum is working as a staff officer in the morning at National Highways and Motorway Police (NH&MP) and taking classes at the university in the evening. Growing up she never imagined that she would be able to join a profession like the Police while living in a social setup that didn’t give her the option to choose a career path on her own. “My brothers used to say that you are only allowed to be a teacher or do the kind of job that can be done from home. I always knew I was not meant for teaching,” she says.
Swimming against the tide, many female officers like Anjum are fighting battles, social and physical, to assimilate into a workforce that is as demanding as it is rewarding. Yet women are joining NH&MP at an increasing rate.
“The presence of female staff in Motorways Police is very important, especially as the number of female drivers has increased.” says Mehboob Aslam, DIG NH&MP, and Commandant of Training College NH&MP Sheikhupura.
As part of the force, female officers of the Motorways Police need proper training. Anjum who is originally from Faisalabad resides at the hostel premises of the college at Sheikhupura along with 50 other young trainees who come from all over Pakistan. They stay in hostels for months – hostels that are often housed in old buildings with leaking ceilings, badly maintained bathrooms with sewage problems, poor ventilation, cramped rooms without emergency exits which pose health and safety hazards. These young women have chosen this difficult profession, but the process becomes more difficult when they do not even get to have basic facilities in their hostels.
“I didn’t know anyone when I came to this place, but I am used to living here now. I strongly believe a comfortable living environment would have helped us adjust better,” says Kiran Sawera from Sukkur.
Anam Tahir, a Patrol Officer from Islamabad who is staying in the hostel, says that they have limited space in extremely tiny rooms and sometimes the hostel has to accommodate up to 100 trainees in a place not even meant for 50 people. The hostel is devoid of even the basic facilities. They do not have any space to study, receive guests or prepare hygienic and healthy food for themselves.
According to DIG Aslam, the training college was established in 1992 and the female hostel has not been touched since that time which means the building is in a dilapidated condition. He indicated that the hostel building is dangerous and in the event of an earthquake or a natural disaster it could even be destroyed. “We are in dire need of a better hostel facility for the women,” he says. Women’s participation in public sector jobs in Pakistan has been hindered due to several factors, including the lack of a women-friendly work environment, unequal access to professional opportunities, gender disparity in educational and professional development and socio-cultural issues. While the Government of Pakistan has set a 10% quota for women in the police force, the current percentage of women in the police force remains below 2%, despite the government’s efforts to increase female representation. In addition, most of these women are at constable level, with very few in superintendent positions.
Things are poised to get better for these female officers. Maria Batool, who has been a Patrol Officer at NH&MP for the last three years, says that she admires the struggles of women who became part of the forces decades ago despite the huge stigma associated with joining the police department. Those women paved the way for the younger generation like her and created a space for them to join this profession. She recalls how the presence of women used to bother male colleagues in Motorways Police. “Now, they don’t stop their conversations when we go near them because they know that we are part of their department and we will remain with them whether they want us to or not,” she says. “Females are now a major part of society and they cannot be kept at home forcefully. People have to accept us and they are because they are acknowledging our presence and admiring our work,” she adds. Keeping in view the problems faced by working women in the police department, UNOPS will construct hostels for female police trainees as part of the Infrastructure for Gender Equality in Police project. The aim of the project was to enhance gender equality in the police by expanding accommodation facilities and creating an enabling environment for female police personnel.
The project is being implemented by UNOPS in partnership with the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the U.S. Department of State (INL), Sindh Police and National Highways and Motorway Police. Four housing facilities will be built under this project: a hostel at the NH&MP Training College in Sheikhupura for 100 female recruits, two hostels at the Police Training College Saeedabad in Karachi for 220 female recruits, and a hostel at the Police Training College Shahdadpur in District Sanghar for 120 female recruits.
The direct beneficiaries of this project will include new female recruits, female trainers, and in-service policewomen who come to these colleges to attend mandatory promotional courses. UNOPS Pakistan Project Manager, Nauman Amin, says he is proud to lead the project. “This project will not only provide a dignified and comfortable living space to women police officers and trainees, but also encourage women to join the department,” he says. The design and construction of these multi-story buildings will be completed by UNOPS to provide sustainable and resilient infrastructure which caters to the needs of the female officers. Once the project is completed, an expected outcome would be gender responsive rule of law through an increased presence of women in law enforcement agencies. UNOPS believes in gender mainstreaming and through this strategy, addresses the need for making the experiences of women as well as men, an integral dimension of the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and projects. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality.
There are high hopes attached to this project as it will encourage more women to join law enforcement agencies. “We have come a long way. We wear uniforms and walk without any fear. Our parents do not feel ashamed and we are proud of it,” says Batool.
Swimming against the tide, many female officers like Anjum are fighting battles, social and physical, to assimilate into a workforce that is as demanding as it is rewarding. Yet women are joining NH&MP at an increasing rate.
“The presence of female staff in Motorways Police is very important, especially as the number of female drivers has increased.” says Mehboob Aslam, DIG NH&MP, and Commandant of Training College NH&MP Sheikhupura.
As part of the force, female officers of the Motorways Police need proper training. Anjum who is originally from Faisalabad resides at the hostel premises of the college at Sheikhupura along with 50 other young trainees who come from all over Pakistan. They stay in hostels for months – hostels that are often housed in old buildings with leaking ceilings, badly maintained bathrooms with sewage problems, poor ventilation, cramped rooms without emergency exits which pose health and safety hazards. These young women have chosen this difficult profession, but the process becomes more difficult when they do not even get to have basic facilities in their hostels.
“I didn’t know anyone when I came to this place, but I am used to living here now. I strongly believe a comfortable living environment would have helped us adjust better,” says Kiran Sawera from Sukkur.
Anam Tahir, a Patrol Officer from Islamabad who is staying in the hostel, says that they have limited space in extremely tiny rooms and sometimes the hostel has to accommodate up to 100 trainees in a place not even meant for 50 people. The hostel is devoid of even the basic facilities. They do not have any space to study, receive guests or prepare hygienic and healthy food for themselves.
According to DIG Aslam, the training college was established in 1992 and the female hostel has not been touched since that time which means the building is in a dilapidated condition. He indicated that the hostel building is dangerous and in the event of an earthquake or a natural disaster it could even be destroyed. “We are in dire need of a better hostel facility for the women,” he says. Women’s participation in public sector jobs in Pakistan has been hindered due to several factors, including the lack of a women-friendly work environment, unequal access to professional opportunities, gender disparity in educational and professional development and socio-cultural issues. While the Government of Pakistan has set a 10% quota for women in the police force, the current percentage of women in the police force remains below 2%, despite the government’s efforts to increase female representation. In addition, most of these women are at constable level, with very few in superintendent positions.
Things are poised to get better for these female officers. Maria Batool, who has been a Patrol Officer at NH&MP for the last three years, says that she admires the struggles of women who became part of the forces decades ago despite the huge stigma associated with joining the police department. Those women paved the way for the younger generation like her and created a space for them to join this profession. She recalls how the presence of women used to bother male colleagues in Motorways Police. “Now, they don’t stop their conversations when we go near them because they know that we are part of their department and we will remain with them whether they want us to or not,” she says. “Females are now a major part of society and they cannot be kept at home forcefully. People have to accept us and they are because they are acknowledging our presence and admiring our work,” she adds. Keeping in view the problems faced by working women in the police department, UNOPS will construct hostels for female police trainees as part of the Infrastructure for Gender Equality in Police project. The aim of the project was to enhance gender equality in the police by expanding accommodation facilities and creating an enabling environment for female police personnel.
The project is being implemented by UNOPS in partnership with the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the U.S. Department of State (INL), Sindh Police and National Highways and Motorway Police. Four housing facilities will be built under this project: a hostel at the NH&MP Training College in Sheikhupura for 100 female recruits, two hostels at the Police Training College Saeedabad in Karachi for 220 female recruits, and a hostel at the Police Training College Shahdadpur in District Sanghar for 120 female recruits.
The direct beneficiaries of this project will include new female recruits, female trainers, and in-service policewomen who come to these colleges to attend mandatory promotional courses. UNOPS Pakistan Project Manager, Nauman Amin, says he is proud to lead the project. “This project will not only provide a dignified and comfortable living space to women police officers and trainees, but also encourage women to join the department,” he says. The design and construction of these multi-story buildings will be completed by UNOPS to provide sustainable and resilient infrastructure which caters to the needs of the female officers. Once the project is completed, an expected outcome would be gender responsive rule of law through an increased presence of women in law enforcement agencies. UNOPS believes in gender mainstreaming and through this strategy, addresses the need for making the experiences of women as well as men, an integral dimension of the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and projects. The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality.
There are high hopes attached to this project as it will encourage more women to join law enforcement agencies. “We have come a long way. We wear uniforms and walk without any fear. Our parents do not feel ashamed and we are proud of it,” says Batool.
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Press Release
27 July 2021
Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 27 July 2021
UNODC
PRESS RELEASE
Launch of Project!!
Combatting Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Pakistan
Funded by the Government of Canada through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Islamabad, Pakistan 27 July 2021 – Today, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Office Pakistan with the implementing partner Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) launched a project Combatting Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Pakistan in Islamabad. The scope of project is laid down for two years, a joint initiative by the Government of Canada and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and it reaffirms that combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling is of the highest importance for the Government of Pakistan, Government of Canada, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime as a whole. This project is financially supported by the Government of Canada through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
This project is a coordinated response to trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants and aims to strengthen the capacity of the Federal Investigation for its fight against Trafficking in persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM).
“The support from the government of Canada through this project which we are launching today, will strengthen the national policies regarding TIP and SOM including the national capacity to assess and measure this phenomenon in Pakistan. It will strengthen the capacity of FIA and police to combat TIP and SOM; raise awareness amongst the risk group, public and relevant Pakistani authorities, and NGOs. It will also build the capacity of the national authorities to protect and reintegrate victims of trafficking and vulnerable smuggled migrants, especially women and children”, said, Dr. Jeremy Milsom, Representative, UNODC Pakistan in his opening remarks.
In addressing the event, Her Excellency Wendy Gilmour, Canada’s High Commissioner to Pakistan stated “Canada commends Government of Pakistan’s commitment to fight human trafficking and migrant smuggling and we are pleased to work with UNODC as a partner in support of the Government of Pakistan’s efforts in these areas. Human trafficking is a crime, representing an assault on the fundamental human rights of its victims. Improved data gathering and analysis will assist in combatting trafficking and migrant smuggling, helping Pakistan address transnational crime and stop those who would prey on some of the world’s most vulnerable for their own gain. Canada will continue to work alongside Pakistan and other global partners in fighting trafficking and smuggling operations to support safe migration”.
The Project is launched with the roll out of two days training on data collection and management. The purpose of the training is to reinforce the importance of disaggregation of TIP and SOM data, its adequate collection, and the needs to understand the differences between TIP and SOM.
Speaking about the project, Dr. Sanaullah Abbasi, PSP, Director General FIA, said, “Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), with the support of UNODC and the Government of Canada will improve prosecution of traffickers, smugglers and protect and support victims and witnesses, while upholding the rule of law and in recognition of human rights. The project is aligned with FIA’s National Action Plan to combat TIP and SOM (2021 – 2025), which was developed by FIA with the assistance of UNODC”. Regarding the training, he also said, that, “The training helped participants understand the techniques to expand their knowledge on the type of data that should be collected, its usefulness, the need for gender-segregated data and characteristics of good data”.
The launching ceremony took place in the presence of the Senior representatives of the Federal Investigation Agency and the High Commission of Canada in Pakistan.
For further information or media enquiries please contact:
Ms Rizwana Rahool, Communication Officer; Mobile: +923018564255; Fax: + 92-51-2601469; Email: rizwana.asad@un.org
Video footage download link: https://we.tl/t-V3iueFkHJV
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پریس ریلیز
کینیڈین حکومت کے امیگریشن ، پناہ گزینوں اور شہریت (آئی آر سی سی ) کے تعاون سے پاکستان میں انسانی اسمگلنگ اور سودا گری سے نمٹنے کے لیے پراجیکٹ کا آغاز
اسلام آباد ( 27جولائی 2021) آج اقوام متحدہ کے انسداد منشیات اور جرائم (یو این او ڈی سی ) کے کنٹری آفس اسلام آباد نے ایف آئی اے کے اشتراک سے پاکستان میں انسانی اسمگلنگ اور سودا گری سے نمٹنے کے لیے دو سالہ منصوبے کا آغاز کر دیا ۔ انسانی اسمگلنگ اور تارکین وطن افرادکی اسمگلنگ کا مل کر مقابلہ کرنا حکومت پاکستان ، کینیڈین حکومت اور اقوام متحدہ کے انسداد منشیات اور جرائم آفس کے لیے سب سے زیادہ اہمیت کا حامل ہے ۔ اس منصوبے کو حکومت کینیڈا کی مالی معاونت حاصل ہے ۔ یہ منصوبہ انسانوں کی تجارت اور اسمگلنگ کی انسداد کے لیے مربوط اقدام ہے ، اور اس کا مقصد انسانوں کی تجارت اور مہاجروں کی اسمگلنگ کے خلاف جنگ کے لیے وفاقی تحقیقاتی ادارے کی صلاحیت کو مستحکم کرنا ہے۔ منصوبے کی افتتاحی تقریب میں گفتگو کرتے ہوئے اقوام متحدہ کے پاکستان میں آفس برائے انسداد منشیات اور جرائم کے نمائندے ڈاکٹر جیرمی ملسم نے کہا کہ کینیڈین حکومت کی حمایت سے جو منصوبہ آج ہم شروع کر رہے ہیں اس سے قومی پالیسیوں کو تقویت ملے گی ، جس سے پاکستان میں اس رجحان کی تشخیص اور حوصلہ شکنی کرنے کی قومی صلاحیت میں اضافہ ہو گا ۔ رسک گروپ، عوامی اور متعلقہ پاکستانی حکام اور غیر سرکاری تنظیموں میں شعور بیدار کریں۔ اس سے قومی حکام کی انسانوں کی تجارت اور اسمگل شدہ تارکین وطن، خاص طور پر خواتین اور بچوں کی بحالی اور ان کی صلاحیت میں بھی اضافہ ہوگا۔"
پاکستان میں کینیڈا کی ہائی کمشنر محترمہ وینڈی گلمور نے "پاکستانی حکومت کے کردار کی تعریف کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ یو این او ڈی سی کے ساتھ حکومت پاکستان کی کوششوں کی حمایت میں شراکت دار کے طور پر کام کریں۔ ان علاقوں میں انسانی اسمگلنگ ایک جرم ہے، جو اس کے متاثرین کے بنیادی انسانی حقوق کے غصب کرنے کی نمائندگی کرتا ہے۔ ڈیٹا اکٹھا کرنا اور تجزیہ کرنے سے اسمگلنگ اور تارکین وطن کی اسمگلنگ کا مقابلہ کرنے میں مدد ملے گی، پاکستان کو بین الاقوامی جرائم سے نمٹنے میں مدد ملے گی اور ان لوگوں کو روکنے میں مدد ملے گی جو اپنے فائدے کے لئے دنیا کے سب سے بڑے خطرے کا شکار ہوتے ہیں۔ کینیڈا محفوظ نقل مکانی کی حمایت کے لئے پاکستان اور دیگر عالمی شراکت داروں کے ساتھ مل کر اسمگلنگ اور غیر قانونی تارکین وطن کی کارروائیوں سے لڑنے کے لئے کام جاری رکھے گا۔"
منصوبے کے آغاز سے پہلے دو دن کی تربیت کا اہتمام کیا گیا جس میں غیر قانونی تارکین وطن اور انسانی اسمگلنگ سے متعلق ڈیٹا اکٹھا کرنے اور ان سے نبرد آزما ہونے سے متعلق تربیت دی جا رہی ہے۔ تربیت کا بنیادی مقصد انفرادی اسمگلنگ اور انسانی اسمگلنگ سے متعلق ڈیٹا اکٹھا کرنے کی اہمیت کے ساتھ ساتھ انفرادی اور انسانی اسمگلنگ کے درمیان فرق کو سمجھنے کی ضرورت پر زور دیا گیا ۔
منصوبے کے حوالے سے گفتگو کرتے ہوئے ثناء اللہ عباسی ڈائریکٹر جنرل ایف آئی آے نے کہا کہ ، اقوام متحدہ دفتر برائے انسداد منشیات اورجرائم حکومت کینیڈا کے تعاون سے انفرادی اسمگلروں اور انسانی اسمگلروں کے خلاف قانونی کارروائی کو بہتر بنائیں گے اور متاثرین کی حفاظت کے ساتھ ساتھ ان کی مناسب مدد کریں گے ۔ قانون کی بالادستی کو برقرار رکھنے اور انسانی حقوق کی پاسداری کے لیے اس منصوبے کو انسانوں کی تجارت اور انسانی اسمگلنگ سے نمٹنے کے لیے اسے ایف آئی اے کے نیشنل ایکشن پلان کے ساتھ منسلک کیا گیا ہے، جسے ایف آئی اے نے اقوام متحدہ کے آفس برائے انسداد منشیات اور جرائم کے تعاون سے تیار کیا ہے ۔ " تربیت کے حوالے سے بات کرتے ہوئے انہوں نے کہا کہ ''اس تربیت سے شرکاءکو اپنے اعداد و شمار میں اضافہ کرنے کے طریقوں کو سمجھنے میں مدد ملی جو ڈیٹا اکٹھا کرنے ، اس کی افادیت سمیت اہم صنفی امتیاز کے ساتھ معلومات فراہم کرنے میں معاون ثابت ہوئی ۔
منصوبے کے آغاز کی تقریب میں کینیڈین ہائی کمیشن کے سینئر نمائندوں سمیت وفاقی تحقیقاتی ادارے کے اہم افسران بھی موجود تھے ۔
***
1 of 5
Press Release
26 July 2021
Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 26 July 2021
UNICEF - WHO
PRESS RELEASE
COVAX delivers second consignment
of US-donated Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to Pakistan A total of 8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to Pakistan
by the COVAX Facility, the global COVID-19 vaccine equity scheme, so far. ISLAMABAD, 26 July 2021 – The second consignment of 3 million doses of Moderna (mRNA-1273) COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Government of the United States to the COVAX Facility arrived in Pakistan during early hours of today, bringing the total doses donated by the US Government to Pakistan through COVAX to 5.5 million since 8 May. The donation is part of the 870 million additional COVID-19 vaccine doses pledged by the G7 through the COVAX Facility dose-sharing mechanism to support global equitable access to vaccines in 2021 and 2022, with the aim to deliver at least half by the end of 2021. COVAX, the global COVID-19 vaccine equity scheme, has delivered a total 8 million doses of vaccine to Pakistan since 8 May, including 2.5 million doses of AstraZeneca, 100,000 doses Pfizer and 5.5 million doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. To date, close to 7 million people have been fully vaccinated and nearly 20 million partially vaccinated in Pakistan since the start of the national vaccination campaign in February 2021. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan has now reached close to a million, while nearly 23,000 people are reported to have succumbed to the disease. “Despite national, regional and global efforts, the pandemic is nowhere near finished. WHO will continue to work with the Government of Pakistan and donors to implement activities to control transmission and advocate for equitable vaccine access and distribution. Vaccines are key in the fight again COVID-19 and we encourage everyone to get their vaccine immediately,” says Dr Palitha Mahipala, WHO Representative in Pakistan. “We thank the US Government for expressing their solidarity with Pakistan through this donation. Nobody is safe until everyone is safe.” The allocation of extra doses of COVID-19 vaccines by G7 countries to COVAX will not only limit the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19, it will also prevent new variants from emerging. “UNICEF thanks the Government of the United States for its generous contribution to the COVAX dose-sharing mechanism. This is an important step in the continued fight against COVID-19. UNICEF commends the Government of Pakistan for its leadership in ensuring a smooth roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign and urges the population to get vaccinated and continue taking COVID-19 precautionary measures,” said Aida Girma, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan. “UNICEF will continue to support the national response to COVID-19 campaign in Pakistan through procurement services of essential COVID-19 supplies; expansion of cold chain capacity to ensure safe storage of vaccines; risk communication and community engagement to increase vaccine uptake and enforce SOPs and efficient and effective management of the COVID-19 Call Centre 1166.” Strictly complying with COVID-19 public health and social measures continues to be critical to stop the spread of virus, after getting vaccinated. These include regularly wearing face masks, washing hands with soap for at least 20 seconds or use a sanitizer; remaining at least six feet away from other people; avoiding crowded places; and staying at home and seeking care when having COVID-19 symptoms. The goal of COVAX is to help address the acute phase of the global pandemic by the end of 2021 by providing rapid, fair and equitable access to safe and effective vaccines for all participating countries and territories regardless of income level. The COVAX Facility, co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO, together with UNICEF, aims to provide access to quality-assured COVID-19 vaccines, enabling the protection of frontline health care and social workers, as well as other high-risk and vulnerable groups. ### For more information, please contact UNICEF
Catherine Weibel, UNICEF Pakistan, cweibel@unicef.org, +92 300 500 2592
Abdul Sami Malik, UNICEF Pakistan, asmalik@unicef.org, +92 300 855 6654 WHO Maryam Yunus, WHO Pakistan, yunusm@who.int, +92 300 8441744 Notes to editors So far donors to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, European Union, Australia, Bhutan, Canada, Colombia, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Monaco, New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Anonymous Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, KS Relief/Gamers Without Borders, Mastercard, Medline International, Nikkei Inc., Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin, Shell, Thistledown Foundation, TikTok, Transferwise, Soccer Aid. The list of donor pledges to COVAX AMC is available here. *** کویکس نے امریکہ کی طرف
سے عطیہ کردہ ماڈرنا کووِڈ-19 ویکسین کی دوسری کھیپ پاکستان پہنچا دی اب تک کووِڈ-19 ویکسین کی مجموعی طور پر 80 لاکھ خوراکیں کویکس کی سہولت کے ذریعے عالمی کووِڈ-19 ویکسین ایکویٹی اسکیم کے
تحت پاکستان پہنچائی جا چکی ہیں۔ اسلام آباد، 26 جولائی 2021 – آج صبح سویرے امریکی حکومت کی جانب سے کویکس سہولت کے ذریعے عطیہ کی گئی ماڈرنا (ایمآر این اے-1273) کووِڈ-19 ویکسین کی 30 لاکھ خوراکوں کی دوسری کھیپ پاکستان پہنچائی گئی ہے جس سے 8 مئی سے امریکی حکومت کی جانب سے کویکس کے ذریعے پاکستان کو عطیہ کی گئی کل خوراک 55 لاکھ تک پہنچ گئی ہے۔ یہ عطیہ 2021 اور 2022 میں ویکسین تک عالمی سطح پر یکساں رسائی میں معاونت کے لئے کویکس ڈوز شیئرنگ طریقہ کار کے ذریعے کی گئی ہے جس کا عہد جی 7 کی جانب کیا گیا تھا اور جس کے تحت 870 ملین اضافی کووِڈ-19 ویکسین کی خوراکیں تقسیم کی جائیں گی ۔ ویکسین فراہم کرنے کے اس عمل کے ذریعے 2021 کے آخر تک کم از کم نصف خوراکیں فراہم کردی جائیں گی۔ عالمی کووِڈ-19 ویکسین ایکویٹی اسکیم کویکس نے 8 مئی سے اب تک پاکستان کو ویکسین کی مجموعی 8ملین خوراکیں فراہم کی ہیں جن میں اسٹرازینکا کی 25 لاکھ خوراکیں، 100,000 خوراکیں فائزر کی اور ماڈرنا کووِڈ-19 ویکسین کی 55 ملین خوراکیں شامل ہیں۔ فروری 2021 میں قومی ویکسینیشن مہم کے آغاز سے اب تک پاکستان میں 70 لاکھ کے قریب افراد کو مکمل طور پر ویکسین لگائی جا چکی ہے اور تقریبا 20 ملین افراد کو جزوی طور پر ویکسین کی ایک خوراک دی جاچکی ہے۔ پاکستان میں کووِڈ-19 کے تصدیق شدہ کیسز کی تعداد اب دس لاکھ کے قریب پہنچ چکی ہے جبکہ تقریبا 23 ہزار افراد کے اس بیماری کا شکار ہونے کی اطلاعات ہیں۔ ویکسین کی تازہ کھیپ کی آمد کے موقع پر بات کرتے ہوئے پاکستان میں عالمی ادارۂ صحت کی نمائندہ ڈاکٹر پالیتا مہیپالا نے کہ ’’علاقائی اور عالمی سطح پر اقدامات اٹھانے کے باوجود اس عالمی وبا کا کہیں بھی مکمل خاتمہ نہیں ہوسکا۔ عالمی ادارۂ صحت حکومتِ پاکستان کے ساتھ مل کر اپنا کام جاری رکھے گا اور عطیات دینے والے دیگر اداروں کے ساتھ مل کر پاکستان میں ویکسین کی مساوات کے اصولوں کے تحت فراہمی ، منتقلی اور اس کی تمام لوگوں تک رسائی کو ممکن بناتا رہے گا تاکہ ہر ایک کو فوری اور بروقت ویکسین فراہم کی جاسکے‘‘۔ انہوں نے مزید کہا کہ ہم ویکسین کے اس عطیے کے ذریعے پاکستان کے ساتھ اظہارِ یکجہتی کرنے پر امریکی حکومت کا تہہ دل سے شکریہ ادا کرتے ہیں۔ انہوں نے زور دیا کہ جب تک کورونا وائرس سے ہر شخص محفوظ نہیں ہوجاتا ، اس وقت تک کوئی بھی شخص محفوظ نہیں ! جی سیون ممالک کی جانب سے کو یکس کے ذریعے کووِڈ-19 ویکسین کی اضافی خوراک مختص کرنے سے نہ صرف کورونا وائرس کووِڈ-19 کے پھیلاؤ کو محدود کیا جاسکے گا بلکہ وائرس کی نئی اقسام کو ابھرنے سے بھی روکا جا سکے گا۔ پاکستان میں یونیسف کی نمائندہ ایڈا گیرمانے کویکس کے ذریعے خوراک تقسیم کرنے کے نظام کے تحت دی جانے والی اس فراخدلانہ کھیپ روانہ کرنے پر امریکہ کی حکومت کا شکریہ ادا کیا اور اسے کووِڈ-19 کے خلاف مسلسل جنگ میں ایک اہم قدم قرار دیا۔ یونیسف نے حکومت پاکستان کی قیادت کی تعریف کی کہ پاکستان نے کووِڈ-19 ویکسینیشن مہم کو بہترین جمہوری اور منصفانہ اصولوں پر چلا یا ہے اور لوگوں پر زور دیا ہے کہ وہ ویکسین کے ٹیکے لگوائیں اور کووِڈ-19 احتیاطی تدابیر پر عمل جاری رکھیں۔ انہوں نے مزید کہا کہ "یونیسف ضروری کووڈ – 19 ویکسین، معمول کی ویکسینیشن اور پولیو ویکسین کی رسد، زیادہ مقدار میں ویکسین محفوظ رکھنے کے لئے کولڈ چین (سردخانوں) کی گنجائش میں وسعت لانے اور خطرات کے بارے میں آگہی کے لئے ابلاغِ عامہ کے ذریعے عوام میں شعور و آگہی میں اضافہ کررہا ہے۔ ان ضروری اقدامات سے ویکسین پر لوگوں کے اعتماد میں اضافہ ہوگا اور کووڈ 19 سے بچاؤ کے حفاظتی اقدامات پر عمل یقینی بنایا جائے گا۔ اس موقع پر انہوں نے کووڈ – 19 کال سنٹر116 کے موثر نظم و ضبط کو سراہتے ہوئے ایس اوپیز پر مکمل عمل کے سلسلے میں لوگوں کے مکمل تعاون کی اہمیت پر بھی زور دیا۔ ویکسین لگوانے کے بعد بھی وائرس کے پھیلاؤ کو روکنے کے لئے ان حفاظتی اقدامات پر سختی سے عمل کرنا انتہائی ضروری ہے۔ ان اقدامات میں کم از کم 20 سیکنڈ تک صابن سے ہاتھ دھونا یا سینیٹائزر استعمال کرنا شامل کریں؛ ماسک پہنیں؛ اور دوسرے لوگوں سے کم از کم چھ فٹ دور رہیں۔ پر ہجوم جگہوں پر جانے سے پرہیز کریں؛ اور کووڈ- 19 کی علامات ظاہر ہونے کی صورت میں گھر تک محدود رہیں ۔ کویکس کی سہولت کا مقصد آمدنی کی سطح سے قطع نظر تمام شریک ممالک کو منظور شدہ ویکسین تک تیز رفتار، مساوی اور منصفانہ رسائی فراہم کرکے 2021 کے آخر تک عالمی وبا کے شدید مرحلے سے نمٹنے میں مدد کرنا ہے۔ کویکس (کوڈ-19 ویکسین گلوبل ایکسس) گاوی، اتحاد برائے وبائی صورتِ حال کے لئے تیاری اور جدت کی ذمہ دار (سی ای پی آئی) کی مشترکہ قیادت میں ڈبلیو ایچ او اور یونیسف کے ساتھ مل کر کام کررہا ہے اور اس کا مقصد اعلیٰ معیار کی ویکسین تک رسائی ممکن بنانا ، فرنٹ لائن ہیلتھ و سوشل ورکرز کے علاوہ زیادہ خطرات سے دوچار آبادیوں کا تحفظ کو یقینی بنانا ہے ۔ ### مزید معلومات کے لیے براہ کرم رابطہ کریں یونیسف
کیتھرین ویبل، یونیسف پاکستان، cweibel@unicef.org، +92 300 500 2592
عبدالسمیع ملک،یونیسف پاکستان، asmalik@unicef.org،+92 300 855 6654 عالمی ادارۂ صحت مریم یونس ، ڈبلیو ایچ او پاکستان، yunusm@who.int, +92 300 8441744 *** UNODC MEDIA ADVISORY Launch of Project!! Combatting Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Pakistan At Mashal Hall, Ramada Hotel Islamabad on Tuesday 27th July 2020 at 09:00 hrs. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Office Pakistan with the implementing partner Federal Investigation Agency will be launching a project Combatting Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Pakistan in Islamabad tomorrow, with the financial support of the Government of Canada through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The scope of project is laid down for two years, a joint initiative by the Government of Canada and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and it reaffirms that combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling is of the highest importance for the Government of Pakistan, Government of Canada, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime as a whole. Representative UNODC, High Commissioner for Canada and Director Federal Government Agency of Pakistan will be delivering their messages. The Launch event will be followed by a two day training, UNODC shall give a project overview presentation, Introduction and objectives of the training. This project is a coordinated response to trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants and aims to strengthen the capacity of the Federal Investigation for its fight against TIP and SOM. We cordially invite you for the media coverage for the launch of the project at Mashal Hall, Ramada Hotel Islamabad tomorrow, Tuesday 27th July 2020 at 09:00 hrs. For further queries please contact Ms. Rizwana Rahool, Communications Officer, UNODC Pakistan, cell: 0301 8564255, email: rizwana.asad@un.org ***
of US-donated Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to Pakistan A total of 8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to Pakistan
by the COVAX Facility, the global COVID-19 vaccine equity scheme, so far. ISLAMABAD, 26 July 2021 – The second consignment of 3 million doses of Moderna (mRNA-1273) COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Government of the United States to the COVAX Facility arrived in Pakistan during early hours of today, bringing the total doses donated by the US Government to Pakistan through COVAX to 5.5 million since 8 May. The donation is part of the 870 million additional COVID-19 vaccine doses pledged by the G7 through the COVAX Facility dose-sharing mechanism to support global equitable access to vaccines in 2021 and 2022, with the aim to deliver at least half by the end of 2021. COVAX, the global COVID-19 vaccine equity scheme, has delivered a total 8 million doses of vaccine to Pakistan since 8 May, including 2.5 million doses of AstraZeneca, 100,000 doses Pfizer and 5.5 million doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. To date, close to 7 million people have been fully vaccinated and nearly 20 million partially vaccinated in Pakistan since the start of the national vaccination campaign in February 2021. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan has now reached close to a million, while nearly 23,000 people are reported to have succumbed to the disease. “Despite national, regional and global efforts, the pandemic is nowhere near finished. WHO will continue to work with the Government of Pakistan and donors to implement activities to control transmission and advocate for equitable vaccine access and distribution. Vaccines are key in the fight again COVID-19 and we encourage everyone to get their vaccine immediately,” says Dr Palitha Mahipala, WHO Representative in Pakistan. “We thank the US Government for expressing their solidarity with Pakistan through this donation. Nobody is safe until everyone is safe.” The allocation of extra doses of COVID-19 vaccines by G7 countries to COVAX will not only limit the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19, it will also prevent new variants from emerging. “UNICEF thanks the Government of the United States for its generous contribution to the COVAX dose-sharing mechanism. This is an important step in the continued fight against COVID-19. UNICEF commends the Government of Pakistan for its leadership in ensuring a smooth roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign and urges the population to get vaccinated and continue taking COVID-19 precautionary measures,” said Aida Girma, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan. “UNICEF will continue to support the national response to COVID-19 campaign in Pakistan through procurement services of essential COVID-19 supplies; expansion of cold chain capacity to ensure safe storage of vaccines; risk communication and community engagement to increase vaccine uptake and enforce SOPs and efficient and effective management of the COVID-19 Call Centre 1166.” Strictly complying with COVID-19 public health and social measures continues to be critical to stop the spread of virus, after getting vaccinated. These include regularly wearing face masks, washing hands with soap for at least 20 seconds or use a sanitizer; remaining at least six feet away from other people; avoiding crowded places; and staying at home and seeking care when having COVID-19 symptoms. The goal of COVAX is to help address the acute phase of the global pandemic by the end of 2021 by providing rapid, fair and equitable access to safe and effective vaccines for all participating countries and territories regardless of income level. The COVAX Facility, co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO, together with UNICEF, aims to provide access to quality-assured COVID-19 vaccines, enabling the protection of frontline health care and social workers, as well as other high-risk and vulnerable groups. ### For more information, please contact UNICEF
Catherine Weibel, UNICEF Pakistan, cweibel@unicef.org, +92 300 500 2592
Abdul Sami Malik, UNICEF Pakistan, asmalik@unicef.org, +92 300 855 6654 WHO Maryam Yunus, WHO Pakistan, yunusm@who.int, +92 300 8441744 Notes to editors So far donors to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, European Union, Australia, Bhutan, Canada, Colombia, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Monaco, New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Anonymous Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, KS Relief/Gamers Without Borders, Mastercard, Medline International, Nikkei Inc., Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin, Shell, Thistledown Foundation, TikTok, Transferwise, Soccer Aid. The list of donor pledges to COVAX AMC is available here. *** کویکس نے امریکہ کی طرف
سے عطیہ کردہ ماڈرنا کووِڈ-19 ویکسین کی دوسری کھیپ پاکستان پہنچا دی اب تک کووِڈ-19 ویکسین کی مجموعی طور پر 80 لاکھ خوراکیں کویکس کی سہولت کے ذریعے عالمی کووِڈ-19 ویکسین ایکویٹی اسکیم کے
تحت پاکستان پہنچائی جا چکی ہیں۔ اسلام آباد، 26 جولائی 2021 – آج صبح سویرے امریکی حکومت کی جانب سے کویکس سہولت کے ذریعے عطیہ کی گئی ماڈرنا (ایمآر این اے-1273) کووِڈ-19 ویکسین کی 30 لاکھ خوراکوں کی دوسری کھیپ پاکستان پہنچائی گئی ہے جس سے 8 مئی سے امریکی حکومت کی جانب سے کویکس کے ذریعے پاکستان کو عطیہ کی گئی کل خوراک 55 لاکھ تک پہنچ گئی ہے۔ یہ عطیہ 2021 اور 2022 میں ویکسین تک عالمی سطح پر یکساں رسائی میں معاونت کے لئے کویکس ڈوز شیئرنگ طریقہ کار کے ذریعے کی گئی ہے جس کا عہد جی 7 کی جانب کیا گیا تھا اور جس کے تحت 870 ملین اضافی کووِڈ-19 ویکسین کی خوراکیں تقسیم کی جائیں گی ۔ ویکسین فراہم کرنے کے اس عمل کے ذریعے 2021 کے آخر تک کم از کم نصف خوراکیں فراہم کردی جائیں گی۔ عالمی کووِڈ-19 ویکسین ایکویٹی اسکیم کویکس نے 8 مئی سے اب تک پاکستان کو ویکسین کی مجموعی 8ملین خوراکیں فراہم کی ہیں جن میں اسٹرازینکا کی 25 لاکھ خوراکیں، 100,000 خوراکیں فائزر کی اور ماڈرنا کووِڈ-19 ویکسین کی 55 ملین خوراکیں شامل ہیں۔ فروری 2021 میں قومی ویکسینیشن مہم کے آغاز سے اب تک پاکستان میں 70 لاکھ کے قریب افراد کو مکمل طور پر ویکسین لگائی جا چکی ہے اور تقریبا 20 ملین افراد کو جزوی طور پر ویکسین کی ایک خوراک دی جاچکی ہے۔ پاکستان میں کووِڈ-19 کے تصدیق شدہ کیسز کی تعداد اب دس لاکھ کے قریب پہنچ چکی ہے جبکہ تقریبا 23 ہزار افراد کے اس بیماری کا شکار ہونے کی اطلاعات ہیں۔ ویکسین کی تازہ کھیپ کی آمد کے موقع پر بات کرتے ہوئے پاکستان میں عالمی ادارۂ صحت کی نمائندہ ڈاکٹر پالیتا مہیپالا نے کہ ’’علاقائی اور عالمی سطح پر اقدامات اٹھانے کے باوجود اس عالمی وبا کا کہیں بھی مکمل خاتمہ نہیں ہوسکا۔ عالمی ادارۂ صحت حکومتِ پاکستان کے ساتھ مل کر اپنا کام جاری رکھے گا اور عطیات دینے والے دیگر اداروں کے ساتھ مل کر پاکستان میں ویکسین کی مساوات کے اصولوں کے تحت فراہمی ، منتقلی اور اس کی تمام لوگوں تک رسائی کو ممکن بناتا رہے گا تاکہ ہر ایک کو فوری اور بروقت ویکسین فراہم کی جاسکے‘‘۔ انہوں نے مزید کہا کہ ہم ویکسین کے اس عطیے کے ذریعے پاکستان کے ساتھ اظہارِ یکجہتی کرنے پر امریکی حکومت کا تہہ دل سے شکریہ ادا کرتے ہیں۔ انہوں نے زور دیا کہ جب تک کورونا وائرس سے ہر شخص محفوظ نہیں ہوجاتا ، اس وقت تک کوئی بھی شخص محفوظ نہیں ! جی سیون ممالک کی جانب سے کو یکس کے ذریعے کووِڈ-19 ویکسین کی اضافی خوراک مختص کرنے سے نہ صرف کورونا وائرس کووِڈ-19 کے پھیلاؤ کو محدود کیا جاسکے گا بلکہ وائرس کی نئی اقسام کو ابھرنے سے بھی روکا جا سکے گا۔ پاکستان میں یونیسف کی نمائندہ ایڈا گیرمانے کویکس کے ذریعے خوراک تقسیم کرنے کے نظام کے تحت دی جانے والی اس فراخدلانہ کھیپ روانہ کرنے پر امریکہ کی حکومت کا شکریہ ادا کیا اور اسے کووِڈ-19 کے خلاف مسلسل جنگ میں ایک اہم قدم قرار دیا۔ یونیسف نے حکومت پاکستان کی قیادت کی تعریف کی کہ پاکستان نے کووِڈ-19 ویکسینیشن مہم کو بہترین جمہوری اور منصفانہ اصولوں پر چلا یا ہے اور لوگوں پر زور دیا ہے کہ وہ ویکسین کے ٹیکے لگوائیں اور کووِڈ-19 احتیاطی تدابیر پر عمل جاری رکھیں۔ انہوں نے مزید کہا کہ "یونیسف ضروری کووڈ – 19 ویکسین، معمول کی ویکسینیشن اور پولیو ویکسین کی رسد، زیادہ مقدار میں ویکسین محفوظ رکھنے کے لئے کولڈ چین (سردخانوں) کی گنجائش میں وسعت لانے اور خطرات کے بارے میں آگہی کے لئے ابلاغِ عامہ کے ذریعے عوام میں شعور و آگہی میں اضافہ کررہا ہے۔ ان ضروری اقدامات سے ویکسین پر لوگوں کے اعتماد میں اضافہ ہوگا اور کووڈ 19 سے بچاؤ کے حفاظتی اقدامات پر عمل یقینی بنایا جائے گا۔ اس موقع پر انہوں نے کووڈ – 19 کال سنٹر116 کے موثر نظم و ضبط کو سراہتے ہوئے ایس اوپیز پر مکمل عمل کے سلسلے میں لوگوں کے مکمل تعاون کی اہمیت پر بھی زور دیا۔ ویکسین لگوانے کے بعد بھی وائرس کے پھیلاؤ کو روکنے کے لئے ان حفاظتی اقدامات پر سختی سے عمل کرنا انتہائی ضروری ہے۔ ان اقدامات میں کم از کم 20 سیکنڈ تک صابن سے ہاتھ دھونا یا سینیٹائزر استعمال کرنا شامل کریں؛ ماسک پہنیں؛ اور دوسرے لوگوں سے کم از کم چھ فٹ دور رہیں۔ پر ہجوم جگہوں پر جانے سے پرہیز کریں؛ اور کووڈ- 19 کی علامات ظاہر ہونے کی صورت میں گھر تک محدود رہیں ۔ کویکس کی سہولت کا مقصد آمدنی کی سطح سے قطع نظر تمام شریک ممالک کو منظور شدہ ویکسین تک تیز رفتار، مساوی اور منصفانہ رسائی فراہم کرکے 2021 کے آخر تک عالمی وبا کے شدید مرحلے سے نمٹنے میں مدد کرنا ہے۔ کویکس (کوڈ-19 ویکسین گلوبل ایکسس) گاوی، اتحاد برائے وبائی صورتِ حال کے لئے تیاری اور جدت کی ذمہ دار (سی ای پی آئی) کی مشترکہ قیادت میں ڈبلیو ایچ او اور یونیسف کے ساتھ مل کر کام کررہا ہے اور اس کا مقصد اعلیٰ معیار کی ویکسین تک رسائی ممکن بنانا ، فرنٹ لائن ہیلتھ و سوشل ورکرز کے علاوہ زیادہ خطرات سے دوچار آبادیوں کا تحفظ کو یقینی بنانا ہے ۔ ### مزید معلومات کے لیے براہ کرم رابطہ کریں یونیسف
کیتھرین ویبل، یونیسف پاکستان، cweibel@unicef.org، +92 300 500 2592
عبدالسمیع ملک،یونیسف پاکستان، asmalik@unicef.org،+92 300 855 6654 عالمی ادارۂ صحت مریم یونس ، ڈبلیو ایچ او پاکستان، yunusm@who.int, +92 300 8441744 *** UNODC MEDIA ADVISORY Launch of Project!! Combatting Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Pakistan At Mashal Hall, Ramada Hotel Islamabad on Tuesday 27th July 2020 at 09:00 hrs. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Office Pakistan with the implementing partner Federal Investigation Agency will be launching a project Combatting Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Pakistan in Islamabad tomorrow, with the financial support of the Government of Canada through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The scope of project is laid down for two years, a joint initiative by the Government of Canada and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and it reaffirms that combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling is of the highest importance for the Government of Pakistan, Government of Canada, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime as a whole. Representative UNODC, High Commissioner for Canada and Director Federal Government Agency of Pakistan will be delivering their messages. The Launch event will be followed by a two day training, UNODC shall give a project overview presentation, Introduction and objectives of the training. This project is a coordinated response to trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants and aims to strengthen the capacity of the Federal Investigation for its fight against TIP and SOM. We cordially invite you for the media coverage for the launch of the project at Mashal Hall, Ramada Hotel Islamabad tomorrow, Tuesday 27th July 2020 at 09:00 hrs. For further queries please contact Ms. Rizwana Rahool, Communications Officer, UNODC Pakistan, cell: 0301 8564255, email: rizwana.asad@un.org ***
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Press Release
17 July 2021
Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 17 July 2021
UNICEF - WHO
PRESS RELEASE
Another 1.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine
reach Pakistan through COVAX Five million of COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered in Islamabad
by the COVAX facility’s global COVID-19 vaccine equity scheme so far. ISLAMABAD, 17 July 2021 – Today 1,236,000 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines reached Islamabad through the COVAX Facility, bringing the total number of doses delivered by the global COVID-19 vaccine equity scheme in Pakistan to five million so far. Since May, 2.4 million doses of AstraZeneca, 100,160 doses of Pfizer and 2.5 million doses of Moderna, the latter donated by the United States under the dose-sharing mechanism, have been delivered to Pakistan via COVAX. “WHO applauds Pakistan’s globally recognized COVID-19 vaccination campaign. It is a remarkable achievement that COVID-19 vaccines are equitably made available to people even in the remotest areas of Pakistan. The vaccine roll-out has helped prevent COVID-19 infections, with its associated risk of hospitalization and death, and has reduced pressure on healthcare system, “said Dr. Palitha Mahipala, WHO Representative in Pakistan. “WHO will continue supporting the Government of Pakistan in setting up essential systems for swift and safe administration of vaccines. On behalf of COVAX Facility, I reiterate that we will support Government of Pakistan with COVID -19 vaccines for around 20% of the population. The vaccines will support the Government of Pakistan’s ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive which started in February, one year after the first case was reported in the country. More than 4.5 million people have been fully vaccinated, and more than 18 million people partially vaccinated against the coronavirus COVID-19 so far. One million cases of COVID-19 have been reported and nearly 23,000 people have succumbed to the disease. “This latest delivery comes at a critical time as the Government of Pakistan intensifies its vaccination campaign across the country. UNICEF is supporting global COVID-19 vaccination efforts through COVAX to maximize supply and access to safe, effective, and affordable vaccines,” said Aida Girma, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan. ”UNICEF will continue to support the Government in ensuring an efficient and effective management of all vaccination campaigns through procurement services of essential COVID-19, routine immunization and polio supplies; expansion of cold chain capacity to ensure safe storage of vaccines; and risk communication and community engagement to increase vaccine uptake and ensure adherence to COVID-19 safety measures.” Strictly complying with COVID-19 safety measures remains crucial to curb the spread of virus. These include regularly washing hands with soap for at least 20 seconds or use a sanitizer; wearing a mask; remaining at least six feet away from other people; avoiding crowded places; and staying home when having COVID-19 symptoms. The COVAX Facility aims to help address the acute phase of the global pandemic by the end of 2021 by providing rapid, fair, and equitable access to approved vaccines to all participating countries, regardless of income level. It enables the protection of frontline health care and social workers, as well as other high-risk and vulnerable groups. COVAX (COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access) is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO, together with UNICEF. It is funded thanks to generous support from partner governments, foundations, and private sector corporations. So far, it has delivered more than 90 million doses of different COVID-19 vaccines to 133 countries and territories around the world. ### Photos can be downloaded here: https://weshare.unicef.org/Folder/2AMZIFHBYAP5 For more information, please contact UNICEF
Catherine Weibel, UNICEF Pakistan, cweibel@unicef.org, +92 300 500 2592
Abdul Sami Malik, UNICEF Pakistan, asmalik@unicef.org, +92 300 855 6654 WHO Maryam Yunus, WHO Pakistan, yunusm@who.int, +92 300 8441744
reach Pakistan through COVAX Five million of COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered in Islamabad
by the COVAX facility’s global COVID-19 vaccine equity scheme so far. ISLAMABAD, 17 July 2021 – Today 1,236,000 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines reached Islamabad through the COVAX Facility, bringing the total number of doses delivered by the global COVID-19 vaccine equity scheme in Pakistan to five million so far. Since May, 2.4 million doses of AstraZeneca, 100,160 doses of Pfizer and 2.5 million doses of Moderna, the latter donated by the United States under the dose-sharing mechanism, have been delivered to Pakistan via COVAX. “WHO applauds Pakistan’s globally recognized COVID-19 vaccination campaign. It is a remarkable achievement that COVID-19 vaccines are equitably made available to people even in the remotest areas of Pakistan. The vaccine roll-out has helped prevent COVID-19 infections, with its associated risk of hospitalization and death, and has reduced pressure on healthcare system, “said Dr. Palitha Mahipala, WHO Representative in Pakistan. “WHO will continue supporting the Government of Pakistan in setting up essential systems for swift and safe administration of vaccines. On behalf of COVAX Facility, I reiterate that we will support Government of Pakistan with COVID -19 vaccines for around 20% of the population. The vaccines will support the Government of Pakistan’s ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive which started in February, one year after the first case was reported in the country. More than 4.5 million people have been fully vaccinated, and more than 18 million people partially vaccinated against the coronavirus COVID-19 so far. One million cases of COVID-19 have been reported and nearly 23,000 people have succumbed to the disease. “This latest delivery comes at a critical time as the Government of Pakistan intensifies its vaccination campaign across the country. UNICEF is supporting global COVID-19 vaccination efforts through COVAX to maximize supply and access to safe, effective, and affordable vaccines,” said Aida Girma, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan. ”UNICEF will continue to support the Government in ensuring an efficient and effective management of all vaccination campaigns through procurement services of essential COVID-19, routine immunization and polio supplies; expansion of cold chain capacity to ensure safe storage of vaccines; and risk communication and community engagement to increase vaccine uptake and ensure adherence to COVID-19 safety measures.” Strictly complying with COVID-19 safety measures remains crucial to curb the spread of virus. These include regularly washing hands with soap for at least 20 seconds or use a sanitizer; wearing a mask; remaining at least six feet away from other people; avoiding crowded places; and staying home when having COVID-19 symptoms. The COVAX Facility aims to help address the acute phase of the global pandemic by the end of 2021 by providing rapid, fair, and equitable access to approved vaccines to all participating countries, regardless of income level. It enables the protection of frontline health care and social workers, as well as other high-risk and vulnerable groups. COVAX (COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access) is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO, together with UNICEF. It is funded thanks to generous support from partner governments, foundations, and private sector corporations. So far, it has delivered more than 90 million doses of different COVID-19 vaccines to 133 countries and territories around the world. ### Photos can be downloaded here: https://weshare.unicef.org/Folder/2AMZIFHBYAP5 For more information, please contact UNICEF
Catherine Weibel, UNICEF Pakistan, cweibel@unicef.org, +92 300 500 2592
Abdul Sami Malik, UNICEF Pakistan, asmalik@unicef.org, +92 300 855 6654 WHO Maryam Yunus, WHO Pakistan, yunusm@who.int, +92 300 8441744
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Press Release
15 July 2021
Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 15 July 2021
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
MESSAGE ON WORLD YOUTH SKILLS DAY
“Reimagining youth skills post pandemic”
15 July 2021
Today, we celebrate youth resilience, drive and innovation in times of COVID-19.
Young people were already facing disproportionate levels of unemployment and under-employment before the pandemic. More than one out of five youth were not in employment, education, or training, the majority of them young women.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated this troubling situation. In many cases, it has forced organizations to pause skills development training. Distance learning posed a particular challenge for Technical Vocational Education and Training, particularly among marginalized youth.
To recover better, we must address the longstanding disparities and challenges faced by young people. That means ramping up skills development and education, with a particular focus on climate action, sustainable development, gender equality and inclusivity. It is crucial to boost investments in Technical Vocational Education and Training, broadband connectivity and digital skills.
Young people drive solutions and must have a seat at the table, including in policy-making processes at the local, national, and global levels. Youth2030, the United Nations system-wide Youth Strategy, lays out the roadmap for the UN and partners to work for and with young people worldwide. I urge everyone to make the most of this framework and together, build an inclusive, fair and sustainable development for all.
I wish you a happy and productive World Youth Skills Day.
***
WHO - UNICEF
PRESS RELEASE
COVID-19 reversals in childhood vaccinations in South Asia undo years of progress, new WHO, UNICEF data shows
Childhood vaccination rates in South Asia plummeted by 6 per cent points from 2019 to 2020, with 5.3 million children missing out on lifesaving vaccines through routine health services in South Asia in 2020, the highest number since 2014
KATHMANDU, 15 July: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to major reductions in childhood vaccinations in South Asia, with coverage of basic vaccination dropping by 6 per cent points from 2019 to 2020. More than 5.3 million children in South Asia missed out on essential vaccines through routine immunization services in 2020 – nearly 1.9 million more than in 2019 - according to official data published today by WHO and UNICEF. This is the highest number of under-vaccinated children since 2014.
Between 2019 and 2020, the South Asia region experienced a sharp decline in children receiving three doses of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP3) vaccine, falling from 90% to 84%. The percentage of children covered by three doses of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP3) vaccine had increased steadily from 6 per cent in 1980 to a record high of 90 per cent in 2019 in South Asia.
“It is heartbreaking to see this reversal in child vaccinations due to COVID-19 in a region where tremendous progress was being made, thanks to political will and collective action,” said George Laryea-Adjei, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia. “Nearly 4.4 million children are not even receiving a single dose of a vaccine that can protect them from deadly diseases, which is almost twice as many as the previous year. This is a huge setback for children in South Asia, as it puts their lives at risk, and leads to unspeakable suffering.”
The majority of countries in South Asia experienced drops in childhood vaccination rates. The rates for DTP3 reduced by 9 per cent points in Nepal; 7 per cent points in Pakistan; 6 per cent points in India; 3 per cent points in Sri Lanka and 2 per cent points in Bhutan and Afghanistan. However, robust recovery efforts mounted in many countries towards the end of the year helped to blunt the impacts of overall declines. In India, for example, vaccination drives in remote areas are helping to reach missed children.
Globally, the data shows that just 10 countries account for 62 per cent of all under- or unvaccinated children globally. India – particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic – had the highest number of unprotected children worldwide at 3.5 million, an increase of 1.4 million. Pakistan had 1.3 million unprotected children in 2020, an increase of 0.4 million.
Concerningly, most of these children did not receive a single vaccine during the year, an indication that the most vulnerable, hard-to-reach children are paying the steepest price for pandemic-related disruptions to vaccine access. At nearly 4.4 million, in 2020 South Asia recorded the highest number of children having failed to receive any routine vaccination in the past ten years. More than 3 million of these “zero-dose children” in 2020 lived in India.
Measles remains a concern, as well as outbreaks of diseases like diphtheria and yellow fever which can spread quickly where people are unvaccinated. In South Asia, coverage for the first dose of the measles vaccine fell from 92 per cent in 2019 to 88 per cent in 2020. This is well below the 95 per cent recommended by WHO to protect against measles. South Asia has had lengthy school closures, which have had significant ramifications for several vaccines such as HPV, which is critical for the achievement of cervical cancer elimination, and which is offered to children and adolescents at school.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, childhood vaccination rates against diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, measles and polio had increased steadily for more than a decade in South Asia, as opposed to other regions in the world where coverage rates mostly stagnated. However, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many health facilities and personnel were diverted to support the COVID-19 response. In some countries, health facilities have been closed or hours reduced, while some families may have delayed seeking healthcare because of safety fears.
As the health community attempts to recover lost ground due to COVID-19 related disruptions, UNICEF, WHO and partners are supporting government efforts to strengthen immunization systems in the region by:
· Restoring services so countries can safely deliver routine immunization services during the COVID-19 pandemic;
· Helping health workers communicate actively with caregivers to explain the importance of vaccinations;
· Rectifying coverage and immunity gaps, including identifying communities and people who have been missed during the pandemic.
·
Beyond disruptions to immunization, other essential healthcare services in South Asia also experienced severe disruptions in 2020. Research commissioned by UNICEF has estimated that in 2020, 228,000 children died due to disruptions to essential healthcare services in South Asia. The main killers of children in South Asia are diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhea, which are both preventable and treatable when essential health services are operational, and families feel safe to use them.
“COVID-19 related disruptions are not just affecting vaccination efforts, but also other critical maternal and child health services. Today, the biggest health threat to children in South Asia is not from COVID-19, but from the childhood diseases which continue to kill children in the region,” added Laryea-Adjei. “UNICEF calls on governments to invest in essential maternal and child health services, to ensure the most vulnerable children don't succumb to preventable diseases while COVID-19 rages on.”
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Download photos and multimedia content on child vaccinations in South Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic here.
About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.
For more information about UNICEF and its work for children in South Asia, visit https://www.unicef.org/rosa/.
For more information, please contact:
Eliane Luthi, UNICEF South Asia, +977-98010 30076, eluthi@unicef.org
Sabrina Sidhu, UNICEF South Asia, +19174761537/ +919818717522, ssidhu@unicef.org
Kurtis Cooper, UNICEF New York, +1 917 957-6536, kacooper@unicef.org
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Press Release
13 July 2021
Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 13 July 2021
United Nations
PRESS RELEASE
UN report: Pandemic year marked by spike in world hunger
Africa posting biggest jump. World at critical juncture, must act now for 2030 turnaround. 12 July 2021, Rome – There was a dramatic worsening of world hunger in 2020, the United Nations said today – much of it likely related to the fallout of COVID-19. While the pandemic’s impact has yet to be fully mapped[1], a multi-agency report estimates that around a tenth of the global population – up to 811 million people – were undernourished last year. The number suggests it will take a tremendous effort for the world to honour its pledge to end hunger by 2030. This year’s edition of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World is the first global assessment of its kind in the pandemic era. The report is jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Previous editions had already put the world on notice that the food security of millions – many children among them – was at stake. “Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to expose weaknesses in our food systems, which threaten the lives and livelihoods of people around the world,” the heads of the five UN agencies[2] write in this year’s Foreword. They go on to warn of a “critical juncture,” even as they pin fresh hopes on increased diplomatic momentum. “This year offers a unique opportunity for advancing food security and nutrition through transforming food systems with the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit, the Nutrition for Growth Summit and the COP26 on climate change.” “The outcome of these events,” the five add, “will go on to shape the […] second half of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition” – a global policy commitment yet to hit its stride. The numbers in detail Already in the mid-2010s, hunger had started creeping upwards, dashing hopes of irreversible decline. Disturbingly, in 2020 hunger shot up in both absolute and proportional terms, outpacing population growth: some 9.9 percent of all people are estimated to have been undernourished last year, up from 8.4 percent in 2019. More than half of all undernourished people (418 million) live in Asia; more than a third (282 million) in Africa; and a smaller proportion (60 million) in Latin America and the Caribbean. But the sharpest rise in hunger was in Africa, where the estimated prevalence of undernourishment – at 21 percent of the population – is more than double that of any other region. On other measurements too, the year 2020 was sombre. Overall, more than 2.3 billion people (or 30 percent of the global population) lacked year-round access to adequate food: this indicator – known as the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity – leapt in one year as much in as the preceding five combined. Gender inequality deepened: for every 10 food-insecure men, there were 11 food-insecure women in 2020 (up from 10.6 in 2019). Malnutrition persisted in all its forms, with children paying a high price: in 2020, over 149 million under-fives are estimated to have been stunted, or too short for their age; more than 45 million – wasted, or too thin for their height; and nearly 39 million – overweight.[3] A full three-billion adults and children remained locked out of healthy diets, largely due to excessive costs. Nearly a third of women of reproductive age suffer from anaemia. Globally, despite progress in some areas – more infants, for example, are being fed exclusively on breast milk – the world is not on track to achieve targets for any nutrition indicators by 2030. Other hunger and malnutrition drivers In many parts of the world, the pandemic has triggered brutal recessions and jeopardized access to food. Yet even before the pandemic, hunger was spreading; progress on malnutrition lagged. This was all the more so in nations affected by conflict, climate extremes or other economic downturns, or battling high inequality – all of which the report identifies as major drivers of food insecurity, which in turn interact.[4] On current trends, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World estimates that Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger by 2030) will be missed by a margin of nearly 660 million people. Of these 660 million, some 30 million may be linked to the pandemic’s lasting effects. What can (still) be done As outlined in last year’s report, transforming food systems is essential to achieve food security, improve nutrition and put healthy diets within reach of all. This year’s edition goes further to outline six “transformation pathways”. These, the authors say, rely on a “coherent set of policy and investment portfolios” to counteract the hunger and malnutrition drivers. Depending on the particular driver (or combination of drivers) confronting each country, the report urges policymakers to: · Integrate humanitarian, development and peacebuilding policies in conflict areas – for example, through social protection measures to prevent families from selling meagre assets in exchange for food; · Scale up climate resilience across food systems – for example, by offering smallholder farmers wide access to climate risk insurance and forecast-based financing; · Strengthen the resilience of the most vulnerable to economic adversity – for example, through in-kind or cash support programmes to lessen the impact of pandemic-style shocks or food price volatility; · Intervene along supply chains to lower the cost of nutritious foods – for example, by encouraging the planting of biofortified crops or making it easier for fruit and vegetable growers to access markets; · Tackle poverty and structural inequalities – for example, by boosting food value chains in poor communities through technology transfers and certification programmes; · Strengthen food environments and changing consumer behaviour – for example, by eliminating industrial trans fats and reducing the salt and sugar content in the food supply, or protecting children from the negative impact of food marketing. The report also calls for an “enabling environment of governance mechanisms and institutions” to make transformation possible. It enjoins policymakers to consult widely; to empower women and youth; and to expand the availability of data and new technologies. Above all, the authors urge, the world must act now – or watch the drivers of hunger and malnutrition recur with growing intensity in coming years, long after the shock of the pandemic has passed. Read the full report here and the In-Brief report here Download the full report here Media contacts for interview requests (all UN official languages and Italian are covered): FAO – Josephine McKenna josephine.mckenna@fao.org
IFAD – Antonia Paradela a.paradelatorices@ifad.org
UNICEF – Helen Wylie hwylie@unicef.org
WFP – Isheeta Sumra Isheeta.sumra@wfp.org
WHO – Pippa Haughton haughtonp@who.int GLOSSARY Hunger: an uncomfortable or painful sensation caused by insufficient energy from diet. Food deprivation; not eating enough calories. Used here interchangeably with (chronic) undernourishment. Measured by the prevalence of undernourishment (PoU). Moderate food insecurity: a state of uncertainty about the ability to get food; a risk of skipping meals or seeing food run out; being forced to compromise on the nutritional quality and/or quantity of food consumed. Severe food insecurity: running out of food; experienced hunger; at the most extreme, having to go without food for a day or more. Malnutrition: the condition associated with deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in the consumption of macro- and/or micronutrients. For example, undernutrition and obesity are both forms of malnutrition. Child stunting or wasting are both indicators for undernutrition. [1] To reflect the added uncertainty induced by the pandemic, this year’s edition for the first time presents a range (720 million to 811 million) rather than a single headline number. For regional breakdowns, the number of 768 million – the mid-range estimate – is used. Whether the lower, middle or upper value of the range is considered, the annual increase over 2019’s mid-range number of 650 million is substantial. At the higher end, this increase is a massive 161 million. (The entire historical series is revised annually in line with new data.) [2] For FAO – Qu Dongyu, Director-General; for IFAD – Gilbert F. Houngbo, President; for UNICEF – Henrietta H. Fore, Executive Director; for WFP – David Beasley, Executive Director; for WHO – Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General. [3] Social distancing rules made nutrition data exceptionally hard to collect in 2020. Some numbers – especially for wasting in under-fives – may be higher than these estimates. [4] The more drivers a country has, the worse the undernourishment and malnutrition, the greater the food insecurity, and the more prohibitive the cost of healthy diets to its citizens. *** UNESCO - UNICEF - World Bank - OECD JOINT PRESS RELEASE 1 in 3 countries are not taking action to help students catch up on their learning post-COVID-19 school closures A new UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank and OECD report documents education responses to COVID-19 in 142 countries Paris/New York/Washington D.C., 13 July 2021 – Around one in three countries where schools are or have been closed are not yet implementing remedial programmes post-COVID-19 school closures, according to a UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank and OECD global "Survey on National Education Responses to COVID-19 School Closures". At the same time, only one-third of countries are taking steps to measure learning losses in primary and lower secondary levels – mostly among high-income countries. "Measuring learning loss is a critical first step towards mitigating its consequences. It is vital that countries invest in assessing the magnitude of such losses to implement the appropriate remedial measures," said Silvia Montoya, Director, UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Fewer than a third of low- and middle-income countries reported that all students had returned to in-person schooling, heightening their risk of learning loss and drop-out. However, the majority of countries reported using at least one form of outreach to encourage students' return to school, including community engagement, school-based tracking, modification to water, sanitation and hygiene services, financial incentives and review of access policies. "Remedial instruction is vital to help those children who have missed out on school to get back on track and reduce long-term learning losses. This requires an urgent effort to measure students' learning levels today and collect good quality data to inform classroom practices, as envisioned under the UNICEF, UNESCO, and World Bank's Learning Data Compact," stressed Jaime Saavedra, Global Director for Education, World Bank. The survey documents how countries are monitoring and mitigating learning losses, addressing the challenge of reopening schools and deploying distance learning strategies. In total, 142 countries responded to the survey that covers the period from February to May 2021 and spans pre-primary, primary, lower secondary and upper secondary.
"Remote learning has been a lifeline for many children around the world during school closures. But for the most vulnerable, even this was out of reach. It is urgent that we get every child back into the classroom now. But we cannot stop there; reopening better means implementing remedial programmes to help students get back on track, and ensuring that we prioritize girls and vulnerable children in all our efforts," said UNICEF Global Chief of Education Robert Jenkins. Key findings from the survey include: § Countries have responded with a variety of measures to mitigate potential learning losses from school closures: around 40 per cent of countries extended the academic year and a similar proportion of countries prioritized certain curriculum areas. However, more than half of the countries reported that no adjustments have been or will be made. § Many countries improved health and safety standards at examination centres, still, 28 per cent of countries cancelled examinations in lower secondary and 18 per cent of countries did so in upper secondary education. § Reviewing or revising access policies was uncommon, especially for girls – a cause for concern as adolescent girls are at the highest risk of not returning to school in low- and lower-middle-income countries. § Low-income countries are lagging in the implementation of even the most basic measures to ensure a return to school. For instance, only less than 10 per cent reported having sufficient soap, clean water, sanitation and hygiene facilities and masks, compared to 96 per cent of high-income countries. The survey also sheds light on the deployment and effectiveness of distance learning and related support more than one year into the pandemic. Results show that: § Most countries took multiple actions to provide remote learning: Radio and TV broadcasts were more popular among low-income countries, while high-income countries provided online learning platforms. However, over a third of low- and lower-middle-income countries reported that less than half of primary school students were reached. § Ensuring take-up and engagement requires remote learning strategies suited to the context, parental engagement, support from and to teachers, and ensuring girls and other marginalized children are not left behind. It also requires generating rigorous data on the effectiveness of remote learning. While 73 per cent of countries assessed the effectiveness of at least one distance learning strategy, there is still a need for better evidence on effectiveness in the most difficult contexts. "There is a critical need to produce more and better evidence on remote learning effectiveness, particularly in the most difficult contexts, and to support the development of digital learning policies," said Andreas Schleicher, Director, OECD Education and Skills. In 2020, schools worldwide were fully closed across all four education levels for 79 teaching days on average, representing roughly 40 per cent of total instructional days averaged across OECD and G20 countries. The figures ranged from 53 days in high-income countries to 115 days in lower-middle-income countries. Demand for funds is rising, in competition with other sectors, while governments' revenues are falling. Nevertheless, 49 per cent of countries increased their education budget in 2020 relative to 2019, while 43 per cent maintained their budget constant. Funding is set to increase in 2021, as more than 60 per cent of countries plan to increase their education budget compared to 2020. These findings reinforce the importance of reopening schools, remedial learning and more effective remote learning systems that can better withstand future crises and reach all students. Moreover, it shows that the measurement of learning losses due to COVID-19 related to school closures is a critical effort for most countries and development partners, highlighted by the recent partnership of UNESCO, UNICEF and the World Bank around the Learning Data Compact. The survey is in line with the Mission: Recovering Education 2021 by which the World Bank, UNESCO, and UNICEF are partnering to support countries as they take all actions possible to plan, prioritize, and ensure that all learners are back in school; that schools take all measures to reopen safely; that students receive effective remedial learning and comprehensive services to help recover learning losses and improve overall welfare; and their teachers are prepared and supported to meet their learning needs. The survey will be launched during the Ministerial segment of the Global Education Meeting on 13 July. ##### Notes to editors: This is the third Survey on National Education Responses to COVID-19 School Closures, in which the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) and OECD sought information from Ministry of Education officials. The survey was conducted in collaboration with UNICEF, the World Bank and UNESCO's Global Education Monitoring Report, with financial support from the Global Partnership for Education. *** Link to report: http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/lessons_on_education_recovery.pdf Link to Ministerial Segment of Global Education Meeting: https://webcast.unesco.org/events/2021-07-GEM-Ministerial/ *** Press contacts: • UNESCO: Clare O'Hagan, c.o-hagan@unesco.org, +33 (0) 1 45 68 17 29 • World Bank: Kristyn Schrader-King, kschrader@worldbank.org, +1-202-560-0153 • UNICEF: Sara AlHattab, salhattab@unicef.org, +1 917 957 6536 • OECD: Cassandra Davis, Cassandra.davis@oecd.org +33 (0) 1 45 24 92 63 *** UNICEF PRESS RELEASE UNICEF signs supply agreement for Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine NEW YORK/COPENHAGEN, 13 July 2021 - UNICEF and Sinopharm have signed a long-term agreement for the supply of the BBIBP-CorV inactivated virus vaccine against COVID-19 on behalf of the COVAX Facility. Through the agreement, UNICEF will have access to up to 120 million doses of the vaccine by the end of 2021 to supply participating countries and territories in the COVAX Facility’s Advance Market Commitment (AMC), as well as self-financing participants. This is the 7th supply agreement UNICEF has signed for COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of COVAX. Previous agreements have been announced with the Serum Institute of India, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Human Vaccine, Moderna and Janssen Pharmaceutica NV. The Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine received a WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) in May. On 12 July, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance announced that it had signed an Advance Purchase Agreement with Sinopharm on behalf of the COVAX Facility for the purchase of up to 60 million doses to be made available from July through October 2021. The agreement also includes an option to purchase a further 60 million doses in Q4 2021 and 50 million more doses in the first half of 2022, if necessary. This totals a potential 170 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine available to COVAX participants. Deliveries could start as early as August providing countries are ready to receive them. The COVAX Allocation Framework will determine the dose allocations to COVAX participants taking into consideration access, country readiness, vaccine supply through COVAX to date, operating and supply aspects, and other parameters. The goal of the COVAX Facility is to help address the acute phase of the global pandemic by the end of 2021 by providing rapid, fair and equitable access to safe and effective vaccines for all participating countries and territories regardless of income level. The COVAX Facility, co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO, together with UNICEF, aims to provide access to quality-assured COVID-19 vaccines, enabling the protection of frontline health care and social workers, as well as other high-risk and vulnerable groups. ###### Notes for editors: Multimedia materials available here. About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, visit www.unicef.org. For more information about COVID-19, visit www.unicef.org/coronavirus. Find out more about UNICEF’s work on the COVID-19 vaccines here, or about UNICEF’s work on immunization here. Follow UNICEF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube About the COVAX Facility
COVAX is the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a ground-breaking global collaboration to accelerate the development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO. Its aim is to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world. www.who.int/initiatives/act-accelerator/covax. UNICEF, in collaboration with the PAHO Revolving Fund, is leading efforts to procure and supply doses of COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of the COVAX Facility For more information please contact: Joe English, UNICEF New York, +1 917 893 0692, jenglish@unicef.org Anne Sophie Bonefeld, UNICEF Copenhagen, +45 2469 4676, abonefeld@unicef.org ***
Africa posting biggest jump. World at critical juncture, must act now for 2030 turnaround. 12 July 2021, Rome – There was a dramatic worsening of world hunger in 2020, the United Nations said today – much of it likely related to the fallout of COVID-19. While the pandemic’s impact has yet to be fully mapped[1], a multi-agency report estimates that around a tenth of the global population – up to 811 million people – were undernourished last year. The number suggests it will take a tremendous effort for the world to honour its pledge to end hunger by 2030. This year’s edition of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World is the first global assessment of its kind in the pandemic era. The report is jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Previous editions had already put the world on notice that the food security of millions – many children among them – was at stake. “Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to expose weaknesses in our food systems, which threaten the lives and livelihoods of people around the world,” the heads of the five UN agencies[2] write in this year’s Foreword. They go on to warn of a “critical juncture,” even as they pin fresh hopes on increased diplomatic momentum. “This year offers a unique opportunity for advancing food security and nutrition through transforming food systems with the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit, the Nutrition for Growth Summit and the COP26 on climate change.” “The outcome of these events,” the five add, “will go on to shape the […] second half of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition” – a global policy commitment yet to hit its stride. The numbers in detail Already in the mid-2010s, hunger had started creeping upwards, dashing hopes of irreversible decline. Disturbingly, in 2020 hunger shot up in both absolute and proportional terms, outpacing population growth: some 9.9 percent of all people are estimated to have been undernourished last year, up from 8.4 percent in 2019. More than half of all undernourished people (418 million) live in Asia; more than a third (282 million) in Africa; and a smaller proportion (60 million) in Latin America and the Caribbean. But the sharpest rise in hunger was in Africa, where the estimated prevalence of undernourishment – at 21 percent of the population – is more than double that of any other region. On other measurements too, the year 2020 was sombre. Overall, more than 2.3 billion people (or 30 percent of the global population) lacked year-round access to adequate food: this indicator – known as the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity – leapt in one year as much in as the preceding five combined. Gender inequality deepened: for every 10 food-insecure men, there were 11 food-insecure women in 2020 (up from 10.6 in 2019). Malnutrition persisted in all its forms, with children paying a high price: in 2020, over 149 million under-fives are estimated to have been stunted, or too short for their age; more than 45 million – wasted, or too thin for their height; and nearly 39 million – overweight.[3] A full three-billion adults and children remained locked out of healthy diets, largely due to excessive costs. Nearly a third of women of reproductive age suffer from anaemia. Globally, despite progress in some areas – more infants, for example, are being fed exclusively on breast milk – the world is not on track to achieve targets for any nutrition indicators by 2030. Other hunger and malnutrition drivers In many parts of the world, the pandemic has triggered brutal recessions and jeopardized access to food. Yet even before the pandemic, hunger was spreading; progress on malnutrition lagged. This was all the more so in nations affected by conflict, climate extremes or other economic downturns, or battling high inequality – all of which the report identifies as major drivers of food insecurity, which in turn interact.[4] On current trends, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World estimates that Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger by 2030) will be missed by a margin of nearly 660 million people. Of these 660 million, some 30 million may be linked to the pandemic’s lasting effects. What can (still) be done As outlined in last year’s report, transforming food systems is essential to achieve food security, improve nutrition and put healthy diets within reach of all. This year’s edition goes further to outline six “transformation pathways”. These, the authors say, rely on a “coherent set of policy and investment portfolios” to counteract the hunger and malnutrition drivers. Depending on the particular driver (or combination of drivers) confronting each country, the report urges policymakers to: · Integrate humanitarian, development and peacebuilding policies in conflict areas – for example, through social protection measures to prevent families from selling meagre assets in exchange for food; · Scale up climate resilience across food systems – for example, by offering smallholder farmers wide access to climate risk insurance and forecast-based financing; · Strengthen the resilience of the most vulnerable to economic adversity – for example, through in-kind or cash support programmes to lessen the impact of pandemic-style shocks or food price volatility; · Intervene along supply chains to lower the cost of nutritious foods – for example, by encouraging the planting of biofortified crops or making it easier for fruit and vegetable growers to access markets; · Tackle poverty and structural inequalities – for example, by boosting food value chains in poor communities through technology transfers and certification programmes; · Strengthen food environments and changing consumer behaviour – for example, by eliminating industrial trans fats and reducing the salt and sugar content in the food supply, or protecting children from the negative impact of food marketing. The report also calls for an “enabling environment of governance mechanisms and institutions” to make transformation possible. It enjoins policymakers to consult widely; to empower women and youth; and to expand the availability of data and new technologies. Above all, the authors urge, the world must act now – or watch the drivers of hunger and malnutrition recur with growing intensity in coming years, long after the shock of the pandemic has passed. Read the full report here and the In-Brief report here Download the full report here Media contacts for interview requests (all UN official languages and Italian are covered): FAO – Josephine McKenna josephine.mckenna@fao.org
IFAD – Antonia Paradela a.paradelatorices@ifad.org
UNICEF – Helen Wylie hwylie@unicef.org
WFP – Isheeta Sumra Isheeta.sumra@wfp.org
WHO – Pippa Haughton haughtonp@who.int GLOSSARY Hunger: an uncomfortable or painful sensation caused by insufficient energy from diet. Food deprivation; not eating enough calories. Used here interchangeably with (chronic) undernourishment. Measured by the prevalence of undernourishment (PoU). Moderate food insecurity: a state of uncertainty about the ability to get food; a risk of skipping meals or seeing food run out; being forced to compromise on the nutritional quality and/or quantity of food consumed. Severe food insecurity: running out of food; experienced hunger; at the most extreme, having to go without food for a day or more. Malnutrition: the condition associated with deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in the consumption of macro- and/or micronutrients. For example, undernutrition and obesity are both forms of malnutrition. Child stunting or wasting are both indicators for undernutrition. [1] To reflect the added uncertainty induced by the pandemic, this year’s edition for the first time presents a range (720 million to 811 million) rather than a single headline number. For regional breakdowns, the number of 768 million – the mid-range estimate – is used. Whether the lower, middle or upper value of the range is considered, the annual increase over 2019’s mid-range number of 650 million is substantial. At the higher end, this increase is a massive 161 million. (The entire historical series is revised annually in line with new data.) [2] For FAO – Qu Dongyu, Director-General; for IFAD – Gilbert F. Houngbo, President; for UNICEF – Henrietta H. Fore, Executive Director; for WFP – David Beasley, Executive Director; for WHO – Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General. [3] Social distancing rules made nutrition data exceptionally hard to collect in 2020. Some numbers – especially for wasting in under-fives – may be higher than these estimates. [4] The more drivers a country has, the worse the undernourishment and malnutrition, the greater the food insecurity, and the more prohibitive the cost of healthy diets to its citizens. *** UNESCO - UNICEF - World Bank - OECD JOINT PRESS RELEASE 1 in 3 countries are not taking action to help students catch up on their learning post-COVID-19 school closures A new UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank and OECD report documents education responses to COVID-19 in 142 countries Paris/New York/Washington D.C., 13 July 2021 – Around one in three countries where schools are or have been closed are not yet implementing remedial programmes post-COVID-19 school closures, according to a UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank and OECD global "Survey on National Education Responses to COVID-19 School Closures". At the same time, only one-third of countries are taking steps to measure learning losses in primary and lower secondary levels – mostly among high-income countries. "Measuring learning loss is a critical first step towards mitigating its consequences. It is vital that countries invest in assessing the magnitude of such losses to implement the appropriate remedial measures," said Silvia Montoya, Director, UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Fewer than a third of low- and middle-income countries reported that all students had returned to in-person schooling, heightening their risk of learning loss and drop-out. However, the majority of countries reported using at least one form of outreach to encourage students' return to school, including community engagement, school-based tracking, modification to water, sanitation and hygiene services, financial incentives and review of access policies. "Remedial instruction is vital to help those children who have missed out on school to get back on track and reduce long-term learning losses. This requires an urgent effort to measure students' learning levels today and collect good quality data to inform classroom practices, as envisioned under the UNICEF, UNESCO, and World Bank's Learning Data Compact," stressed Jaime Saavedra, Global Director for Education, World Bank. The survey documents how countries are monitoring and mitigating learning losses, addressing the challenge of reopening schools and deploying distance learning strategies. In total, 142 countries responded to the survey that covers the period from February to May 2021 and spans pre-primary, primary, lower secondary and upper secondary.
"Remote learning has been a lifeline for many children around the world during school closures. But for the most vulnerable, even this was out of reach. It is urgent that we get every child back into the classroom now. But we cannot stop there; reopening better means implementing remedial programmes to help students get back on track, and ensuring that we prioritize girls and vulnerable children in all our efforts," said UNICEF Global Chief of Education Robert Jenkins. Key findings from the survey include: § Countries have responded with a variety of measures to mitigate potential learning losses from school closures: around 40 per cent of countries extended the academic year and a similar proportion of countries prioritized certain curriculum areas. However, more than half of the countries reported that no adjustments have been or will be made. § Many countries improved health and safety standards at examination centres, still, 28 per cent of countries cancelled examinations in lower secondary and 18 per cent of countries did so in upper secondary education. § Reviewing or revising access policies was uncommon, especially for girls – a cause for concern as adolescent girls are at the highest risk of not returning to school in low- and lower-middle-income countries. § Low-income countries are lagging in the implementation of even the most basic measures to ensure a return to school. For instance, only less than 10 per cent reported having sufficient soap, clean water, sanitation and hygiene facilities and masks, compared to 96 per cent of high-income countries. The survey also sheds light on the deployment and effectiveness of distance learning and related support more than one year into the pandemic. Results show that: § Most countries took multiple actions to provide remote learning: Radio and TV broadcasts were more popular among low-income countries, while high-income countries provided online learning platforms. However, over a third of low- and lower-middle-income countries reported that less than half of primary school students were reached. § Ensuring take-up and engagement requires remote learning strategies suited to the context, parental engagement, support from and to teachers, and ensuring girls and other marginalized children are not left behind. It also requires generating rigorous data on the effectiveness of remote learning. While 73 per cent of countries assessed the effectiveness of at least one distance learning strategy, there is still a need for better evidence on effectiveness in the most difficult contexts. "There is a critical need to produce more and better evidence on remote learning effectiveness, particularly in the most difficult contexts, and to support the development of digital learning policies," said Andreas Schleicher, Director, OECD Education and Skills. In 2020, schools worldwide were fully closed across all four education levels for 79 teaching days on average, representing roughly 40 per cent of total instructional days averaged across OECD and G20 countries. The figures ranged from 53 days in high-income countries to 115 days in lower-middle-income countries. Demand for funds is rising, in competition with other sectors, while governments' revenues are falling. Nevertheless, 49 per cent of countries increased their education budget in 2020 relative to 2019, while 43 per cent maintained their budget constant. Funding is set to increase in 2021, as more than 60 per cent of countries plan to increase their education budget compared to 2020. These findings reinforce the importance of reopening schools, remedial learning and more effective remote learning systems that can better withstand future crises and reach all students. Moreover, it shows that the measurement of learning losses due to COVID-19 related to school closures is a critical effort for most countries and development partners, highlighted by the recent partnership of UNESCO, UNICEF and the World Bank around the Learning Data Compact. The survey is in line with the Mission: Recovering Education 2021 by which the World Bank, UNESCO, and UNICEF are partnering to support countries as they take all actions possible to plan, prioritize, and ensure that all learners are back in school; that schools take all measures to reopen safely; that students receive effective remedial learning and comprehensive services to help recover learning losses and improve overall welfare; and their teachers are prepared and supported to meet their learning needs. The survey will be launched during the Ministerial segment of the Global Education Meeting on 13 July. ##### Notes to editors: This is the third Survey on National Education Responses to COVID-19 School Closures, in which the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) and OECD sought information from Ministry of Education officials. The survey was conducted in collaboration with UNICEF, the World Bank and UNESCO's Global Education Monitoring Report, with financial support from the Global Partnership for Education. *** Link to report: http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/lessons_on_education_recovery.pdf Link to Ministerial Segment of Global Education Meeting: https://webcast.unesco.org/events/2021-07-GEM-Ministerial/ *** Press contacts: • UNESCO: Clare O'Hagan, c.o-hagan@unesco.org, +33 (0) 1 45 68 17 29 • World Bank: Kristyn Schrader-King, kschrader@worldbank.org, +1-202-560-0153 • UNICEF: Sara AlHattab, salhattab@unicef.org, +1 917 957 6536 • OECD: Cassandra Davis, Cassandra.davis@oecd.org +33 (0) 1 45 24 92 63 *** UNICEF PRESS RELEASE UNICEF signs supply agreement for Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine NEW YORK/COPENHAGEN, 13 July 2021 - UNICEF and Sinopharm have signed a long-term agreement for the supply of the BBIBP-CorV inactivated virus vaccine against COVID-19 on behalf of the COVAX Facility. Through the agreement, UNICEF will have access to up to 120 million doses of the vaccine by the end of 2021 to supply participating countries and territories in the COVAX Facility’s Advance Market Commitment (AMC), as well as self-financing participants. This is the 7th supply agreement UNICEF has signed for COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of COVAX. Previous agreements have been announced with the Serum Institute of India, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Human Vaccine, Moderna and Janssen Pharmaceutica NV. The Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine received a WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) in May. On 12 July, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance announced that it had signed an Advance Purchase Agreement with Sinopharm on behalf of the COVAX Facility for the purchase of up to 60 million doses to be made available from July through October 2021. The agreement also includes an option to purchase a further 60 million doses in Q4 2021 and 50 million more doses in the first half of 2022, if necessary. This totals a potential 170 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine available to COVAX participants. Deliveries could start as early as August providing countries are ready to receive them. The COVAX Allocation Framework will determine the dose allocations to COVAX participants taking into consideration access, country readiness, vaccine supply through COVAX to date, operating and supply aspects, and other parameters. The goal of the COVAX Facility is to help address the acute phase of the global pandemic by the end of 2021 by providing rapid, fair and equitable access to safe and effective vaccines for all participating countries and territories regardless of income level. The COVAX Facility, co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO, together with UNICEF, aims to provide access to quality-assured COVID-19 vaccines, enabling the protection of frontline health care and social workers, as well as other high-risk and vulnerable groups. ###### Notes for editors: Multimedia materials available here. About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, visit www.unicef.org. For more information about COVID-19, visit www.unicef.org/coronavirus. Find out more about UNICEF’s work on the COVID-19 vaccines here, or about UNICEF’s work on immunization here. Follow UNICEF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube About the COVAX Facility
COVAX is the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a ground-breaking global collaboration to accelerate the development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO. Its aim is to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world. www.who.int/initiatives/act-accelerator/covax. UNICEF, in collaboration with the PAHO Revolving Fund, is leading efforts to procure and supply doses of COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of the COVAX Facility For more information please contact: Joe English, UNICEF New York, +1 917 893 0692, jenglish@unicef.org Anne Sophie Bonefeld, UNICEF Copenhagen, +45 2469 4676, abonefeld@unicef.org ***
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