Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 17 August 2022

UNODC

PRESS RELEASE

UNODC Concludes Awareness Raising Sessions on ‘Prisoner and Human Rights for Women and Juvenile Inmates’

UNODC has concluded Awareness Raising Sessions on ‘Prisoner and Human Rights for Women and Juvenile Inmates’ in the Special Prison for Women and Juvenile, Sukkur, Sindh on 17 August 2022. The participants included 25 women and 8 juveniles Under Trial Prisoners (UTPs). The aim of this initiative is to advocate the rights of prisoners to legal aid as an essential mechanism for have a fair trial enshrined in the basic principles of human rights.

UNODC Country Office in Pakistan (UNODC COPAK) and UNODC Headquarters Vienna, with the support of the Chinese Government, initiated these unprecedented awareness raising sessions in close consultation and cooperation with the Sindh Prisons Department.

Prior to the session held in Sukkur, UNODC had conducted 3 Awareness Raising Sessions in Karachi and Hyderabad for inmates of Special Prisons for Women and Juveniles. Overall a total number of 161 women and juvenile UTPs have attended the sessions in Sindh, out of which 109 were women and 52 juveniles. The first two sessions were held in Karachi on 7 and 8 June 2022 for women and juveniles, and the third session was held in Hyderabad for women on 14 June. All the sessions were geared towards advocating the rights of prisoners to legal aid; ensuring their understanding of equal access to justice that includes the provision of support to those without the means to actively enforce and protect their rights.

In the words of keynote speaker, Mr. Mehmood Ahmed, Lawyer Sindh High Court and Senior Legal Aid Expert, “Legal Aid is the major alternative to incarceration available at large in Pakistan to provide timely relief to the marginalized under trial prisoners”.

The inmates greatly appreciated the institution of this programme. They expressed the need for these sessions to continue, as it gives them an opportunity to have direct access to lawyers to interact with them and to fully understand the provision of free legal aid.

These sessions were attended by Superintendents of the respective jails, jail staff, lawyers from Sindh High Court (Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur), law graduates, and Sindh Legal Aid staff. The panelists comprised of UNODC Programme Officer (Prisons) and Sindh Prisons Staff.

This intervention is carried out under the Prisons Component of the Criminal Justice and Legal Reforms Programme of UNODC COPAK that specifically focuses on bridging communication gaps between UTPs and their families/relatives, and lawyers; advocating the right to legal aid; and on improving coordination between legal aid providers and prisons personnel, including recommendations on future endeavours.

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For more information, kindly contact Ms. Rizwana Rahool, Communications Officer UNODC COPAC via 0301-8564255 and/or rizwana.asad@un.org

UNODC Pakistan on social media:

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UNIDO

PRESS RELEASE

UNIDO introduces Energy Performance Awards in Pakistan to honor high achievers in energy-intensive industries

Islamabad, 17 August 2022 - A first-ever Energy Performance Awards 2022 in Pakistan was organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Islamabad.The event was graced by Federal Minister of Industries and production Syed Murtaza Mahmud, who as the chief Guest distributed awards among the winners.

Honorable Minister in his remarks said, “It is heartening to see that UNIDO is bringing a new concept to incentivize energy efficiency actors in Pakistan. It is indeed an honor for the people, government, and other relevant institutions of Pakistan that UNIDO has worked so hard and achieved so much in this project that was much needed in an energy deficient environment.

Mr. Tareq EMTAIRAH, Director Energy – UNIDO, joined virtually from UNIDO HQ Vienna, and shared with the audience, “Pakistan, brings with it a broad yet specialized global expertise from UNIDO with its successful approaches to energy transition and energy efficiency. The success of this project is evident from the fact that a new paradigm of energy excellence has been created, where many industries have embraced the new concept of the energy management system and have gained immensely in terms of cost saving as well as continual improvements at operational levels.”

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Julien Harneis, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Pakistan appreciated UNIDO and the GEF for creating avenues to jointly counter climate change, a global challenge. He added the steps taken to introduce energy management standards to improve industrial development are indeed commendable and this is high time that we should all work together to reduce their adverse impact on the environment.”

Earlier, opening the ceremony, Ms. Nadia Aftab, UNIDO Country Representative, extended appreciation to the applicant industries for participating and said, “The objective of the UNIDO Sustainable Energy Project is to reduce GHG emissions through Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency technologies, meets many of the 17 SDGs but is closest to SDG 9, which is related to Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.”. She also opined on UNIDO’s mandate to eradicate poverty through inclusive and Sustainable Industrial development which implies that no one is left behind and all parts of society benefit from industrial progress.

Dr. Sardar Muhazzam, MD National Energy Efficiency, and Conservation Authority appreciated the efforts of UNIDO and the GEF in setting up new standards for industries with the implementation of an Energy Management System in the industries in Pakistan.

The Energy Performance Awards for Industry were held under UNIDO’s project "Sustainable Energy Initiative for Industries in Pakistan" a project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), in collaboration with National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA), and other sector project partners in Pakistan. The event was attended by a large number of professionals including the top management from the industry, as well as participants from academia, public sector organization, development agencies, energy service companies, etc. The award’s objective was to set a platform for a regular national event to motivate the industrial sector to shift toward clean and green technologies, through recognition and appreciation of the high achievers for their commitment and hard work towards energy improvements in the industry under the project's Energy Management System implementation program in the 50 enterprises.

The event featured an informative overview of the project as well as the Awards scheme and the whole process shared by Mr. Masroor Ahmed Khan, National Project Manager UNIDO. The event conferred the best performing Enterprise Award to Serena Hotel Islamabad. while the best performing consultant award to Arch Associates. Additionally, the best Energy Professional Awards were conferred to Ms. Syeda Mehdia of Ebrahim Textile (woman professional in the energy sector) and Mr. Fahad Ali Amjad of EMCO Industries.

Another highlight of the event was the formal launch of the newly established Energy Desk at the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA). Energy Desk is one window facility established to facilitate SMEs on issues related to energy efficiency and Renewable Energy. Mr. Hashim Raza, CEO Small, and Medium Enterprise Authority oriented the audience on Energy Desk, for details visit https://energydesk.smeda.org

UNIDO is a specialized agency of the United Nations focusing on Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development in the developing world. UNIDO works on different projects which are directly or indirectly related to inclusive and sustainable industrial development, Climate Change, Trade, etc. In all projects where UNIDO provides technical assistance, it is ensured that the project is sustainable and adaptable for the private sector.  UNIDO is fully working on its theme of ISID (Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development) which refers active participation of women along with men in all aspects of Inclusive and Sustainable industrial development.

For more information, please visit the website https://www.unido.org or contact Amina Nasim Khan, a.nasimkhan@unido.org, Phone 92-51-835-4812