United Nations 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.

Learn more

Publication

02 September 2022

2022 Pakistan Floods Response Plan - FRP

Pakistan has been enduring severe monsoon weather since June 2022, which saw areaweighted rainfall 67 per cent above normal levels in that month alone. As of 27 August, rainfall in the country is equivalent to 2.9 times the national 30-year average. This has caused widespread flooding and landslides, with severe repercussions for human lives, property and infrastructure. To date, 72 districts across Pakistan have been declared ‘calamity hit’ by the
Government of Pakistan. These numbers remain dynamic given the ongoing rains, and the number of calamity-declared districts is expected to increase.

1 of 3

Story

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.

1 of 3

Story

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

1 of 3

Story

06 March 2023

Breaking down barriers for female police officers

Less than two per cent of Pakistan’s entire police force is made up of women. The lack of female police officers has a significant impact on gender equality in the country – reducing the willingness of women to report crimes and limiting their access to justice. “Sometimes we see women who are not comfortable discussing their cases with the male officers,” explains Asma Baloch, a trainee at the Shahdadpur Police Training College in Sindh Province. “Most of the time, they think they won’t get justice.” While cultural and social norms are the main reasons behind the shortage of female recruits, inadequate facilities at training colleges can also be a hindrance when it comes to attracting more women to the field. “The biggest problem we had was the washrooms. On the first day we arrived, there was no hot water and the toilets were very dirty,” says Naeema Siddiqui, a trainee patrol officer at the National Highways and Motorway Police Training College in Sheikhupura, Pakistan. Naeema is one of around 100 young women currently enrolled at the training college, which receives recruits from all over the country, who live on campus in shared dormitories. According to Deputy General Inspector Mehboob Aslam, the commandant of the college, the housing for women had not been updated since it was opened in 1992 and was unfit for purpose. Almost 1,000 kilometres away at the Shahdadpur Police Training College, the story is all too familiar. According to Asma, the lack of dedicated facilities for women had led to overcrowding. “We faced a lot of difficulties. It would get extremely hot and the bathrooms were unclean,” she says. To help overcome some of these challenges, UNOPS partnered with the United States Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs to build new housing facilities for policewomen as part of country-wide efforts to remove the barriers discouraging women from joining the force. DESIGNING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WOMEN The National Highways and Motorway Police Training College is the first of three colleges in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh to receive new dedicated living facilities for women. UNOPS Project Manager Nauman Amin says women played an important role in the design process and were encouraged to share ideas on how their needs could be best addressed. “We brought the concept design for the facility here and discussed it with the female police trainees. They are the ones who will eventually live in this building so their input was critical.”

After consulting with the recruits, a family daycare area, study and laundry rooms were added to the design plans. For Naeema, a mother of two who has aspirations of becoming an inspector general, the new facilities will provide her with a child-friendly space where she can host her family when they visit, enabling her to better balance her role as a mother with her training. “Being a mother, the thing I like most [about the new dormitory] is the kitchen and children’s play area,” says Naeema. “Honestly, it just felt like home.” The design for the new facility also incorporated environmental considerations to ensure the building is equipped to deal with extremely hot temperatures common in the region. It is also resilient to earthquakes, something this province is prone to. Story: UNOPS Pakistan

1 of 5

Story

03 February 2023

Powering better Education in Pakistan

It’s a normal Thursday afternoon in June at GPS Kahi Bazid Khel, a mixed government primary school (GPS) in Kohat, a district in the south of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Classes are underway and children are in the throes of learning. Lights and fans overhead help to keep classrooms bright and cool as the temperature outside reaches a blistering 45 degrees Celsius. Two years earlier, the school would have had little choice but to close due to such temperatures. On extremely hot days, conditions were unbearable and even dangerous for school children and their teachers. “Our conditions here were very harsh. It was very hot out there,” explains Abid Saeed, a teacher at GPS Kahi Bazid Khel. “Only us and the children studying here understand the difficulties we faced.” In the hot summer months when the school stayed open, Abid would have taken his classes outside under the shade of trees. This affected children’s ability to focus on their studies and led to high numbers of absenteeism. Low enrolment and high dropout rates are a problem for many of Pakistan’s government schools. It is especially severe in the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, where rural schools often lack access to key infrastructure, such as electricity. Powering change In 2019, GPS Kahi Bazid Khel became the first school to gain access to low-cost renewable electricity as part of a groundbreaking project to address poor learning conditions in more than 1,200 schools across the south of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. “The project is part of concerted efforts to improve primary and secondary education in the region,” says Shahram Khan Tarakai, the Minister of Education for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. “We want to ensure children have the right conditions to be successful at school.” Improvements in attendance at the selected schools are already being felt, with enrolment rates up by an average of five per cent. At GPS Kahi Bazid Khel, the figure is even greater, with 265 students attending school in 2021 compared to 227 in 2018. “Now, we like to come to school and study there. When the fan is switched on, we are happy and really feel like studying,” says Faryal. And for the schools’ teachers, the now cooler and brighter classrooms have made a world of difference, with a noticeable shift in the attitudes and educational results of their students. “We are also very relaxed while teaching [and] the children come with great enthusiasm. There has been a very positive change in the quality of our education,” says Abid. Green energy While new access to energy in these schools is helping provide a better environment for children to learn, importantly, it is also powered by a sustainable and affordable source. This will offset around 2,250 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year, compared to if the schools had been connected to a more traditional electricity grid. The urgent need to transition to sustainable and resilient infrastructure in the face of climate change is particularly apparent in Pakistan, which faces a temperature rise significantly above the global average and is becoming increasingly impacted by extreme weather events. “Pakistan faces major energy deficiencies, especially in rural areas, which limits the potential for equitable development,” says UNOPS Country Manager Marysia Zapasnik. Bringing renewable energy to remote areas of Pakistan has not been without its challenges, however. More than 10,000 solar panels had to be sourced and delivered to locations that were extremely isolated. “Getting solar power to those districts was an eruption of high-tech in a very low-tech environment. It required an incredible amount of effort to train contractors, build local capacity and resolve technical issues,” explains UNOPS Project Manager Benoit Rosenoer. The effort has been worth it, according to Benoit, as the schools not only now have access to a reliable source of electricity, but have the capacity to operate and maintain the solar systems themselves. “Every effort was made to ensure children at these schools will continue to benefit from better learning conditions for years to come.” Project details The Solar Schools Project, funded by the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Saudi Fund for Development, is benefiting some 130,000 schoolchildren and 4,000 teachers across Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. In partnership with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Elementary and Secondary Education Department, UNOPS managed the procurement, delivery and installation of solar energy systems at 1,240 schools in seven of the province’s most underserved districts – Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Hangu, Karak, Kohat, Lakki Marwat, and Tank. UNOPS also provided training to over 4,000 members of parent-teacher councils on operating and maintaining the solar energy systems as part of the $8.5 million project. Story by: UNOPS Pakistan

1 of 5

Story

02 February 2023

Supporting millions impacted by Pakistan Flooding

Over 33 million people in Pakistan have been deeply impacted by catastrophic flooding that took an estimated 1,700 lives and left nearly 8 million displaced. Over 20 million are in need of humanitarian assistance.

“The unprecedented scale of the flooding exposes Pakistan’s high vulnerability to climate change. Now, the country faces cascading crises as it battles rising prices at the global level and economic challenges that preceded this disaster,” said Charles Callanan, Director of the UNOPS Multi-Country Office in Sri Lanka.

With over $7 million in funding from the World Bank, UNOPS is assisting the government with procuring 3 million mosquito nets and 1 million tents. To date, 25,000 tents and 2 million mosquito nets have been delivered to Sindh's Provincial Disaster Management Authority. "UNOPS worked closely with counterparts and deployed local and global networks to deliver results on the ground in record time. Their support truly represented an important milestone to the affected communities on the route towards recovery from these devastating floods,” said Abed Khalil, Sector Leader, World Bank. With one-third of the country under water at some point during the crisis, standing flood waters continue to be reported across Sindh and other districts of Pakistan. This has brought high case numbers of malaria, diarrhoeal diseases, skin infections and dengue fever. The UNOPS-procured supplies will help government authorities respond to some of the flood-related health challenges. “Looking ahead, it is critical that the country gets all the support it needs to help build its resilience to the shocks of climate change. UNOPS stands in solidarity with the government and partners, ready to support the tough task ahead,” said Charles Callanan. Story by : UNOPS

1 of 5

Story

20 January 2023

The most vulnerable bear the brunt of climate change

Following the floods that destroyed the mud house she was living in with her family, Zahida, an Afghan refugee living in Quetta, expressed her distress ‘I am in a constant state of fear and anxiety’. She now has no choice but to sleep in the open air with her husband and children. ‘Our children are exposed to direct sun, flies, and dangerous diseases’, she explains. The recent floods have been a catalyst for the risks faced by vulnerable populations of Pakistan. The already marginalised are now exposed to even more precarious situations. Afghan refugees, notably, are already at the margin of the existing social safety nets and lack access to public services and protection mechanisms. They now remain out of the reach of most relief campaigns. Zahida deplores ‘we don’t hold any identity cards, so we are not eligible for many food relief packages or other kinds of support.’ Amongst all, women are even more at risk: those who have taken refuge in ad-hoc refugee centres, for example, are now at higher risk of gender-based violence. Sakina, a mother of five hailing from Quetta, struggles to feed her family. ‘My husband worked in a brick-making workshop’, she explains. ‘The water damaged his factory, and now no work is left for him.’ Though part of her house still stands, she worries about what the future holds for her family. ‘People like us don’t have savings. We consume what we earn in a day.’ On the ground, the existing family and community networks have been able to withstand some of the impacts on the population, with village and neighbourhood structures providing food, water, and shelter whenever possible. But though the water will recede, the effects of the floods will be felt for much longer. Sakina is preparing for difficult times ahead: ‘For weeks, there has been no gas or electricity. With winter approaching, life will become even more difficult for us.’ For immediate response, UNDP Pakistan is rehabilitating 25 school and hospital buildings in Balochistan to facilitate women like Sakina and Zahida. The work entails repairing structures damaged by floods in Nushki and Qila Abdullah in addition to renovation of buildings. In Balochistan UNDP is also working on a pilot initiative allowing communities to discuss their grievances related to climate change with their elected representatives. The pilot, an innovative approach to environmental justice, becomes even more crucial as principles of inclusivity and climate resilience must from now on guide all development efforts. As the United Nations’ lead agency on recovery and reconstruction, UNDP is also working with partners and Government of Pakistan on assessing the flood damage and recovery needs. In both short and long term, UNDP’s recovery programme seeks to support communities to rebuild their homes, find meaningful employment, and strengthen their capacity to mitigate the impact of future crises. *** Story by: Yann Cres, Social Inclusion Senior Expert, Decentralization, Human Rights and Local Governance project, UNDP Pakistan

1 of 5

Story

14 September 2022

Everyday Heroes – Stories from the Flood

Acres and acres of land is inundated by the floods in Pakistan, with one-third of Sindh (area and population) affected by the devastating floods. More than 1400 lives have been lost and 33 million are directly impacted. Many have lost their homes and everything they owned. Livestock and fields of crops have been wiped out. They have no food, no drinking water, no shelter. They are at increased risk of waterborne diseases, dengue and malnutrition. They have no access to health or education facilities. Life as they knew it has been snatched from them. In the words of the United Nations Secretary-General, “It’s not about numbers. It’s about people, about the farmers that have lost their crops, about those that have lost members of their family, about those that have seen their houses destroyed, about those that have lost their cattle, about those that have no money to pay the loans that they have contracted to be able to plant. It was these people that each one of you was rescuing, helping to escape these horrible floods.” “I come here to serve my people; this is my passion.” – Dr Sumeira Abasi Dr. Sumeira Abasi, a field medical officer in Larkana, Sindh, had been coming to the Taluka Headquarter hospital since the flooding began, and being a mother of three, she lamented that the situation was challenging for her. Even though her home was far and she had to travel through the flood waters that entered inside the rickshaw she travelled in, her spirits were not dampened. There was a time when her own home was flooded, but she did not stop and continued to meet the health care needs of the flood victims within the limited means available to her. As she put it: “I come here to serve my people; this is my passion.” “I rescued about three hundred people” - Mr. Muhammad Shifa Arijo When the ruthless floods hit Larkana, Muhammad Shifa Arijo, Secretary of Union Council Anwar Adab, Larkana, fearlessly and selflessly rushed to help people. He had risked his own life rescuing some 300 people from slums that had been in the path of the raging floodwaters, and subsequently helping to move them to Quaid-e-Awam Engineering University using boats. He had also been given the responsibility of delivering food each day to hundreds of people affected by the floods. Dr. Abasi and Arijo and many others like them, speak of the enormous courage, generosity and solidarity that people have shown during this time of extreme crisis. The mammoth floods were relentless in their destruction, yet these brave men and women went above and beyond and provided timely help, saving hundreds of lives. They need the help of everyone across the world. The world needs to respond with assistance for these innocent people suffering the consequences of a climate change induced catastrophe that they hardly contributed to.

1 of 5

View all

Press Release

16 March 2023

Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 16 March 2023

UNDP PRESS RELEASE FCDO extends partnership with UNDP to improve governance and public service delivery in Pakistan Islamabad, March 16 2023—The United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the United Nations Development Programme signed a new Contribution Arrangement today to extend their partnership for the period 2023-2026. The FCDO has extended its engagement due to successive governments' continued ownership of the project's reform efforts. The Contribution Arrangement will not only expand the scope and geographic coverage of UNDP's Reforms and Innovation project from the federal to the provincial government levels for enhancing governance effectiveness and improved public service delivery, but will also introduce new programming streams in the form of risk governance interventions. Mr. Asghar Memon, Chief Economist, Planning and Development Department Sindh, expressed his gratitude to FCDO and UNDP for acceding to the provincial government’s request for technical support, "We are grateful for the opportunity to work with UNDP and FCDO to enhance governance in our province by institutionalizing risk governance frameworks and practices for improved disaster management and recovery." Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Jo Moir, the Development Director for the British High Commission, said, "We are delighted to extend our collaboration with UNDP in Pakistan. The previous three years have been extremely productive, and we are committed to continuing our joint efforts in pursuit of institutionalizing performance-driven management of public sector organizations and evidence-based policy making. We are confident that this partnership will continue to have a positive impact on the people of Pakistan as a result of the expansion of our support to the provincial level and the introduction of risk governance interventions." Mr. Knut Ostby, UNDP’s Resident Representative in Pakistan, in his remarks stated, "FCDO is a long-standing trusted partner of UNDP. We have collaborated and worked together in the governance landscape of Pakistan to create a lasting impact through systemic reforms. I am pleased to announce that our partnership has been extended up to 2026 with additional resources. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Government of Sindh for placing its trust in UNDP as its key partner in taking forward the government’s institutional reforms agenda”, he added. UNDP’s Reforms and Innovation project has been working towards improved governance and public service delivery outcomes in Pakistan since 2015. For additional information, please contact M. Asif Iqbal at Asif.Iqbal@fcdo.gov.uk or +92 (51) 201 2231 Ayesha Babar at ayesha.babar@undp.org or +92 (51) 835 5650 For updates on the British High Commission, please follow our social media channels: Twitter: @UKinPakistan, @CheveningFCDO, @ADalgleish01 Facebook: facebook.com/bhcpakistan Instagram: @UKinPakistan Website: https://www.gov.uk/world/pakistan For updates on UNDP Pakistan, please follow our social media channels: Twitter: @UNDP_Pakistan Facebook: @undppakistan Instagram: @undp_pakistan Website: https://www.undp.org/pakistan

1 of 5

Press Release

15 March 2023

Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 14 March 2023

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL MESSAGE ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY TO COMBAT ISLAMOPHOBIA 15 March 2023 On this International Day to Combat Islamophobia, we focus attention – and call for action – to stamp out the poison of anti-Muslim hatred. The world’s nearly 2 billion Muslims reflect humanity in all its magnificent diversity. But they often face bigotry and prejudice for no other reason than their faith. Beyond structural, institutional discrimination and the wholesale stigmatization of Muslim communities, Muslims suffer personal attacks, hateful rhetoric, and scapegoating. We see some of the worst impacts in the triple discrimination against Muslim women because of their gender, ethnicity, and faith. The growing hate that Muslims face is not an isolated development: it is part of the resurgence of ethno-nationalism, neo-Nazi white supremacist ideologies, and violence targeting vulnerable populations including Muslims, Jews, some minority Christian communities and others. Discrimination diminishes us all. And it is incumbent on all of us to stand up against it. We must strengthen our defenses by pushing for policies that fully respect human rights and protect religious and cultural identities. We must recognize diversity as richness and ramp up political, cultural, and economic investments in social cohesion. And we must confront bigotry by working to tackle the hate that spreads like wildfire across the internet. For well over a millennium, Islam’s message of peace, compassion, and grace has inspired people the world over. Every great faith and tradition summons the imperatives of tolerance, respect, and mutual understanding. At the heart, we are dealing with universal values: they animate the United Nations Charter and lie at the core of our quest for justice, human rights, and peace. Today and every day, let us strive to realize these values and counter the forces of division by reaffirming our common humanity. *** FAO PRESS RELEASE Having access to digital technologies is essential for women in agriculture Islamabad 14 March 2023 - It is crucial to recognize and address the gender-based barriers that limit women's access to resources and technology in agriculture. The theme of this year's International Women's Day, "DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality," highlighted the potential of technology and innovation to level the playing field and break down these barriers. As climate change continues to affect agriculture and smallholder women farmers, access to digital technologies can help improve their ability to adapt to these changes and build more resilient farming systems. Florence Rolle, FAO Representative in Pakistan, emphasized the crucial role of access to digital technologies and tools for women and girls in agriculture during a panel discussion organized in Islamabad by the International Water Management Institute in connection with International Women’s Day 2023 (IWD 2023). “Women and girls in agriculture are more impacted by the climate change, we need to ensure that women and girls have access to digital technologies so that they may get information on weather, soil quality and crop management. This informed will help them make informed decision; ultimately improving food security and their resilience”, she said. Rolle suggested that the use of mobile phones and other digital platforms would provide smallholder women farmers with the information they need to grow their crops more effectively. She also noted that the number of girls enrolling in agricultural universities is increasing, which bodes well for the future of women in the sector and in leadership positions. Overall, her remarks highlighted the importance of empowering women and girls in agriculture by providing them with the tools they need to succeed in an increasingly challenging environment. Further to IWD celebrations, FAO organized a panel discussion on the role of women in agriculture at an international conference on "Biodiversity of Arid Zones", featuring Prof. Dr. Ghazala H Rizwani, Director, Hamdard University Karachi, Dr. Shabana Sartaj, Associate Professor, English Literature, SAU, Tando Jam, and Dr. Reema Vistro, Lecturer Agronomy, SAU, Umerkot. The workshop was organized at the sub-campus of Sindh Agriculture University (SAU), Umer Kot.The importance of promoting gender equality in agriculture for sustainable development was highlighted, and FAO's project interventions were praised for helping women learn new, innovative, and climate-smart agriculture practices while providing them with a platform to voice their ideas. Women farmers from FAO project areas shared their experiences and views on how Women Farm Field Schools in different districts of FAO’s interventions are empowering them at the household and community levels. FAO also celebrated International Women's Day 2023 in Quetta under the European Union funded and International Trade Centre (ITC) implemented project: Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP) Project, collaborating with the Women Development Department of the Government of Balochistan, UNWomen, UNHCR, and UNDP. The event brought together stakeholders to discuss how digital technology can accelerate progress towards gender equality. FAO, through its project interventions, has conducted several trainings on digital literacy and provided tablets (notepads) to men and women farmers in Balochistan. This enables them to stay better informed about markets to sell their produce, prevailing market prices, and quantity demanded in the market, empowering them to make informed decisions to sell their produce at the right price and at the right time. Ms. Robina Wahaj, Senior Water and Land Officer, FAO also participated in a live radio program at Planet 87.6, a FM channel at Radio Pakistan and advocated for the importance of digital agriculture to uplift women in agriculture. # For more information Shariq Lashari Sn. Communications Associate 0321-3082691 Shariq.aziz@fao.org

1 of 5

Press Release

08 March 2023

خواتین کے عالمی دن کے موقع پر سیکرٹری جنرل کا پیغام

خواتین کے عالمی دن کے موقع پر ہم دنیا کے ہر گوشے میں، اور زندگی کے ہر شعبے میں خواتین اور لڑکیوں کی کامیابیوں پر خوشی اور مسرت کا اظہار کرتے ہیں۔ لیکن ہم یہ بھی مانتے ہیں کہ انہیں لاتعداد رکاوٹیں درپیش ہیں – نظام کی وجہ سے ہونے والی ناانصافیاں ہوں یا تشدد، معاشرے میں محرومی کا احساس ہو یا اپنی ذات اور اپنی زندگی سے متعلق حقوق سے محرومی، مشکلات در مشکلات کا ایک سلسلہ ہےجو خواتین اور لڑکیوں کو سب سے پہلے اور سب سے زیادہ اپنی لپیٹ میں لیتا ہے۔ خواتین ہوں یا لڑکیاں، مرد ہوں یا لڑکے، صنفی امتیاز و تفریق ہر فرد کو نقصان پہنچاتا ہے۔ خواتین کا عالمی دن دراصل میدانِ عمل میں اترنے کا دن ہے… اُن خواتین کا ساتھ دینے کے لئے، جو اپنا سب کچھ قربان کر کے اپنے بنیادی حقوق کا مطالبہ کر رہی ہیں… جنسی استحصال، بدسلوکی اور زیادتی سے تحفظ کو مضبوط سے مضبوط تر بنانے زندگی کے ہر شعبے میں خواتین کی بھرپور شمولیت یقینی بنانے اور انہیں قیادت کے منصب تک لانے کے لئے میدانِ عمل میں اترنے کا دن۔ رواں سال خواتین کے عالمی دن کے مرکزی پیغام میں صنفی برابری کی تحریک کو آگے بڑھانے کے لئے ٹیکنالوجی اور جدت سے کام لینے کی ضرورت پر زور دیا گیا ہے۔ ٹیکنالوجی کی بدولت خواتین اور لڑکیوں کے لئے تعلیم اور مواقع کی ان گنت راہیں کھل سکتی ہیں۔ لیکن دوسری جانب اسے بدسلوکی اور نفرت پھیلانے کے لئے بھی استعمال کیا جا سکتا ہے۔ آج کے دور میں سائنس، ٹیکنالوجی، انجینئرنگ اور ریاضی کے شعبوں سے وابستہ افراد میں خواتین کا تناسب ایک تہائی سے بھی کم ہے۔ نئی ٹیکنالوجیز کی دریافت اور ترقی میں جب خواتین کی نمائندگی کم ہو گی تو یہ کہنا بے جا نہ ہو گا کہ امتیاز و تفریق کی بنیاد ابتداء میں ہی رکھ دی جاتی ہے۔ اس لئے ہمیں ڈیجیٹل تقسیم کو ختم کرنا ہوگا اور سائنس و ٹیکنالوجی کے میدان میں خواتین کی نمائندگی کو بڑھانا ہو گا۔ خواتین کو ڈیجیٹل دنیا میں شامل نہ کرنے کی وجہ سے گزشتہ ایک دہائی کے دوران کم آمدنی اور متوسط آمدنی والے ممالک اندازاً 1 ٹریلین ڈالر جی ڈی پی کا نقصان اٹھا چکے ہیں – اور اگر اب بھی عملی اقدامات نہ کئے گئے تو 2025 میں اس نقصان کی مالیت 1.5 ٹریلین ڈالر تک پہنچ سکتی ہے۔ خواتین کی بہتری پر سرمایہ لگانے میں ہر فرد، ہر کمیونٹی اور ہر ملک کی بہتری ہے۔ آپ حکومت میں ہوں یا نجی شعبے میں، یا سول سوسائٹی کا حصہ ہوں، آئیں، ہم سب ایک ہو کر قدم بڑھائیں اور اپنی اس دنیا کو خواتین، لڑکیوں، مردوں اور لڑکوں کے لئے زیادہ خوشحال بنائیں، ہر جگہ ہر فرد کو اس کا حصہ بنائیں اور سب کے لئے انصاف یقینی بنائیں۔ ***

1 of 5

Press Release

06 March 2023

Media Update-2: United Nations Pakistan, 3 March 2023

FAO PRESS RELEASE FAO, IFC, ADB & BOI Organize Symposium to Catalyze Investments in Agriculture Sector Islamabad: Agriculture Investment Symposium was held in Islamabad to bring together key stakeholders, including investors, policymakers, farmers, development partners, and researchers, to exchange ideas, knowledge and experiences to drive investment in the agriculture sector. Attended by more than 300 participants, the symposium provided a platform for matchmaking and exploring opportunities for private investors and financial institutions to invest in the agricultural sector. Booths for B2B meetings were setup, which served as an avenue for investors to connect with agriculture companies to exchange knowledge and access to available options related to technologies and bankable products. Several memorandum of understandings were either signed or pledged at the B2B meetings. Jointly organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Finance Corporation (IFC), Asian Development Bank (ABD) and Federal and Provincial Boards of Investment (BOI), the symposium catalyzed investments, partnerships, and collaborations for sustainable and inclusive growth in the sector, leveraging digitalization while managing the adverse impacts of climate change. Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Planning, urged private investors and financial and government institutions to collaborate and work together in agriculture sector, which has high potential of economic returns and poverty alleviation. Appreciating the efforts of FAO, he highlighted that the cluster-based development was part of the government’s Vision 2025 to maximize agriculture and termed this approach as a key to our future influenced by the Michael Porter’s landmark work on “The Competitive Advantage of Nations.” FAO’s Investment Centre also works with private sector partners through financial institutions to attract greater and more responsible private agri-food investment, said Mohamed Manssouri, Director FAO Investment Centre. It acts as a bridge between Members and financing partners to scale up investment for greater impact at country level. Investment potential and economic benefits in eight agriculture commodities, such as apple, beef, chili, date, mango, onion, rice and tomato, were presented to induce private investors. Likewise, the financing needs identified under the living Indus Initiative for the sustainability of irrigated agriculture were also shared. This approach of the country fits very well with the Hand in Hand (HIH) Initiative of FAO, which supports transformation of agri-food systems to eradicate poverty (SDG1), end hunger and malnutrition (SDG2) and reduce inequalities (SDG10). Other speakers at the inaugural session, including FAO Representative Florence Rolle, Khalid Gardezi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of National Food Security & Research, Zeeshan Sheikh, Country Manager, IFC, Mohammad Farooq, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Climate Change, Yasmin Siddiqi, Director ADB, and Aamer Irshad, Head of Program, emphasized the challenges faced by the agriculture sector and proposed various reforms, policy actions and identified investment potential for the sustainable management of the agriculture sector of Pakistan under high climatic risk vulnerability. Two interactive panel discussions were also organized on the theme of the symposium where successful entrepreneurs shared their experiences for catalyzing investment and exploiting digital technologies to enhance agricultural competitiveness, facilitated by ADB and IFC. Jamil Qureshi, Executive Director General, Board of Investment (BOI), Government of Pakistan, in his closing remarks shared the way forward and concluded the event.

1 of 5

Press Release

03 March 2023

Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 3 March 2023

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL MESSAGE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR DISARMAMENT AND NON-PROLIFERATION AWARENESS 5 March 2023 On this first-ever International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness, the global community gathers around a fundamental conviction. Nuclear, chemical, biological, and unpredictable autonomous and other indiscriminate weapon systems have no place in our world. Yet today, these and other threats continue to menace humanity, with record levels of military spending, rising mistrust, and geopolitical tensions that, left unchecked, could spiral into even greater conflict. In particular, the number of nuclear weapons held in stockpiles around the world remains at around 13,000 — more than enough to destroy our planet many times over at a time when risk of use is at its highest since the Cold War. On this important day, I call on all partners — from governments and academia, to media, civil society groups, industry, and young people — to turn up the volume on this collective emergency and raise awareness about the critical importance of disarmament and non-proliferation to humanity’s future. I also urge leaders to take steps to strengthen the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime — including the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons — and support a New Agenda for Peace with a reinvigorated vision for disarmament. Disarmament and non-proliferation are investments in peace. They are investments in our future. Let’s end these threats before they end us.

1 of 5

View all