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.

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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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17 April 2023

Tackling the “climate catastrophe of the century”: the UN Resident Coordinator System’s Support to Pakistan

New York, 13 April 2023- Member State representatives and UN Development Coordination Office (DCO) partners gathered at the United Nations (UN) headquarters to learn about the role of the reformed Resident Coordinator system in leading a comprehensive response to the floods which swept across Pakistan last summer, affecting more than 33 million people and threatening to wipe out decades of development gains. When the climate catastrophe first struck in July 2022, the Permanent Representative of Pakistan H.E Munir Akram recalled that the Resident Coordinator was one of the first partners contacted. “We immediately contacted our partners in the UN development system – to make a quick evaluation of the damage’s extent, and to translate that into the emergency appeal – the 911 response. It was a critical early-stage response that no other organization was equipped to provide.” In a recorded video message, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan H.E Bilawal Bhutto Zardari agreed that in the immediate aftermath of ‘the most devastating climate catastrophe of this century,’ the support from the Resident Coordinator proved vital, describing the RC system as a ‘one-stop shop, our go-to place to coordinate the response, streamline our efforts and ensure a smooth exchange of information.’ “The devastating rains and floods of last year have been a hydra-headed challenge, needing a humanitarian response, development action, and climate change adaptation,” UN Resident Coordinator (RC) Julien Harneis said, joining the UNHQ session online via video. “The scale of the devastation had demanded a whole of society response led by the Government. The reforms of the UN development system gave me, as RC, and my small team the tools to bring together all relevant parts of the UN, the agencies in the country, non-resident agencies, headquarters, the General Assembly, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as well as members states and the International Financial Institution.” RC Harneis explained how the dual humanitarian and development role enabled his team to rapidly switch to providing humanitarian assistance and support the Government to launch an $816 million Flood Response Plan to address both immediate and longer-term recovery needs, mobilizing international financing and solidarity from critical donors including Member States and International Financial Institutions. He added that one year before the floods, the team had through a new generation of Cooperation Framework [a roadmap for sustainable development jointly agreed by the National Government and the UN team], and a nationwide consultation, already identified that the Triple Planetary Crisis [climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss] as an existential threat to the Indus Basin River system and therefore to Pakistan. “This had to be one of the UNs five priorities. So, when the rains started the UN support saw this from the very beginning as a direct result of climate change, needing humanitarian action, reconstruction and adaptation and needing national and international coordination,” Harneis said. Participants noted that through the Resident Coordinator’s leadership, along with his team, leveraging the added value of the UN system at the global, regional and country levels, including making the most of the Development Coordination Office/Resident Coordinator System’s timely support, Pakistan’s path towards long-term resilience planning received a significant boost in January 2023 during the launch of the ‘The 4RF: The Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Framework’. This raised $9 billion in pledges, including from non-traditional donors. The Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations expressed appreciation for the Resident Coordinator’s support in mobilizing international financing for these recovery and adaptation efforts. “The response that Pakistan received at the Geneva conference was an encouraging sign of international solidarity…It’s heartening that the machinery is already in place before the crisis happens.’” RC Harneis flagged the value added of his coordination team, including the economist in the Resident Coordinator’s Office, to tightly coordinate with International Financial Institutions, and in particular the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. This was vital, as their financing of humanitarian activity mainly through the Government was as important as all the funds going through the UN and NGOs that make up the Humanitarian Country Team. He also highlighted the essential collaboration of the UN team on the ground. “For the reconstruction the UN Development Programme (UNDP) brilliantly fulfilled the integrator role that the reform envisaged, pulling together the UN family first for the Post Disaster Needs Assessment and then Resilient Recovery Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Framework (4RF). This brought coherence to the UNs work with our partners: the Asian Development Bank, European Union and the World Bank. “ In essence, RC Harneis stressed that the UN development reform has made effective and timely mobilization responses possible, positioning the RC and the RC Office as the one-stop shop for all UN support in the country or outside. “A good friend in government described the RCO as the 911, available 24/7, bringing together all parts of the UN to get solutions, adding that he never knew which bits of the UN were making it happen, but it just all came together. And this is how it has to be.” Read the full remarks of the Resident Coordinator. Story: UNDCO

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Press Release

31 May 2023

Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 30 May 2023

ILO PRESS RELEASE The ILO Better Work Programme Organise Textile and Ready Made Garment Industry Forum Karachi 25 May 2023: The ILO and its Better Work programme held the Textile and Ready Made Garment Industry Forum in Karachi, attended by over 200 of relevant key stakeholders. The event was opened by the ILO’s Country Director, Mr Geir Tonstel and the IFC’s Principal Investment Officer, Ms Zunee Muhtashim. Key note addresses were given by Zulfiquar Haider, Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development and Mr Mudassar Raza Siddiqi, Director General (Textiles), Ministry of Commerce, who both emphasised the commitment of the Government to supporting growth of the textile and ready made garments. The issues of trade agreements and standards compliance were addressed by panelist from the European Union Delegation to Pakistan, the Sindh Human Rights Commission, representatives of the Better Work programme in Pakistan, and International Accord. The discussion focussed upon the needs to ensure that Pakistan continues to benefit from opportunities provided by international trade agreements and that its industries ensure compliance with international labour standards and local legislation at ground level. The discussion was led by Mr Colin Fenwick, Better Work’s Head in Asia. Panel participants also explored the need for Pakistan to develop its approaches to product and market diversification and to enhance its focus upon sustainability, to ensure that Pakistan’s industry can effectively compete with its international and regional neighbours. Perspectives were given by leading industry players, the Regional Trade Policy Advisor of the British High Commission in Pakistan, the National Textile University, Faisalabad and by the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan. Throughout the day representatives of over fifty of Pakistan’s major textile and RMG industry producers, workers’ representatives, as well as employer and trade associations had the opportunity to meet with visiting brands who joined the event, timed to coincide with the Pakistan Texpo, organised by Pakistan’s Export Development Fund and Trade Development Authority. The ILO’s Country Director, Geir Tonstol congratulated Pakistan’s Better Work programme for successfully bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders dedicated to the sustainability and growth of the textile industry of Pakistan. He embarced the initiative and committed to building a robust and thriving Pakistan, able to better to compete regionally and globally.”

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Press Release

31 May 2023

Media Update-2: United Nations Pakistan, 30 May 2023

UN & GOP PRESS RELEASE Pakistan and the United Nations celebrate 75 years of UN Peacekeeping ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 30 May 2023 - Today an event was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, in collaboration with the United Nations, to celebrate 75 years of United Nations peacekeeping, paying homage to the more than 200,000 Pakistani service women and men who have served in 46 UN Missions since 1960 – including 171 who lost their lives. Pakistan is among the largest troop contributing countries to UN peacekeeping with nearly 4,334 military and police personnel currently serving in nine locations around the world. “Pakistan is proud of its long-standing association and contribution to UN peacekeeping,” said the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar at the event. The Minister of State paid tribute to the services and sacrifices rendered by UN peacekeepers for advancing the shared goals of peace all over the world, and reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment and support to the UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding architecture. “Today we are celebrating the more than 80,000 brave peacekeepers — women and men — who are carrying out the extremely important task of creating peace around the world. We also thank Pakistan, the fifth largest contributor to peacekeeping globally,” said Knut Ostby, UNDP Representative in Pakistan, who spoke on behalf of the United Nations. “The UN was created to work on three pillars that are interlinked: peace, development and human rights. We see peace as an understanding between people, a desire to work together to bring the world forward,” he added. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs opened an exhibition of photographs featuring Pakistani peacekeepers and Pakistan’s work at the United Nations in presence of representatives from the Government, Foreign Embassies, UN agencies and development partners. The event also included two panel discussions with the participation of a representative from the UN, senior policy level officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Army General Headquarters (GHQ), and a female Pakistani peacekeeper who has served in the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The panelists shared their perspectives on the important role of UN peacekeeping, its evolution over the years, and Pakistan’s contributions towards this noble endeavor. Last week in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres laid a wreath to honour the memory of the more than 4,200 UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives helping maintain peace and security since 1948 – including 171 who were Pakistani citizens. Guterres presided over a ceremony during which Dag Hammarskjöld Medals were awarded posthumously to the 103 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers – including eight Pakistanis -- who lost their lives helping maintain peace last year. In his message, the Secretary-General said, “United Nations peacekeepers are the beating heart of our commitment to a more peaceful world. For 75 years, they have supported people and communities rocked by conflict and upheaval across the globe. Today, on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, we honour their extraordinary contributions to international peace and security.” Globally, more than 87,000 women and men are helping maintain peace in 12 conflict zones across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. UN peacekeepers provide security and the political and peacebuilding support to help countries make the difficult, early transition from conflict to peace. Since 1948, more than two million peacekeepers from 125 countries have served in 71 operations around the world. International Day of UN Peacekeepers, observed on 29 May every year, established by the UN General Assembly in 2002, pays tribute to all women and men serving in peacekeeping, and honours the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. * * * * * Note to editors The ceremony held at the UN Headquarters can be viewed at https://media.un.org/ To learn more about UN Peacekeeping and Peacekeepers Day, please visit the websites: https://www.un.org/en/observances/peacekeepers-day; or https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/international-day-of-peacekeepers-2023 For more information, please contact: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Iqra Ashraf: spokesperson.office1@mofa.gov.pk The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Pakistan: Catherine Weibel: catherine.weibel@un.org , +92 300 854 0058 Mahvash Haider Ali: mahvash.ali@un.org , +92 319 071 2828

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Press Release

24 May 2023

Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 23 May 2023

WFP PRESS RELEASE WFP WELCOMES CONTRIBUTION FROM THE PHILIPPINES TO SUPPORT FLOOD RESPONSE IN PAKISTAN ISLAMABAD – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed a contribution of US$ 100,000 from the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines to Pakistan for its ongoing flood response to reach the most vulnerable flood-affected communities with relief, recovery and rehabilitation support. The Ambassador-designate of the Republic of the Philippines to Pakistan, Maria Agnes M. Cervantes, handed over the donation to Rathi Palakrishnan, WFP’s Country Director a.i., during a ceremony held at the WFP office in Islamabad on 18 May. "The Philippine Government is always ready to provide whatever help it could give to the people of Pakistan, with the Philippines and Pakistan considered as most vulnerable to climate change. This is an extension of our appreciation to Pakistan for its assistance after Typhoon Yolanda brought devastation to a large part of the Philippines”, said Ambassador-designate Maria Agnes M. Cervantes. The contribution comes at a critical time and will support thousands of people in need after the devastating floods last year. Malnutrition was already a major public health concern across the country before the floods, but now its acute form is an increasing concern in the worst-affected areas of Sindh and Balochistan, especially among children under 5. “WFP is very thankful to the Government of the Philippines for the generous contribution and its solidarity with the Pakistani people, especially at a time when people are struggling with soaring food prices and record high inflation. These funds will enable WFP to provide much-needed relief to flood-affected people who do not know where their next meal will come from”, said Rathi Palakrishnan. In its ongoing flood response, WFP has supported over 3.7 million flood-affected people with 77,745 mt of food and nutrition assistance and US$ 23.3 million in cash-based transfers to date. ### The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: @WFPPakistan For more information, please contact: Henriette Bjorge, WFP/ Islamabad, henriette.bjorge@wfp.org , Tel. +92 3012533988 UNFPA PRESS RELEASE STATE OF WORLD POPULATION REPORT PROVIDES INFINITE POSSIBILITIES FOR PAKISTAN Islamabad, 23 May 2023 – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Pakistan and the High Commission of Canada in Pakistan co-hosted an event on Tuesday to mark the launch of UNFPA's 2023 State of World Population (SWOP) report. The event was held at the Canadian High Commission and brought together representatives from the Government, the donor community, various UN agencies, civil society and other stakeholders. This year’s report, titled '8 Billion Lives, Infinite Possibilities: The Case for Rights and Choices', was launched globally on April 19. Presenting the latest trends with regard to population growth or decline, fertility rates, reproductive health, family planning, and migration around the globe as well as the debates and policies those developments are sparking, the report also cautions against trying to control women's bodies to address demographic concerns. Family planning, it suggests, must not be used as a means for achieving fertility targets but as a tool for empowering individuals. Women should be able to choose if, when, and how many children they want to have. According to the report, Pakistan will be among the eight countries to account for half of the projected global population growth by 2050, along with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, the Philippines and the USA. Pakistan's population is currently estimated at 240.5 million and is projected to reach 403 million by 2050. The report discusses “population anxieties” felt in different parts of the world, including in Pakistan, in reaction to population growth or, in some cases, to low fertility rates or other demographic trends. Echoing the key message from the SWOP, Dr. Luay Shabaneh, UNFPA Representative in Pakistan, said there is population anxiety in the country, and a genuine linkage between population dynamics, poverty, nutrition and other socioeconomic dimensions recommending that these should be made clear in the public policies and programmes in the country. He called for a radical rethink of how population numbers are framed, urging policymakers and other stakeholders to abandon narratives about population booms and busts to instead focus efforts on making sure that individuals, especially women, are able to freely make their own reproductive choices, a goal which has unfortunately not been met. "The government needs to ensure that families are provided with all proper services, information, and understanding to implement their own reproductive decisions. Women are not accountable for any nation's problems; they are victims of social norms," said Dr. Shabaneh. “People need to talk about population issues in today's world of unease and uncertainty. Still, they must do so in new ways that uproot current biases and avoid perpetuating harmful, discriminatory norms and myths.” The High Commissioner of Canada to Pakistan, Her Excellency Ms. Leslie Scanlon, highlighted reproductive rights, gender equality and bodily autonomy as key priorities shared by UNFPA and Canada and highlighted Canada’s support to family planning and reproductive health in Pakistan through the project Sehaat Mand Khaandaan. “Sadly, many women in Pakistan, like in a number of other countries, are unable to make choices about contraception, family size and their own health given cultural and economical factors, among others.” Such tremendous challenges and gaps are the reason why Canada stepped forward with a long-term commitment to SRHR with our global 10-year commitment. We do our best to reach the populations that need it the most”, she added. The event also gave the opportunity to members of the community, including a health practitioner, a woman and a youth leader for health and empowerment, to share their views on these issues and talk about their personal experiences. UNFPA is committed to working with the government of Pakistan and other partners to address the challenges and opportunities presented by the country's growing population. The SWOP report strongly recommends that governments institute policies with gender equality and rights at their heart, such as parental leave programs, child tax credits, policies that promote gender equality in the workplace, and universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. These offer a proven formula that will reap economic dividends and lead to resilient societies able to thrive no matter how populations change. Contact for media representatives: UNFPA Pakistan: Pilirani Semu-Banda, International Communications Specialist, semu-banda@unfpa.org, +92 302 856 5840 Mariyam Nawaz, Communications Analyst, mnawaz@unfpa.org, +92 300 127 5276 High Commission of Canada to Pakistan: Zarmeena Nayyer, Public Affairs & Advocacy Specialist, Zarmeena.Nayyer@international.gc.ca, +92 300 850 4521

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Press Release

18 May 2023

Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 17 May 2023

FAO PRESS RELEASE USD 7.99 M UTF Agreement between Punjab Government and FAO Signed to Mitigate Climate Challenges in Punjab The Provincial Government of Punjab and Food & Agriculture Organization of United Nations (FAO) have signed, on Tuesday May 16, 2023, a Unilateral Trust Funds (UTF) agreement for the co-financial contribution from the Punjab government to a Green Climate Fund project called “Transforming Indus Basin with Climate Resilient Agriculture and Water Management”. The project aims to increase resilience to climate change among the most vulnerable farmers in the Indus basin and to strengthen the Government of Pakistan’s capacity to support communities in adapting to climate change. The project has been allocated from the Green Climate Fund a grant amounting to USD 34.99 million. The Government of Punjab is adding USD 7.99 million and the Government of Sindh USD 4.6 million. The project will strengthen institutional and regulatory systems of agriculture, irrigation and On-farm water management for climate responsive planning and development, increase generation of climate information and its effective use in decision making, enhance adaptive capacity of the farming community, and create awareness about climate change risks and develop stakeholder capacity in these aspects. The UTF agreement was signed by the Secretary Agriculture Government of Punjab, Iftikhar Ali Sahoo and the FAO Representative in Pakistan, Florence Rolle in the Civil Secretariat Lahore. Chairman Planning and Development Board, Ali Sarfraz Hussain, Secretary P&D Board Dr. Muhammad Sohail Anwar Chaudhary, Director General On-Farm Water (OFWM) Management, Member Environment and Climate Change P&D Board and Chief Planning and Evaluation Cell Agriculture, Rana Mahmood were also present on the occasion. On other side, Dr Aamer Irshad Head of Program FAO Pakistan, Berejena Emelda, Technical Advisor and Project Manager Transforming Indus Basin with Climate Resilient Agriculture and Water Management and Jam Muhammad Khalid, Provincial Coordinator have represented the FAO Pakistan. FAO Representative, Florence Rolle, while highlighting the importance of the project, said that under the coordination and leadership of the DG OFWM, together with the irrigation department and extension wing, we aim to bring about a tangible positive change in the lives of farmers and communities in South Punjab. By strengthening institutional and regulatory systems, generating climate information, and enhancing adaptive capacity, we will equip stakeholders with the tools and knowledge needed to effectively respond to climate challenges. Through this partnership, we are determined to make a lasting impact on the ground, building a resilient agricultural sector that can thrive in the face of climate uncertainty, she added. The project will benefit total of 200, 000 vulnerable households of which 125,000 households are in 5 districts in South Punjab Multan, Muzzafargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Lodhran and Khanewal and 75,000 households are in 3 districts in Sindh Sanghar, Umer Kot and Badin. The FAO, as a technical international agency is the executing agency and will implement the project jointly with Agriculture and Irrigation Departments. For more information, please contact: Shariq Lashari, Snr Communications Associate, FAO Pakistan Cell: 0321 30 82 691 Email: shariq.lashari@fao.org UNDP PRESS RELEASE UNDP holds training on responsible reporting on Climate Change and GLOFs for journalists in Gilgit Baltistan Skardu, 17 May 2023— UNDP Pakistan held a 3-day training on responsible reporting on climate change and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) for journalists in Skardu, Gilgit Baltistan. The training was organised by UNDP’s GLOF-II Project, a joint initiative with the Ministry of Climate Change and supported by Green Climate Fund. Twenty-five journalists from Gilgit, Skardu, Astore, Ghizer, Hunza, Shigar, Kharmang, Ghanche, and Nagar were trained on the catastrophic impacts of climate-induced disasters such as GLOFs, torrential rains, and floods, and how they disproportionately affect women and girls. “Gilgit Baltistan’s topography is rich with snow-capped mountains and monumental glaciers. However, it is unfortunate that these glaciers are rapidly melting due to the escalating climate, making communities prone to high climate risk. It is most important for journalists to disseminate the right kind of information through responsible reporting,” remarked the Additional Chief Secretary of Gilgit Baltistan, Aziza Ahmed Jamali, in his opening remarks on the first day of the training. The training entailed in-depth discussions on digital journalism ethics, storytelling, multimedia reporting, narrative journalism, creative formats, hand-held shooting techniques and journalists’ safety and security. The participants, including women journalists from Gilgit Baltistan, shared the challenges they experienced in reporting the GLOFs and floods of 2022. Since the Project valleys are highly vulnerable to experiencing climate-induced disasters such as GLOFs, these trainings aim to equip journalists to responsibly report on the experiences of the disaster-affected communities, especially those of women and girls. UNDP’s GLOF-II project operates in 16 valleys of Gilgit Baltistan and 8 valleys in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It empowers communities to identify and manage risks associated with GLOFs and related impacts of climate change, strengthen public services to lower the risk of disasters related to GLOFs, and improve community preparedness and disaster response. The project also supports the development of sustainable livelihood options in project areas, with a particular focus on the participation of women in ensuring food security and livelihoods. For additional information, please contact Ayesha Babar at ayesha.babar@undp.org or +92 (51) 835 5650 UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP

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18 May 2023

Media Update-2: United Nations Pakistan, 17 May 2023

WFP PRESS RELEASE Government of Balochistan and WFP partner to improve nutrition in Gwadar and Lasbela ISLAMABAD – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Planning and Development (P&D) Department of the Government of Balochistan have signed an agreement for the implementation of the Gwadar-Lasbela Livelihoods Support Project II (GLLSP-II) to improve nutrition behaviours and practices for food insecure communities in the Gwadar and Lasbela coastal districts. These areas are highly exposed to climate shocks, resulting in lower productivity in agriculture, livestock and fisheries. Funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the agreement was signed in Islamabad between Rathi Palakrishnan, WFP Country Director a.i. in Pakistan and Rehmat Dashti, Project Director, P&D Department of the Government of Balochistan. “I am confident that the partnership between the Government of Balochistan and WFP will help us achieve our joint nutrition targets. I appreciate WFP’s efforts to ensure long-term solutions to the malnutrition challenge in Pakistan,” said Rehmat Dashti. The project will contribute to the prevention of malnutrition through behavioural change interventions on nutrition, building on a nationwide existing programme WFP supports, the Benazir Nashonuma Programme. As part of the broader Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), the Benazir Nashonuma programme targets pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under two through 484 facilitation centres in 156 districts across Pakistan, including in Gwadar and Lasbela. The GLLSP-II project will also support these beneficiaries and use the ten operational facilitation centres - six in Lasbela and four in Gwadar- within government health facilities. “The World Food Programme is deeply concerned about the worsening nutrition situation in Pakistan, including in several districts of Balochistan. The partnership will allow WFP to provide critical support to the Government of Balochistan in its efforts to raise nutrition awareness among the most vulnerable communities to improve their nutrition and overall well-being” said Rathi Palakrishnan. Child malnutrition in Pakistan's flood-affected areas continues to rise sharply. A survey[1] conducted in 15 districts in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan showed nearly one third of children under two are suffering from moderate acute malnutrition (MAM), and 14 percent from severe acute malnutrition (SAM). WFP is supporting the treatment of MAM cases among children and pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls through a targeted supplementary feeding programme (TSFP) in 23 high prevalence districts in Sindh and Balochistan. GLLSP-II is an extension of the Gwadar-Lasbela Livelihoods Support Project’s previous phase, conducted in the same two districts. It adopts an integrated approach by the Rome-based agencies - the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) - for climate-resilient agriculture and livestock and sustainable fisheries management. # # # The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @WFPPakistan For more information, please contact: Henriette Bjorge, WFP/ Islamabad, henriette.bjorge@wfp.org, Tel. +92 301 2533988.

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