Pakistan

In recent years, Pakistan has been struggling to curb extremism and cross-border terrorism. And yet the population is kept on edge not only by the security situation, but also by climate change. The monsoons have shifted: often as not, some areas receive too little rain and others too much. The resultant flooding destroys the livelihoods of thousands of farming families every year. In 2010 a flood hit northern Pakistan, destroying the homes of about 11 million people. Even more devastating was the flood disaster in the summer of 2022, which affected 33 million people. 1,700 people lost their lives. On the other hand, drought-like conditions have caused widespread health problems, including malnutrition and stunted growth.

Safe drinking water, better flood control

Helvetas focuses its efforts on improving the livelihood of communities in the poorest areas of the country, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Balochistan, and Sindh provinces. Helvetas advocates for sustainable water management and careful use of water in agriculture to decrease the pressure on catchment areas. The authorities and farmers work together to ensure that local water requirements are taken into account. We also promote public-private partnerships to achieve better results.

Education for Afghan Refugees children

After the Taliban took over the government of Afghanistan in August 2021, thousands of families travelled to Pakistan due to the boarder proximity and existing diaspora in Pakistan into Refugee Villages (RVs) designated for Afghans since Russian war or outside the camps to existing relatives in Pakistan. According to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) 117,547 new arrivals came to Pakistan. Out of the total new arrivals 53% are children of below 18 years age.  

In Pakistan, majority of the Afghans including their children of age 10+ or even younger work as daily labourers to fulfil their day-to-day needs. The projects working with Afghan Refugees are designed to support the newly arrived Afghan children for Education in Emergencies (EiE) and prepare for induction into the formal education system of Pakistan. This is ensured through the enrolment of eligible children in Non-Formal Education Centres (NFECs) which will be established and managed by the project for out of school children. These NFECs offer extensive bridging and catchup programmes. In addition, the projects will contribute by meeting basic food needs for the new arrivals. 

Better support for schoolchildren

In addition, we support schools in preparing children for future disasters. To mitigate the effects of droughts and prevent malnutrition, rural communities learn about nutrition-sensitive agriculture, kitchen gardening, dietary diversity and food handling. Farmers introduce water-efficient climate resilient agricultural practices and technology and use weather forecasts for agricultural planning.   

We make sure the entire population benefits from our activities, especially disadvantaged groups, in particular girls and women – which is often a challenging task in the mostly conservative project areas of Pakistan.

Skills for Decent Employment 

Labour force including children of working age in the under-developed countries including Pakistan is often engaged in the formal and informal sectors and in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in an exploitative and hazardous work environment. Many children from families in Pakistan must work to pay off their familial debt or contribute to the familial monthly expenses without them having to choose this option for themselves. Although Pakistan has ratified the ILO conventions on child labour and enacted legislation to overcome the issue of child labour in country, the worst form of child labour still exists. Incidents of exploitation, physical violence and torture on domestic workers are frequently reported on media. 

Most working children in Pakistan are exposed to hazardous conditions and risks. Children begin to work too early in their age and move around in sectors.   

Helvetas through the Skills for Decent Employment (SDE) project aims for the skills development and the improvement of the children of working age and make efforts for safe and decent work conditions at workplaces. Similarly, the project will strive for skills development of domestic workers (girls/ young women) to enable them to know their rights and prepare them for handsome and alternative earnings in dignified and secure working conditions. 

Visit the website of Helvetas Pakistan.

Contact

Visit the website of Helvetas Pakistan.