Media Update-2: United Nations Pakistan, 11 September 2024

UNICEF

PRESS RELEASE

Education on hold for 230,000 children in Pakistan’s flood-affected Sindh

UNICEF calls for urgent investment in climate-resilient schools and services for children in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 11 September 2024: Children are bearing the brunt of extreme weather in Sindh with 230,000 students affected by school closures due to devastating monsoon floods that have swept through the southern part of the country.

Over 1,300 schools are damaged, 228 of which are fully destroyed. Over 450 schools are not functioning due to standing flood water, according to the latest data from Sindh’s Education Department, with immediate impact on children’s learning.

“From heatwaves to floods, children are repeatedly being locked out of learning due to climate shocks. Pakistan, already in the grips of an education emergency with 26.2 million children out of school, cannot afford more learning losses,” said UNICEF Representative in Pakistan Abdullah Fadil. “Our hope is that the rainwater subsides quickly, and children can get back to their classrooms. Our fear is that prolonged school closures make it less likely for them to return.”

Since 1 July, the monsoon has claimed 76 lives across the province, half of whom were children. Swollen rivers have submerged homes across Sindh in southern Pakistan displacing 140,000 children and families in 10 calamity-hit districts.

UNICEF teams are on the ground conducting rapid needs assessments and coordinating closely with government and local partners on immediate and longer-term response plans to restore education access and ensure early recovery for affected communities.

Sindh was the most affected province during the devastating floods of 2022 with critical infrastructure including health and education facilities destroyed virtually overnight. Still reeling, communities again find themselves on the frontlines of extreme weather, with children paying a high price.

“The monsoon has once again upended lives across Pakistan. Children have lost their lives, homes and schools,” added Fadil. “We need urgent investment in climate-resilient education and services for children. We need to build a coalition of partners to innovate, adapt and mitigate in this climate-vulnerable country and find lasting solutions for children in a changed and changing climate.”

Pakistan ranks 14th out of 163 countries on UNICEF’s Children's Climate Risk Index (CCRI), with children at 'extremely high risk' of the impacts of climate change and environmental shocks, threatening their health, education and futures.

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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’s work in Pakistan, visit: https://www.unicef.org/pakistan/

For more information, please contact:

Abdul Sami Malik, UNICEF Pakistan, +92 3008556654, asmalik@unicef.org

Sabrina Sidhu, UNICEF South Asia, +91 9384030106, ssidhu@unicef.org

پاکستان کے سیلاب سے متاثرہ صوبہ سندھ میں 230, 000 بچوں کو تعلیم کی فراہمی معطل ہے

یونیسف کا پاکستان میں ماحولیاتی تبدیلی کے اثرات سے نمٹنے کی صلاحیتوں کے حامل اسکولوں اور بچوں کی ضروری خدمات میں فوری سرمایہ کاری پر زور

 اسلام آباد، پاکستان۔ 11 ستمبر 2024: صوبہ سندھ میں موسمی شدت کی بدولت 230,000 بچوں کو اسکولوں کی بندش کا سامنا ہے، کیونکہ پاکستان کے جنوبی حصوں میں مون سون بارشوں اور سیلاب نے تباہی مچا دی ہے۔

اس کے نتیجے میں 1300 سے زائد اسکولوں کو نقصان پہنچا ہے، جن میں سے 228 مکمل طور پر تباہ ہو چکے ہیں۔ محکمہ تعلیم سندھ کے تازہ ترین اعداد و شمار کے مطابق سیلابی پانی جمع ہونے کی وجہ سے 450 سے زائد اسکول کام نہیں کر رہے ہیں، جس کا فوری اثر بچوں کی تعلیم پر پڑے گا۔

یونیسف پاکستان کے سربراہ، عبداللہ فاصل کا کہنا ہے، ’’ہیٹ ویو سے لے کر سیلاب تک موسمیاتی تبدیلی کے تباہ کن اثرات کی وجہ سے بچوں کو بار بار تعلیم سے محروم ہونا پڑ رہا ہے۔ پاکستان کو پہلے ہی تعلیمی ایمرجنسی کا سامنا ہے اور 26.2 ملین بچے اسکولوں سے باہر ہیں۔ ہمیں امید ہے کہ بارش کا پانی تیزی سے کم ہو گا، اور بچے اپنے کلاسوں میں واپس جا سکیں گے۔ ہمیں اندیشہ ہے کہ اسکولوں کی طویل بندش سے بچوں کی واپسی کے امکانات کم ہوجائیں گے‘‘۔

یکم جولائی سے اب تک صوبے بھر میں مون سون کی بارشوں کے باعث 76 افراد جان کی بازی ہار چکے ہیں، جن میں سے نصف بچے ہیں۔ صوبہ سندھ میں دریاؤں میں طغیانی سے آبادیاں زیر آب آ گئی ہیں، جس کے نتیجے میں 10 آفت زدہ اضلاع میں ایک لاکھ 40 ہزار بچے اور خاندان بے گھر ہو گئے ہیں۔

یونیسف کی ٹیمیں تیزی سے متاثرہ خاندانوں کی ضروریات کا جائزہ لے رہی ہیں اور تعلیمی سہولیات تک رسائی بحال کرنے اور متاثرین کی جلد بحالی کو یقینی بنانے کے لئے فوری اور طویل مدتی منصوبوں پر حکومت اور مقامی شراکت داروں کے ساتھ مل کر کام کر رہی ہیں۔

سندھ 2022 کے تباہ کن سیلاب کے دوران سب سے زیادہ متاثر ہونے والا صوبہ تھا، جہاں صحت اور تعلیم کی سہولیات سمیت اہم بنیادی ڈھانچہ راتوں رات تباہ ہو گیا تھا۔ گزشتہ تباہی کے اثرات سے اب تک لڑتے متاثرہ خاندان ایک بار پھر شدید موسم کی زد پر ہیں، جس کی سب سے بھاری قیمت بچوں کو چکانی پڑ رہی ہے۔

عبداللہ فاضل کا کہنا تھا کہ مون سون نے ایک بار پھر پاکستان بھر میں زندگیاں اُجاڑ دی ہیں۔ بچوں نے اپنی زندگیاں، گھر اور اسکول کھو دیے ہیں۔ ہمیں بچوں کے لئے موسمیاتی تبدیلی کے اثرات سے نمٹنے کی صلاحیتوں کی حامل تعلیمی سہولیات اور خدمات میں فوری سرمایہ کاری کی ضرورت ہے۔ ہمیں موسمیاتی تبدیلی کے خطرات سے دوچار اس ملک میں جدت طرازی، حالات کے مطابق خود کو ڈھالنے کی صلاحیتوں کے فروغ اورنقصانات کو کم سے کم کرنے اور موسمیاتی تغیر کے پیش نظر بچوں کے لئے پائیدار سہولیات ترتیب دینے کے لئے شراکت داروں کا ایک اتحاد تشکیل دینے کی ضرورت ہے۔

یونیسف کے چلڈرن کلائمیٹ رسک انڈیکس (سی سی آر آئی) میں پاکستان 163 ممالک میں سے 14 ویں نمبر پر ہے، جہاں بچوں کو موسمیاتی تبدیلی اور اس کے نقصاندہ اثرات کے ’شدید ترین خطرے ‘ کا سامنا ہے، جس سے ان کی صحت، تعلیم اور مستقبل داؤ پر ہیں

UNDP

PRESS RELEASE

Over 100 government officers, including 30% Women, trained on monitoring and evaluation for post-disaster recovery in Sindh and Balochistan

Islamabad, 10 September 2024 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) flagship Flood Recovery Programme (FRP), in partnership with German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), KfW Development Bank, conducted two training workshops in Quetta and Karachi to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacities of more than 100 government officers, 30% of which were women involved in post-disaster recovery efforts.

The trainings targeted key departments of the Governments of Sindh and Balochistan including Planning & Development, Urban Planning, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Communication & Works Department (C&W), Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Bureau of Statistics, and Irrigation from Sindh and Balochistan.

The training workshops took place in Quetta and Karachi on 19-20 August 2024 and 10 September 2024, respectively. The sessions focused on critical aspects of the Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Framework (4RF), financial management in post-disaster recovery, low-emission housing concepts, and enhancing transparency and accountability in reconstruction efforts. The government officers participated in presentations, interactive group discussions, and strategy sessions led by senior experts, who emphasized on the importance of building long-term resilience and ensuring equitable fund distribution.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the Quetta workshop, Secretary P&D Balochistan, Mr. Sher Shah Ghilzai, highlighted the significance of these efforts. He  commended the efforts of UNDP and KfW in supporting Balochistan’s recovery from the devastating 2022 floods and stated thatstrengthening the Monitoring and Evaluation frameworks wasessential to ensure transparency and accountability in rebuilding. He also acknowledged that this workshop is a critical step in empowering local communities and building long-term resilience against future disasters.

Honorary Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Balochistan, Mir Murad Baluch on this occasion said, “In the aftermath of the devastating floods, our commitment to rebuilding is unwavering. The Flood Reconstruction and Coordination Programme under the UNDP’s flagship Flood Recovery Programme exemplifies the power of collaboration between Germany, the international community, and the Government of Balochistan. With UNDP leading efforts to enhance monitoring and evaluation, and support from the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, KfW Development Bank, and the World Bank, we are ensuring that our reconstruction efforts are transparent, effective, and sustainable.”

Secretary Planning, Governement of Sindh, Mr. Jawed Sibghatullah Mahar, remarked, “The successful completion of this Monitoring and Evaluation workshop marks a significant step in strengthening government capacities, which is critical for post-flood recovery in Sindh, where 70% of the $30 billion in damages from the 2022 floods occurred. The skills gained from this workshop will undoubtedly enhance project implementation across all relevant departments,"

Women took on a vital role in these trainings, with sessions tailored to their unique needs, ensuring their voices shaped the recovery process. This empowered them to actively contribute to decision-making, embedding an inclusive and equitable approach to recovery for flood-affected communities.

In his closing remarks,  Mr. Hisashi Izumi, Flood Recovery Programme Manager at UNDP, expressed gratitude to all participants and partners for their participation. He highlighted that the workshop underscored the importance of strengthening M&E frameworks, with a strong focus on improved data management and community engagement to drive more effective flood recovery efforts.

These workshops are a key component of the Flood Reconstruction and Coordination Programme, which falls under UNDP’s flagship Flood Recovery Programme. This overarching programme aims to strengthen institutional capacities, promote equity in fund distribution, and enhance citizen engagement. By providing provincial governments with essential tools and knowledge for effective post-disaster recovery, the Flood Recovery Programme ensures that reconstruction efforts across the provinces are both sustainable and resilient.

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Contact Details: 
For additional information, please contact Fizza Bangash at fizza.bangash@undp.org or +92 (51) 835 5631

About UNDP:

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