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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.
Story
08 November 2021
Pakistan celebrates the 76th UN Day with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UN Agencies in a colorful ceremony
The 76th anniversary of the United Nations was recently celebrated in a colorful event organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Islamabad. The Foreign Secretary, Mr. Sohail Mahmood, was the Chief Guest while a video message of the UN Secretary General, Mr. António Guterres, was featured at the event. The Resident Coordinator, Mr. Julien Harneis, also addressed the audience comprising of heads of diplomatic missions and UN agencies based in Islamabad, as well as senior government officials and members of the UN staff.
Speaking on the occasion, the Foreign Secretary reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to multilateralism, with the UN playing a central role for promoting peace, security, development and human rights for all. The Foreign Secretary highlighted Pakistan’s contributions to the work of the UN including in the areas of peacekeeping, refugee protection, humanitarian action, climate change, and international cooperation for sustainable development. He also thanked all the UN agencies working in Pakistan for advancing its socio-economic development.
The UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Julien Harneis, appreciated the constant support and assistance of the Government of Pakistan and highlighted the many accomplishments of the UN agencies working in Pakistan in a diversity of sectors. He also talked about the new 5-year plan, the UN Sustainable Development Framework 2023-2027 and how every effort was being made to ensure that it had realistic action plans that align with the needs of the people of Pakistan, the directions of the government and the support of the member states and development partners.
A youth representative also shared her views on the expectations from the United Nations for meeting contemporary challenges.
Many UN agencies set up displays around the venue to showcase their products and interventions in the areas of health, food security, environmental protection, capacity-building and socio-economic development. These exhibits invited a great deal of interest from the guests and served as an opportunity to showcase the many interventions and accomplishments of the UN in Pakistan.
Photo Credit: UNDP
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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.
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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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Story
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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Story
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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Story
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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Story
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
24 June 2022
Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 24 June 2022
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
MESSAGE ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST DRUG ABUSE AND ILLICIT TRAFFICKING
26 June 2022
This year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking shines a spotlight on the impact of drug challenges in health and humanitarian crises.
Conflicts, climate disasters, forced displacement and grinding poverty create fertile ground for drug abuse — with COVID-19 making a bad situation even worse. At the same time, people living through humanitarian emergencies are far less likely to have access to the care and treatment they need and deserve.
Meanwhile, criminals are profiting from people’s misery, with cocaine production at record highs, and a five-fold increase in seizures of methamphetamines and a near-quadrupling of amphetamine seizures over the last decade.
On this International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, we renew our commitment to ending this scourge and supporting those who fall victim to it.
This includes non-discriminatory policy solutions centred around people, health and human rights, underpinned by strengthened international cooperation to curb the illicit drug trade and hold accountable those who profit from human misery.
We must also strengthen science-based treatment and support services for drug users, and treat them as victims who need treatment rather than punishment, discrimination and stigma — including treatment for those living with infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.
We cannot allow the world’s drug problem to further shadow the lives of the tens of millions of people living through humanitarian crises.
On this important day, let us commit to lifting this shadow once and for all, and giving this issue the attention and action it deserves.
***
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
MESSAGE ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE SEAFARER
25 June 2022
The world counts on seafarers.
Their contribution is immeasurable. Ships transport a remarkable 90 per cent of the world’s commodities — from grains and energy, to consumer goods and much more. Without ships and the women and men who work on them, economies would stall and people would starve.
Seafarers worldwide have faced immense challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic — including contracts extended long beyond their expiry dates and maximum periods of service, and challenges related to vaccinations, medical care and shore leave.
This year’s theme — “Your Voyage, Then and Now” — is an opportunity to recognize the vital role seafarers play, and look to the future.
Above all, this means listening to seafarers themselves. They know better than anyone their needs and what this industry needs to do to address key challenges. This includes the expansion of social protection, better working conditions, addressing the crew-change crisis, adopting new digital tools to enhance safety and efficiency, and making this industry greener and more sustainable.
On this International Day of the Seafarer, we renew our commitment to supporting seafarers everywhere, and honouring the knowledge, professionalism and experience they bring to this essential industry.
***
UNICEF
PRESS RELEASE
Global hunger crisis pushing one child into severe malnutrition every minute in 15 crisis-hit countries
Ahead of G7 summit, UNICEF appeals for US$1.2 billion to meet urgent needs of 8 million children at risk of death from severe wasting
Multimedia content is available to download here
NEW YORK, 24 June 2022 — Almost 8 million children under 5 in 15 crisis-hit countries are at risk of death from severe wasting unless they receive immediate therapeutic food and care – with the number rising by the minute, UNICEF warned today as world leaders prepare to meet at the G7 summit.
Since the start of the year, the escalating global food crisis has forced an additional 260,000 children – or one child every 60 seconds – to suffer from severe wasting in 15 countries bearing the brunt of the crisis, including in the Horn of Africa and the Central Sahel. This rise in severe wasting is in addition to existing levels of child undernutrition that UNICEF warned amounted to a ‘virtual tinderbox’ last month.
“We are now seeing the tinderbox of conditions for extreme levels of child wasting begin to catch fire,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Food aid is critical, but we cannot save starving children with bags of wheat. We need to reach these children now with therapeutic treatment before it is too late.”
Soaring food prices driven by the war in Ukraine, persistent drought due to climate change in some countries, at times combined with conflict, and the ongoing economic impact of COVID-19 continue to drive up children’s food and nutrition insecurity worldwide, resulting in catastrophic levels of severe malnutrition in children under 5. In response, UNICEF is scaling up its efforts in 15 most affected countries. Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen will be included in an acceleration plan to help avert an explosion of child deaths and mitigate the long-term damage of severe wasting.
Severe wasting – where children are too thin for their height – is the most visible and lethal form of undernutrition. Weakened immune systems increase the risk of death among children under 5 by up to 11 times compared to well-nourished children.
Within the 15 countries, UNICEF estimates that at least 40 million children are severely nutrition insecure, meaning they are not receiving the bare minimum diverse diet they need to grow and develop in early childhood. Further, 21 million children are severely food insecure, meaning they lack access to enough food to meet minimum food needs, leaving them at high risk of severe wasting.
Meanwhile, the price of ready-to-use therapeutic food to treat severe wasting has soared by 16 per cent in recent weeks due to a sharp rise in the cost of raw ingredients, leaving up to 600,000 additional children without access to life-saving treatment and at risk of death.
As leaders prepare to meet at the G7 summit, UNICEF is calling for US$ 1.2 billion to:
· Deliver an essential package of nutrition services and care to avert what could be millions of child deaths in 15 highest burden countries, including prevention programmes to protect maternal and child nutrition among pregnant women and young children, early detection and treatment programmes for children with severe wasting, and the procurement, and distribution of ready-to-use therapeutic food.
· Prioritize the prevention and treatment of severe wasting in all global food crisis response plans by ensuring budget allocations include preventive nutrition interventions as well as therapeutic food to address the immediate needs of children suffering from severe wasting.
“It is hard to describe what it means for a child to be ‘severely wasted,’ but when you meet a child who is suffering from this most lethal form of malnutrition, you understand – and you never forget,” said Russell. “World leaders gathering in Germany for the G7 Ministerial have a small window of opportunity to act to save these children’s lives. There is no time to waste. Waiting for famine to be declared is waiting for children to die.”
###
Notes to Editors
The rate of increase in child wasting is based on publicly available estimates for January and June 2022 as found in National Nutrition Cluster estimates (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and DRC), Integrated Phase Classification Acute Malnutrition Analyses (Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen, Madagascar and Haiti), Humanitarian Appeals for Children (Ethiopia, Afghanistan), and Humanitarian Needs Overviews (Sudan). The total number of children projected to suffer from severe wasting in January and June 2022 was estimated to be 7,674,098 and 7,934,357 respectively, an increase of 260,259 additional children.
As a result of the global food crisis, UNICEF also estimates that the cost of treatment of child wasting has already increased by an estimated 16 per cent, driven largely by increases in the price of essential nutrition commodities and their raw materials.
For further information, please contact:
Helen Wylie, UNICEF New York, Tel: +1 917 244 2215, hwylie@unicef.org
About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 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
Follow UNICEF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
UNICEF
PRESS RELEASE
Schools ill-equipped to provide healthy and inclusive learning environments for all children – UNICEF, WHO
NEW YORK, GENEVA, 24 June 2022 – Despite a steady decline in the proportion of schools without basic water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, deep inequalities persist between and within countries, UNICEF and WHO said today. Schoolchildren in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and fragile contexts are the most affected, and emerging data shows that few schools have disability-accessible WASH services.
“Far too many children go to schools without safe drinking water, clean toilets, and soap for handwashing—making learning difficult,” said Kelly Ann Naylor, UNICEF Director of Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Climate, Environment, Energy, and Disaster Risk Reduction. “The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of providing healthy and inclusive learning environments. To protect children’s education, the road to recovery must include equipping schools with the most basic services to fight infectious diseases today and in the future.”
“Access to water, sanitation and hygiene is not only essential for effective infection prevention and control, but also a prerequisite for children’s health, development and well-being,” said Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health. “Schools should be settings where children thrive and not be subjected to hardship or infections due to lack of, or poorly maintained, basic infrastructure.”
Schools play a critical role in promoting the formation of healthy habits and behaviours, yet many still lacked basic WASH services in 2021. According to the latest data from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP):
· Globally, 29 per cent of schools still lack basic drinking water services, impacting 546 million schoolchildren; 28 per cent of schools still lack basic sanitation services, impacting 539 million schoolchildren; and 42 per cent of schools still do not have basic hygiene services, 802 million schoolchildren.
· One-third of children without basic services at their school live in LDCs, and over half live in fragile contexts.
· Sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania are the only two regions where coverage of basic sanitation and hygiene services in schools remains under 50 per cent; sub-Saharan Africa is the only region where coverage of basic drinking water services in schools remains under 50 per cent.
· Achieving universal coverage in schools globally by 2030 requires a 14-fold increase in current rates of progress on basic drinking water, a three-fold increase in rates of progress on basic sanitation, and a five-fold increase in basic hygiene services.
· In LDCs and fragile contexts, achieving universal coverage of basic sanitation services in schools by 2030 would require over 100-fold and 50-fold increases in respective current rates of progress.
· Improving pandemic preparedness and response will require more frequent monitoring of WASH and other elements of infection prevention and control (IPC) in schools, including cleaning, disinfection and solid waste management.
· Providing disability-accessible WASH services in schools is key to achieving inclusive learning for all children. Still, only a limited number of countries report on this indicator and national definitions vary, and far fewer provide disability-accessible WASH.
· Emerging national data shows that disability-accessible WASH coverage is low and varies widely between school levels and urban and rural locations, with schools more likely to have accessible drinking water than accessible sanitation or hygiene.
· In half the countries with data available, less than a quarter of schools had disability-accessible toilets. For example, in Yemen, 8 in 10 schools had toilets, but only 1 in 50 schools had disability-accessible toilets.
· In most countries with data, schools were more likely to have adapted infrastructure and materials – such as ramps, assistive technology, learning materials – than disability-accessible toilets. For example, in El Salvador, 2 in 5 schools have adapted infrastructure and materials, but just 1 in 20 have disability-accessible toilets.
#####
Notes to editors:
Read the WHO/UNICEF JMP 2022 Data Update on WASH in schools and download the data here.
Find out more about the WHO/UNICEF JMP here.
Download multimedia content here.
About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world's toughest places, to reach the world's most disadvantaged children. Across more than 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, visit: www.unicef.org
Follow UNICEF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
About WHO
Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. We are the UN agency for health that connects nations, partners and people on the front lines in 150+ locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health issues and expanding access to medicines and health care. Our mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.
For more information about WHO and its work, visit www.who.int
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Press Release
23 June 2022
Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 20 June 2022
UNHCR
PRESS RELEASE
Whoever. Wherever. Whenever.
Everyone has the Right to Seek Safety
Pakistan and UNHCR mark World Refugee Day
ISLAMABAD, 20 June 2022 – World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. It falls each year on June 20 and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution.
Reflecting the global 2022 theme, “Whoever. Wherever. Whenever. Everyone has the Right to Seek Safety,” an event was held in Islamabad to express solidarity with refugees and appreciation for the enduring generosity of the communities hosting them, attended by representatives of the Government of Pakistan, international community and partners as well as refugees.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Noriko Yoshida, UNHCR’s Representative in Pakistan said that amid its own challenges, Pakistan has remained a steadfast host of those in need of international protection.
“This is also a day when we thank those who have welcomed newcomers into their communities. Pakistan has been a generous host to millions of refugees for more than 40 years,” she said. “The international community must mobilize more support to assist refugees and their host communities in this country.”
Pakistan now has some 1.3 million registered refugees and estimated 1.5 million Afghans of other status, which includes some 250,000 Afghans who have arrived since August 2021 according to the government.
Chief Guest, the Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood, drew attention to the plight of refugees and called for support to host communities. “The financial challenges of Pakistan in hosting more than three million Afghans in the country, including some 1.3 million Afghan refugees, requires sustainable, dedicated and generous support of the international community,” he noted.
Highlighting the need for sustainable durable solutions, the Minister further underscored that the international community must come forward to play their role under international responsibility and burden sharing, in line with the Global Compact on Refugees. “Voluntary return of Afghans in safety and dignity is the preferred solution for Pakistan,” he added.
Inspiring attendees in Islamabad, Dr. Saleem Rehman, regional winner of the 2021 Nansen Award, reminded those present, including refugees, to never give up and continue to pursue their dreams.
Numerous events related to World Refugee Day have taken place in other cities including Peshawar and Quetta, bringing together refugees and host communities and ensuring their voice is heard.
Media contact
Mr. Qaiser Khan Afridi, UNHCR Pakistan Spokesperson, +92-300-5018696
For news editors
UNHCR 2021 Global Trends Report – key data:
· By May 2022, more than 100 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide by persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or events seriously disturbing public order.
· At end 2021, the figure was 89.3 million comprising:
§ 27.1 million refugees
§ 21.3 million refugees under UNHCR’s mandate
§ 5.8 million Palestine refugees under UNRWA’s mandate
§ 53.2 million internally displaced people
§ 4.6 million asylum seekers
§ 4.4 million Venezuelans displaced abroad
· Among refugees and Venezuelans displaced abroad in 2021:
o Low- and middle-income countries hosted 83 per cent
o Least Developed Countries provided asylum to 27 per cent of the total.
o 72 per cent lived in countries neighbouring their countries of origin.
o Turkey hosted nearly 3.8 million refugees, the largest population worldwide, followed by Uganda (1.5 million), Pakistan (1.5 million) and Germany (1.3 million). Colombia had 1.8 million Venezuelans displaced abroad.
o Relative to their national populations, the island of Aruba hosted the largest number of Venezuelans displaced abroad (1 in 6) followed Curaçao (1 in 10). Meanwhile Lebanon hosted the largest number of refugees (1 in 8), followed by Jordan (1 in 14) and Turkey (1 in 23).
o More than two thirds (69 per cent) came from just five countries: Syria (6.8 million), Venezuela (4.6 million), Afghanistan (2.7 million), South Sudan (2.4 million) and Myanmar (1.2 million).
· Globally, there were 6.1 million Venezuelan refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in 2021 (reported through the Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela).
· Asylum seekers submitted 1.4 million new claims. The United States of America was the world’s largest recipient of new individual applications (188,900), followed by Germany (148,200), Mexico (132,700), Costa Rica (108,500) and France (90,200).
· Solutions:
4.1 million displaced people returned to their areas or countries of origin in 2021, including 3.7 million internally displaced people and 429,000 refugees.
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Press Release
23 June 2022
Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 21 June 2022
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
MESSAGE ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA
21 June 2022
The International Day of Yoga celebrates the restorative healing and inner peace provided by this ancient practice.
This year’s theme — Yoga for Humanity — reminds us how yoga is truly universal.
With roots in India, yoga is now practiced worldwide, giving people of all faiths and walks of life the tools and practices they need to enhance and balance their physical, spiritual and mental wellbeing.
For hundreds of millions of people worldwide, yoga has also been an essential lifeline during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing an important means of coping with the challenges of social isolation and stress.
And in a world beset by disaster and division, yoga’s values of mindfulness, balance, moderation and discipline are essential as we seek out a new relationship with one another and with our planet.
On this important day, let us be inspired by this timeless practice and its values.
Namaste!
WFP
PRESS RELEASE
United Nations World Food Programme launches lifesaving nutrition intervention in Pakistan in partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, 20 June 2022 — As part of the United Nations World Food Programme’s partnership with King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief), WFP launched its Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition Programme (CMAM) in Pakistan today, aimed at preventing malnutrition in children under 5 years of age and pregnant and lactating women (PLW) in 14 vulnerable districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK).
The launch event was attended by the Deputy Head of Mission of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia H.E. Mr. Mohammad Kalaf Al-Enzi, Minister of Health in AJK Mr. Nisar Ansar Abdali, Minister of Finance in AJK Mr. Majid Khan, Director of KSRelief Dr. Khalid M. Al-Othmani, Deputy Country Director of WFP Ms. Rathi PalaKrishnan, representatives from the provincial governments of KP and AJK, civil society, and academia.
In her welcoming remarks, Ms. Rathi PalaKrishnan thanked KSRelief for the generous support and said: “As leaders of our organizations, communities, districts, provinces and states, let us all continue embarking on the journey to fight undernutrition and eradicate hunger for the children of Pakistan, and their children’s children”.
Her strong encouragement to put malnutrition on top of the agenda was followed by a presentation of the CMAM programme by WFP Pakistan. Through this project, WFP aims to support 57,500 malnourished children and PLW out of which 30,444 are children and 27,056 are PLW.
H.E. Mr. Mohammad Kalaf Al-Enzi stated: “We the people of Saudi Arabia will always stand with the people of Pakistan to fight against malnutrition in children, pregnant & lactating women of vulnerable districts of KP and AJK. I am very happy for the joint venture of KSRelief and the World Food Programme, and for taking this amazing initiative”.
Minister of Finance Mr. Majid Khan in his remarks said that the government of AJK strongly appreciates the much-needed support from KSRelief and WFP and stated: “we want our mothers and children to be healthy and have a bright future”. Minister of Health Mr. Nisar Ansar Abdali highlighted the sustainability and long-term benefits of the implementation modality of the CMAM programme, which includes capacity strengthening of the Government’s Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and local community workers.
Pakistan has an extraordinarily high and persistent level of child undernutrition, which increases morbidity and mortality, impacts physical and cognitive growth, diminishes learning capacity and school performance, and leads to lower adult productivity. In response to this critical situation and recognizing the need for providing holistic multisectoral approach, WFP has been implementing nationwide programmes to treat and prevent undernutrition in the country. This includes the CMAM programme, which is implemented in conjunction with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr. Khalid Muhammad Al-Othmani in his comments said: “On behalf of KSRelief I would like to thank the World Food Programme for helping us to support 57,500 malnourished children and pregnant & lactating women suffering from different kinds of diseases in the affected areas of KP and AJK. For many years, these regions have also been impacted by various risks and natural calamities”.
The event aimed to advocate the importance of fighting malnutrition and raise awareness amongst stakeholders and policy makers about the grave situation where currently the annual burden of wasting is estimated at 5 million children in Pakistan. Other participants at the event shared their views on the urgency to fight this silent emergency, with a shared vision that the integration of community-based management of acute malnutrition will address many of the urgent needs to combat malnutrition in the targeted districts of the programme.
For additional information, please contact Henriette Bjorge at henriette.bjorge@wfp.org or +92 301 2533988.
Photo credit: WFP/Raja Banaras
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Press Release
23 June 2022
Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 19 June 2022
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
MESSAGE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN CONFLICT
19 June 2022
Sexual violence in conflict is a tactic of war and repression that terrorizes populations, destroys lives and fractures communities.
Perpetrators rarely face the consequences of their actions. Instead, it is the survivors who carry the burden of stigma and trauma throughout their lives, often doubly brutalized by harmful social norms and victim-blaming.
On this International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, we stand in solidarity with survivors and commit to supporting the most vulnerable women, girls, men and boys as they struggle to live in dignity and peace in the midst of humanitarian crises.
This includes increasing support for victims and displaced women, girls and boys who are vulnerable to trafficking and sexual exploitation, and those from marginalized, remote and rural areas where justice and protection systems are weak.
It means bolstering national justice systems and rule of law capacities, so perpetrators are held accountable for their crimes, and victims receive timely medical and psychosocial support.
It means upholding the rights of survivors, and treating them with respect and understanding, while giving them the opportunity to help mend their fragmented communities.
It means supporting women-led civil society organizations working to break down the social, economic and cultural barriers that deny women and girls their rights to protection, equality and justice.
And it means addressing the underlying causes of sexual violence in conflict — from inequalities, to institutional weaknesses and militarization — and strengthening early warning systems to prevent these crimes from happening in the first place.
With increased political resolve and financial resources, we can match words with action and end the scourge of sexual violence in conflict, once and for all.
1 of 5
Press Release
21 June 2022
Media Update-2: United Nations Pakistan, 18 June 2022
UNHCR
PRESS RELEASE
UNHCR Deputy Chief concludes visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan, urges support to address humanitarian needs
The UN Refugee Agency’s Deputy High Commissioner Kelly T. Clements visited Afghanistan and Pakistan this week to focus attention on the dramatic humanitarian situation facing Afghans and the need to continue to support displaced people – including host communities, refugees and returnees, and women and girls.
Inside Afghanistan, UNHCR with partners works to assist some 3.5 million displaced by conflict, and provides crucial aid to help meet the needs of vulnerable people, including targeted reintegration support to many of the millions of refugees who have returned over the years.
“UNHCR continues to support Afghanistan, as it has for 40 years, but is now intensively trying to support internally displaced, returnees and refugees, including by expanding its presence throughout the country. ”
During her four days in Afghanistan, UNHCR’s deputy chief met with interim officials and visited Herat Province, in the west of the country. She inaugurated a women’s business centre - a facility for women-run firms including kiosks for various shops as well as computer literacy, English language training, and counselling resources.
Clements sat with women and girls in meetings in Herat and Kabul and heard their concerns, highlighting the need for an inclusive human rights-based approach to support voluntary return and sustainable reintegration.
“The women (in Afghanistan) are extremely resilient. They talked about education. They talked about the need for livelihoods. They talked about wanting to be a part of public life in Afghanistan. They want to educate their girls, to be a part of shaping the future of the country,” Clements said.
Since last August, Afghanistan’s women and girls have increasingly experienced limits on their access to education, ability to freely move without a male relative, and requirements to wear face coverings. Girls have been prevented from attending school above year six in most of the country.
So far in 2022, UNHCR has provided cash, winter support, shelter materials and other household assistance to nearly one million vulnerable Afghans. UNHCR’s $340 million appeal for its Afghanistan operations is only 57 per cent funded, while the Humanitarian Response Plan for $4.4 billion, has received only 32 per cent.
In Pakistan, the Deputy High Commissioner highlighted the precious right to asylum and thanked the people and government for generously hosting millions of Afghans for more than 40 years. Pakistan now has some 1.3 million registered refugees, and 1.5 million Afghans of undetermined status, which includes some 250,000 Afghans who have arrived since August 2021 according to the government.
The Deputy High Commissioner met with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and Minister of States and Frontier Regions, Muhammad Talha Mahmood, among other officials. Her discussions focused on the need for peace in Afghanistan and lasting solutions for the refugee population in neighbouring countries.
Clements welcomed the ongoing commitment of Pakistan to register the births of refugee children and issuing birth certificates and the provision of more than 1,700 university places to ensure that Afghans can access to advanced studies.
The Deputy High Commissioner encouraged Pakistan to remain steadfast in its attention to Afghans in exile and called for strengthened international support.
“Afghans need to see they are not alone and that the international community stands with them, and appreciates Pakistan’s enduring willingness to include refugees in its communities and services,” Clements said.
Clements traveled to Haripur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, where she met with Afghans, including girls and women, in a refugee village established in 1979, and noted their strength and determination to shape their own futures and contribute to their communities.
B-Roll: https://media.unhcr.org/Share/m273ssrn7257o48e30w2378e8bp8y6d5
For more information, please contact:
In Kabul, Peter Kessler, kessler@unhcr.org, +93 70 2465 614
In Islamabad, Aoife McDonnell, mcdonnel@unhcr.org, +92 3202 538 941
In Bangkok, Babar Baloch, baloch@unhcr.org, +66 80 086 5611
In Geneva, Shabia Mantoo, mantoo@unhcr.org, +41 79 337 7650
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