UN Pakistan Magazine - Issue 3 / 2018 by UN Information Centre Pakistan

UNITED NATIONS PAKISTAN Magazine 3 / 2018

Focus on: Decent Work – Promoting Jobs, Protecting People Special Features: Women in Agriculture 70 Years on UN Peacekeeping real lives: stories that inspire us Empowering women to practice safe menstruation Page 46 news and events

Community participation and training for better watershed management Page 59

messages from antónio guterres, secretary-general of the united nations

International Day for Biological Diversity Page 110

video corner – thanking un peacekeepers

70 years of UN Peacekeeping. 360VR Film - Under the Blue Helmet: Life As A UN Peacekeeper Page 113

The United Nations Pakistan Newsletter is produced by the United Nations Communications Group

Editor in Chief: Neil Buhne, Resident Coordinator, United Nations Pakistan and Acting Director, UNIC Deputy Editor and Content Producer: Ishrat Rizvi, National Information Officer, UNIC Sub Editor: Chiara Hartmann, Consultant, UNIC Photos Producer: Umair Khaliq, IT Assistant, UNIC Graphic Designer: Mirko Neri, Consultant, UNIC Contributors: Anam Abbas, Mahira Afzal, Qaiser Afridi, Rizwana Asad, Shahnila Azeem, Mian Muhammad Benyameen, Saghir Bukhari, Belinda Chanda, Matthieu Cognac, Shaheryar Fazil, Maria Gallotti, Saad Gilani, Shahida Gillani, Deborah Greenfield, Faisal Iqbal, Shahzad Alam Khan, Razi Mujtaba Haider, Shuja Hakim, Sadia Hameed, Mehr Hassan, Fatima Inayet, Humaira Karim, Naeem Khalid, Abid Khan, Imran Khan, Samad Khan, Adresh Laghari, Sameer Luqman, Abdul Sami Malik, Junaid Naseem, Waqas Rafique, Ishrat Rizvi, Zikrea Saleh, Maliha Shah, Asif Shahzad, Irfan Shahzada, Muzamil Habib Shaikh, Zishan Ahmed Siddiqui, Manuela Tomei, Maryam Younus.

INDEX

United Nations Pakistan / Magazine / 3 / 2018

|6| Editor’s note

focus on decent work

|8| World Day against Child Labour |10| The Future of Work Initiative: What we are doing, what’s next |12| Protecting People: Promoting Jobs fundamental principles and rights at work

|15| Promoting equality and confronting violence and harassment in the world of work

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promoting jobs, protecting people

|24| Businesses re-affirm their commitment to promote decent work in supply chains

overcome inequalities

|25| The story of a positive deviance*!

|36| Victims of 2012 Ali Enterprises factory fire receive additional compensation

promoting job creation and

|37| International Domestic Workers Day

sustainable employment

|38| 13th annual employer awards on Occupational Safety and Health

|27| Youth employment – a future unknown

promoting social dialogue

|28| World Employment and Social Outlook

|40| 107th Session of the International Labour Conference

|16| An ILO expert answers questions about violence and harassment at work

|29| Women do four times more unpaid care work than men in Asia and the Pacific

|42| Thinking globally acting locally: transformation through education and training

|18| Protecting Pakistani migrant workers

|30| Pakistan from Water Rich to Water Stressed Country

|43| My Journey- becoming a female trade union leader

|20| Migrant Resource Centres: Safeguarding the plight of Pakistani migrant workers

|31| Standards make enterprises sustainable

|44| The voice of agriculture workers in Sindh

|33| Assessment of skill gaps and Decent Work deficits in selected agro feed value chains

|45| Sindh Labour Department completes consultation for drafting rules of business for implementation of labour laws

|22| The International Labour Organization’s Work on Child and Bonded Labour in Pakistan

extending social protection

|23| A light in the dark

|35| Pakistan needs an effective Social Protection System to

real lives: stories that inspire us

special feature: women in agriculture

news and events disaster risk reduction

|46| Empowering women to practice safe menstruation

|49| Taking women along to ensure Zero Hunger in Pakistan

|47| Paternity Leave - A Time to Cherish and Nourish New Bonds

|53| On the road to empowerment |54| Securing the necessities of life |55| Local farmer benefits from climate- resilient agriculture techniques |56| Women take up gardening |57| Chicken find a home in Sindh |58| Empowering women in Balochistan through agricultural enterprise development

|59| Community participation and training for better watershed management drugs

crime

|60| Japan contributed $3,730,935 to UNODC Country Office Pakistan |61| UNODC stands committed for the Capacity Building of LEAs in Khyber Paktunkhwa |62| Coordination between law enforcement agencies and local communities: a vital step in the fight against human trafficking and migrant smuggling

INDEX news and events |63| Taking women along to ensure Zero Hunger in Pakistan

economic empowerment in Pakistan

|64| GLO.ACT supports multi disciplinary training of prosecutors and investigators in Pakistan

|74| Pakistan’s leading Wholesale store METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan sets an example for women’s economic empowerment

|65| rafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants laws 2018 food security

|66| Managing the water-energy food nexus crucial for ensuring food security |67| Building the capacity of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics to collect reliable data for achieving Zero Hunger |68| FAO stresses the need for a national biotechnologies policy and provincial strategies in Pakistan |69| Punjab food fortification: a step to improve nutrition |70| Livestock departments to work with FAO to help control Foot and Mouth Disease in Pakistan |71| Across South Asia, women lack the nutritional care they urgently need

|75| An extra step to prioritize gender equality and gender-responsive behaviour |75| Strengthening the capacity of government officials to promote gender equality and provision of safe public spaces |76| Safe bus stops for women inaugurated in Lahore |76| The UK and UN launch Aawaz II a programme to empower and protect Pakistan’s youth, women and children |77| Policy dialogue on acid crime and related legislation in Sindh |78| Empowering our women governance

|80| Inclusion of vulnerable groups into electoral processes in Pakistan health

|81| A day to honour midwives

gender equality and women’s

|83| A day to honour midwives

empowerment

|84| Missing cases a huge challenge for End Tuberculosis Strategy.

|72| New transport service for women launched in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 73| Procter & Gamble announces a new initiative for women’s

|85| Pakistani doctor Sana Hafeez named WHO Global Champion for Assistive Technology |86| Pioneering Eastern

Mediterranean regional consultative meeting on improving access to assistive technology held in Pakistan |87| Training of Trainers on Facility based Health System Response to Gender Based Violence (GBV) conducted in Islamabad human development

|88| Inclusion of vulnerable groups into electoral processes in Pakistan industrial development

|89| Piloting cherry, apple and trout value chain development through private sector’s collaboration |90| UNIDO trains industry professionals and trainers on energy management systems in Karachi press freedom

|91| Press freedom and trustworthy information keeps power in check and preserves democratic processes refugees

|92| Balochistan opens state-of-the -art kidney centre |93| One person displaced every two seconds youth

|94| Youth hold dialogue with mainstream political parties to shape 2018 election manifestos

United Nations Pakistan / Magazine / 2 / 2018

special feature: un peacekeeping: 70 years of service & sacrifice |96|

This year, the United Nations celebrates the 70th anniversary of UN peacekeeping, a unique and dynamic instrment to help countries torn by conflict transition to lasting peace.

|105| The Investigation |100| Pakistan: One of the longest- serving and largest contributors |107| Diversity is the beauty of the UN to UN peacekeeping |109| A Peacekeeper’s journey into a |102| Unamid-built airport ring road new culture at El Geneina airport transferred to west Darfur authorities

|98| International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

|103| The UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP)

|99| I Seven fallen peacekeepers from Pakistan among those honoured at UN Headquarters ceremony

|104| Monitoring the 770-kilometre long Line of Control and Working Boundary

messages from antónio guterres, secretary-general of the united nations |110| International Day for Biological Diversity

|111| International Albinism Awareness Day – 13 June 2018

|111| World Environment Day – 5 June 2018

|112| World Refugees Day – 20 June 2018

|111| World Oceans Day – 8 June 2018

video corner

–

|112| International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking – 26 June 2018 |112| International Day in Support of Victims of Torture – 26 June 2018

thanking un peacekeepers

|113| 70 years of UN Peacekeeping. 360VR Film - Under the Blue Helmet: Life As A UN Peacekeeper

|113| Sohaib Arshad

|115| Abdullah Qureshi

|114| Sikander Nawaz Rajput

|115| #ServingForPeace: UN Peacekeepers

|113| Pakistan’s Peacekeepers Leave a Legacy of Peace in Liberia

|114| Kanza Munir

|114| Rimsha Mehmood |114| Ameer

editor’s note

Editor’s Note

The third issue of the United Nations Pakistan magazine for 2018 focuses on the activities of our UN Pakistan team around the SDG themes that cover “Decent Work”. Our national focus on these issues coincides with the international focus put on the same issues at the annual June session - the 107th – of the of the International Labour Conference (ILC), which sets the broad policies of the ILO through social dialogue on key social and labour issues. This magazine focuses on the four world of work strategic objectives: 1) fundamental principles and rights at work, 2) promoting job creation and sustainable employment; 3) extending social protection; and 4) promoting social dialogue. These interrelated and mutually reinforcing pillars set the course for the attainment of “decent work”. Articles describe the UN’s efforts to curb violence and workplace harassment: an unfortunate but real global phenomenon that makes working spaces unsafe and unconducive to decent work. Other articles highlight the importance of ensuring occupational safety for workers, and describe campaigns against unacceptable forms of work such as hazardous child and bonded labour.

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Migration has increasingly become a global issue, and the articles here describe measures for improving the governance of labour migration in Pakistan. The issue also includes information on the right approaches to promote good employment – whether for greener jobs, or youth employment; and on ways of ensuring that social protection recognized as a Human Right- is made available for every citizen. We also share in this issue, inspirational stories from the field of men and women working in trade unions, and success stories of workers in agri-business. Special features this month cover two areas of our work. The first is ‘women in agriculture’, highlighting recent initiatives to induct more women officers and field staff in government agriculture and natural resource departments. These initiatives give women access to modern and climate smart farming practices, and through that it helps them to gain better access to productive inputs and make informed decisions. These efforts help women farmers gain confidence, increase their incomes, and could realize their potential in society. The second area highlights the services and sacrifice of the UN Peacekeepers around the globe, including those of Pakistani UN Peacekeepers. This year, the United Nations celebrates the 70th anniversary of UN peacekeeping, which has proved to be a unique and dynamic instrument to help countries torn by conflict move towards lasting peace. Over the past 70 years, more than 1 million men and women have served under the UN flag in over 70 UN peacekeeping opera-

tions. More than 100,000 military, police and civilian personnel from 125 countries currently serve in 14 peacekeeping operations. In this issue we also share information on several development activities undertaken by members of our Pakistan UN team in the areas of employment, green growth, drug and crime prevention, and education. I would like to convey my big thanks to the members of the UN Communications Group for their excellent work. I was privileged in May to spend a day with them, and learn from at a recent retreat. With their expertise and with support of the UN Country Team this magazine is made possible, and helps us to help Pakistanis to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Neil Buhne Resident Coordinator, United Nations Pakistan and Acting Director, UNIC

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DECENT WORK – PROMOTING JOBS, PROTECTING PEOPLE We acknowledge with thanks the contributions made by following colleagues from the ILO in the focus on section: • Abid Khan, National Project Coordinator • Belinda Chanda, Program Analyst • Deborah Greenfield, ILO Deputy Director-General for Policy • Faisal Iqbal, National Program Officer •

Irfan Shahzada, Journalist (Project beneficiary, Gender Equality for Decent Employment funded by Global Affairs Canada)

• Mian Muhammad Benyameen, National Project Coordinator

• Manuela Tomei, Director of the ILO’s Conditions of Work and Employment Department • Maria Gallotti, Chief Technical Adviser, REFRAME • Matthieu Cognac, Youth Employment Specialist • Muzamil Habib Shaikh, National Project Coordinator • Naeem Khalid, National Program Officer • Razi Haider, Program Assistant

• Saad Gilani, Snr. Program Officer • Saghir Bukhari, Snr. Program Officer • Sadia Hameed, National Project Coordinator • Shahnila Azeem, Program Assistant • Zishan Ahmed Siddiqui, National Project Coordinator

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World Day against Child Labour By Guy Ryder, Director-General, ILO

Towards the urgent elimination of hazardous child labour

“Children are more vulnerable to risk than adults. Urgent action is needed to ensure no child under the age of 18 is in hazardous child labour,” says ILO Director-General Guy Ryder on the occasion of World Day against Child Labour.

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On World Day Against Child Labour 2018, the spotlight is on ending hazardous child labour. It is a priority in the wider ILO campaigns against child labour and for safe and healthy work for youth of legal working age – “Generation

Safe & Healthy.” About 73 million children are in hazardous work – almost half of the 152 million children aged 5 to 17 still in child labour. These children are toiling in mines and fields, factories and homes, exposed to

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pesticides and other toxic substances, carrying heavy loads or working long hours. Many suffer lifelong physical and psychological consequences. Their very lives can be at risk. No child under the age of 18 should perform hazardous work as stipulated in the ILO’s Conventions on child labour, namely the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) . They require governments, in consultation with the social partners, to establish and enforce a national list of hazardous work prohibited for children. Ratification of these Conventions by 171 and 181 ILO member States respectively - close to universal ratification – reflects a commitment to end child labour in all its forms. It is time to step up action. A new ILO report, Towards the Urgent Elimination of Hazardous Child Labour, finds that certain occupational hazards, including exposure to psychological stress and to commonly-used chemicals, are even more serious for children than previously thought. Another key finding is that adolescence, as a period of physical maturation, may start earlier and last into the mid-twenties. Within this extended period of growth, children (and young adults), face a range of vulnerabilities that require responses in law and practice. The report outlines the crucial and mutual link between education and health: lack of educa-

tion increases the risk of negative health outcomes from work and conversely, quality education has positive and protective effects on health. Although the overall number of children in hazardous work has decreased over the past years, progress has been limited to older children in hazardous work. Between 2012 and 2016, there was almost no reduction in the number of children aged 5 to 11 in child labour, and the number of these most vulnerable, youngest children in hazardous work actually increased. This is unacceptable. The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda reaffirms the urgency of eliminating the worst forms of child labour, which includes

hazardous work, the need to promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, and sets the target of ending all forms of child labour by 2025. If we are to keep the solemn promises we have made to the world’s children, we must, once and for all, “turn off the tap” and stop children from entering child labour in the first place many of whom, especially in agriculture, commonly start when they are six, seven or eight years old. Join us on this World Day in committing to urgent action to combat hazardous child labour and to accelerate progress towards ending all child labour by 2025!

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The Future of Work Initiative: What we are doing, what’s next By Deborah Greenfield, ILO’s Deputy Director-General for Policy

Following the first meetings of the Global Commission, Deborah Greenfield, ILO Deputy Director-General for Policy, shares the latest news on the ILO’s Future of Work Initiative. As the ILO approaches its centenary in 2019, we pause to reflect on progress made and draw lessons from our unique history. We have much to celebrate. Yet, as we look around us, we see that

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there is still much to be done. How do we equip the ILO and its constituents to take advantage of the opportunities that digitalization and automation create for the greater inclusion of enterprises and workers in the economy? How do we harness their potential to expand the choices available to balance work and private life and reduce working hours? How do we address the challenges that

processes of technological, demographic and climate change present for our workplaces and our labour markets? How can we shape a future we want? The Director-General raised these questions when he launched the Future of Work Initiative, one of a number of Centenary Initiatives to guide the ILO’s work as the organization enters its second century in pursuit of its mandate for social

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justice. The first stage of the Future of Work Initiative, carried out between 2016 and 2017, involved national dialogues between governments, employer and worker organizations. In some countries, this included the participation of youth and other groups. These dialogues took place in over 110 member States, in both developed and developing countries. In addition, the ILO held a symposium at the ILO in April 2017 on ‘The Future of Work We Want’, which brought together 700 participants, including leading academics and representatives of the ILO tripartite constituents, to discuss the changes sweeping through the world of work and the possible policy responses. The second stage of the ILO’s Future of Work Initiative began with the launch of an independent Global Commission on the Future of Work in August 2017. The Commission brings together a diverse group of experts from around the globe. It undertakes an in-depth examination of the transformative changes occurring in the world of work in order to provide recommendations – to the ILO and to policy makers in general – for a future that provides decent and sustainable work opportunities for all. To prepare the Global Commission for its first meeting on 20-22 October, the ILO Secretariat pro-

vided a Synthesis Report of the national dialogues to members, as well as an Inception Report that discusses major trends for the future of work. At its second meeting on 15-17 February, the Commission considered some of the thematic issues in more depth. The Global Commission on the Future of Work focused its second meeting on a continuing discussion of the main themes that are shaping the future of the world of work. The discussions covered issues such as the platform economy, skills policies and systems, the informal economy, global value chains, universal social protection, migration, and the situation and aspirations of youth, examining both developing and developed country perspectives.

The Global Commission is expected to meet again in 2018 before submitting a report in early 2019, the year of the ILO centenary. The Commissioners stressed their commitment to come up with a report that is strategic, political and action-oriented in nature. The ILO will continue to produce research and other policy-oriented knowledge products on issues related to the future of work. These will assist the Commission as well as ILO constituents to deepen the understanding of complex issues. On the basis of the Commission’s Final Report, the 2019 International Labour Conference is expected to focus primarily on the Future of Work, in global tripartite discussions, with the aim of securing social justice for all in the years to come.

The Commissioners agreed to organize a series of technical outreach meetings to explore issues requiring further analysis. The ILO will also seek interaction with other international organizations working on the future of work. An information meeting was held with ILO member States on 21 March during the Governing Body. It provided an important opportunity for ILO constituents to meet five members of the Commission, and ask them questions about the work of the Global Commission.

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Protecting People: Promoting Jobs By Belinda Chanda, Program Analyst, ILO Country Office Pakistan

For most people, decent work is an idealistic concept. One can safely conclude that decent work, will more likely than not, be influenced by social economic factors including among others the size of the labour force, rural-urban dynamics, the level of formality or informality and to every extent, the gender dynamics that dictate women’s labour force participation. The advent of globalization continues to make leaps and bounds with an obvious effect on how the world of work is being re-shaped. Placing decent work at the centre of social economic policy has become an overriding concern

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for most Governments given the strong economic case associated with promoting jobs and protecting people. This approach is also strongly advocated for by employers and workers organizations who are central to the process of setting international labour standards (ILS). But first of all, the concept of decent work needs to be generally understood as one of the imperatives for social progress and the obvious aspiration for a country’s sustained economic growth and development. Put simply, decent work involves opportunities for work that is productive and delivers a fair income,

security in the workplace and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development and social integration, freedom for people to express their concerns, organize and participate in the decisions that affect their lives and equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men. Thus, duty bearers, be they Governments, employers or the private sector, are critical actors for creating “enabling” environments for the realisation of decent work. It goes without saying that rights bearers need to play their role in claiming their rights preceded by a basic understanding of what

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The eight fundamental conventions ratified by Pakistan C029 - Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29)

these rights are and knowledge of the systems in place available to facilitate this. What is the accountability framework that sets the course for a country to attain decent work? The answer lies in international labour standards (ILS) as well as other international covenants that uphold human rights and workers’ rights. The ILO, through its International Labour Conference, has to date coined 189 conventions, 5 protocols and 204 recommendations that cover most aspects of the world of work. In the quest to ensure safe and productive work environments the 107th International Labour Conference (ILC) in 2018 deliberated on a potential instrument on harassment and violence against men and women in the world of work. This discussion actually began in 2015 through a process of social dialogue and research and before the #MeToo movement went viral. This will be a ground-breaking standard once

C087 - Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) C098 - Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98)

agreed upon. As part of its centenary celebrations, the ILO has embarked on the process of enhancing the relevance of international labour standards through a standards review mechanism: the “Standards Initiative” will work towards updating the ILO’s existing labour standards in response to the realities and demands of the world of work today. ILS set the minimum floor for the treatment of workers and what should be ensured so that a country’s citizens fully and fairly participate in economic life. This is where the application of standards comes into play. This insight provides an overview of the focus of the third edition of the UN Pakistan Magazine i.e. Protecting People and Promoting Jobs. The focus articles, aim to highlight the importance of decent work, show its impact on individuals and society as well as its related challenges.

C100 - Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) C105 - Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105) C111 - Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) C138 - Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) Minimum age specified: 14 years C182 - Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182)

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decent work

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; promoting jobs, protecting people

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES AND RIGHTS AT WORK United Nations Pakistan | Magazine

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Promoting equality and confronting violence and harassment in the world of work Work place harassment and violence at work is a global phenomenon, which poses serious challenges in optimizing the potential of women and men in the labour force and is also detrimental to promoting conducive, productive and safe work places. In other words, violence and harassment at work undermine the realisation of decent work. During its 107th session of the International Labour Conference in May 2018, Governments, Workers and Employers Organizations debated on the need for a specific standard on ending violence and harassment against men and women in the world of work. This discussion which began in 2015, has set the course for global action to make workplaces safer by formulating a specific ILO standard on the subject. In order to prepare its constituents and social partners on the issue of violence and harassment at work and to trigger social dialogue on a possible standard on this topic, the ILO Pakistan Office in collaboration with Care International and with the financial assistance of the EU (Directorate General for International Cooperation & Development DG-DEVCO) organized an awareness raising seminar on ILO Conventions C-100 (Equal Remuneration Convention,1951) and C-111 (Discrimination- Employment & Occupations-1958). This was followed

by an Experts Group Meeting on Ending Violence and Harassment against Women and Men in The World of Work’. The event, which took place on 24 May drew the active participation of provincial and federal government, representatives of the workers’ and employers’ organizations, civil society, judiciary, academia, the UN and the media. The recommendations and discussions at the consultation will be

instrumental in facilitating the Pakistan’s delegation inputs to the ILC discussion on the proposed standard on Violence and Harassment against mean and women in the World of Work.

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decent work – promoting jobs, protecting people

An ILO expert answers questions about violence and harassment at work By Manuela Tomei, Director of the ILO’s Conditions of Work and Employment Programme

This year in May- June, the International Labour Conference (ILC) held a discussion on a possible new standards to fight violence and harassment at work to seek consensus among the ILO’s members – governments, employers and workers – about what is wrong and how it should be addressed. Manuela Tomei, Director of the ILO’s Conditions of Work and Employment Department, discussed the issue in detail prior to the ILC as follows: There has been a lot of debate among experts as to the definition of violence and harassment at the workplace. Has this been narrowed down? And why is such a definition needed? There is no internationally agreed definition of violence and harassment in the world of work. Different countries have adopted different laws that define violence and harassment in different ways. In the review that we conducted in over 80 countries to see how their laws deal with violence and harassment in the world of work, we found that a number of countries were using the same terms to refer to different instances. In some cases, we had countries using different words to refer to the same phenomena. There is a variety of behaviours that create different types of harm, but

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each and every one of them has the effect of undermining the dignity, security and health of the person subjected to violence and harassment. So, clearly, there is a need to come up with an international standard, which helps clarify what is the scope of violence and harassment in the world of work, and which behaviours and practices are acceptable or not. So defining these terms will be an important part of the discussions at the June 2018 International Labour Conference? Definitely. The ILO and its constituents have decided that the time is

ripe for moving towards the adoption of a new international instrument – a Convention, or a Recommendation or both – on this issue. We obviously can’t predict the outcome of the discussions that will take place at the Conference, but we are very encouraged by the high number of responses to a questionnaire the Office distributed to constituents. There is very strong support for providing adequate protection to the victims of violence and harassment – respecting the privacy of complainants and alleged victims, providing adequate support to allow a victim to recover, including psychological support and leave if needed.

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One of the hottest issues to be discussed is the scope of the instrument. Does the world of work extend beyond the physical workplace, such as when a worker is following an offsite training course? Does it include cyberbullying, which may reach the worker when commuting, at home, or during non-work hours? Overall, there is a realisation that focusing exclusively on the physical workplace would not be sufficient to ensure adequate protection; but there are variations of how wide the net can be cast. One thing is clear: We will never be able to achieve a more equal world if we are not going to seriously deal with this issue with very bold actions. There are already laws that cover domestic violence, why the need for laws on violence at work? Domestic violence legislation does not deal with violence and harassment that may arise in the world of work, which may be perpetrated by supervisors, co-workers, customers or patients. This leads to not addressing the discrimination that women may face in terms of access to employment, education and training, career progression, pay and other working conditions. In addition, domestic violence laws do not cover the health consequences of work-related violence and harassment from an occupational safety and health perspective. It seems that no day goes by without headlines about violence and harassment at work – particularly in the movie industry and in politics – does that reflect a trend?

The type of empirical evidence at our disposal is very patchy in the absence of an internationally agreed definition of violence and harassment. We are not comparing the same things, and we are not measuring them in a consistent manner. Therefore, we can neither quantify the different types of violence nor conclude that violence and harassment at work has increased or decreased, and in which sectors. It is becoming an issue that is increasingly considered to be unacceptable and requiring bold action. The fact that there is growing media attention on the issue is extremely important because it is encouraging people to come forward, to even denounce facts and events that happened many years ago. Victims feel empowered. They do not fear retaliation or to be demonized as somehow deserving this harassment. What has the ILO done to address the issue? The proposed international instrument has also been debated at the June 2018 International Labour Conference. But the ILO has dealt with the issue in instruments that focus on specific groups of workers. This is the case with the Convention on domestic workers, which establishes workers’ right to be protected at the workplace – their employer’s home. We also address the issue in the Better Work programme, which we run together with the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The main objective of the programme – which is operational in over 10 countries and covers some 1,500 factories – is to improve compliance

with labour laws and respect for the fundamental principles and rights of work. As such, preventing violence and harassment is an important part of the programme. Harassment against women workers has been found to be pervasive in factories, where women are at the bottom of the hierarchy and 93 per cent of line supervisors are men. So, a number of measures and training programs were introduced to increase the access of women workers to line supervisor or line manager positions. Are there particular sectors or regions where workers are more vulnerable? There are a number of circumstances and factors that may increase the risk of violence and harassment. People who have a lot of interaction with third parties – such as clients, students or patients – might face a risk of violent behaviour from these third parties. Working in remote, isolated areas or at night and weekends, may also entail a higher risk of violence and harassment. And technological innovation is providing new opportunities to perpetrators to attack and humiliate another person. This is the case with cyberbullying, where a co-worker, a subordinate or a manager can be the target of threatening or insulting messages sent electronically. This may create a lot of discomfort and stress in the person who is the target of these messages.

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decent work

– promoting jobs, protecting people

Protecting Pakistani migrant workers

In commemorating this year’s World Day for Social Justice in February 2018, ILO Director General. Guy Ryder highlighted the plight of migrant workers across the world. After India, Pakistan is the second largest country of origin for migrant workers from South Asia, mainly to the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC). Despite the substantial benefits, the official channels for migration are failing to distribute the benefits equitably among employers, intermediaries and workers. Yet, sadly, the lack of decent work options at home makes the challenging conditions abroad a compelling choice. Some of the challenges that impede the governance of labour migration are: Commercialization of the recruitment industry and exploitation during recruitment Malpractice and abuse are typical across South Asia’s recruitment industry, which is largely managed by the private sector. Often combined with low wages, the abuse leads to a

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heavy debt burden for workers. Current regulation of recruitment agencies tends to be ineffective. Abuses during employment and low returns to migration

Several restrictive policies in the GCC countries impact the rights of migrant workers, including the kafala, or sponsorship system. The absence of freedom of association in many GCC states further contributes to workers’

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decent work – promoting jobs, protecting people

In response to this, the ILO under its EU funded SALM project, provided technical assistance to the National Vocational Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) to develop curricula for students at TVET institutions on migration.

vulnerability to abuse and exploitation. Even where access to legal redress is provided under national law, there are few prosecutions and convictions in favour of migrant workers. One of the major factors is the lack of accurate and timely information to migrants before, during and after emigration. The ILO in Pakistan under its EU funded project “South Asia Labour Migration Governance” (SALM) and in collaboration with the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (MoPHRD), Workers and Employers Organizations provided technical support for the establishment of Pakistan’s first ever Migrant Resource Centers (MRCs) in Islamabad and Lahore.

The ILO also facilitated the development of Travel Smart Work Smart (TSWS) guidelines and country specific guides. In 2016, the ILO also supported MOPHRD efforts to digitalize its complaint management system allowing migrant workers and overseas Pakistanis to submit legal complaints in cases where they face injustice during recruitment or employment. Labour mobility, skills and certification Lack of information about qualifications, skills and wages and demand inhibits informed decisions among workers and public and private institutions. This results in lost opportunities or training investment mistakes in both source and recipient countries.

Migration and development Labour migration generates substantial benefits for both countries of origin and destination. In addition to remittances, migration enables the upgrading of professional, cultural and social skills as well as technology transfer. International migration has undoubtedly become a vehicle for development and poverty reduction and is fully integrated in the 2030 sustainable development agenda as an area for concerted action. But the contribution of migrant workers in promoting development and poverty reduction in origin countries and towards the prosperity of destination countries needs to be recognized and reinforced. For example, during the financial year covering the period July 17May 18, Pakistan received USD 1638.93 million workers’ remittance, about 7 per cent of country’s GDP. In continuation of these efforts, from 2018 onwards, the ILO in Pakistan will continue to support the Government’s efforts to improve labour migration governance under its Global Action to Improve the Recruitment Framework of Labour Migration (REFRAME), a project funded by the European Union (EU).

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decent work – promoting jobs, protecting people

Migrant Resource Centres: Safeguarding the plight of Pakistani migrant workers

In 2015, two Migrant Resource Centres

1. Counselling

on the issues of safe migration, irregular

(MRCs) were established in Lahore and

Counselling is one of the core services

migration and its consequences, migrant

Islamabad under the aegis of Ministry

offered by the MRCs to outgoing, intend-

smuggling and human trafficking.

of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Re-

ing and potential migrant workers. Clients

source Development (MoPHRD) and

benefit from one-to-one consultations,

2. Pre-departure briefings

Department of Labour (DoL. The Interna-

they can also choose to consult MRC

Pre- departure briefings have emerged as

tional Labour Organization (ILO) and the

counsellors over the phone, Skype or

an important tool for the protection of mi-

International Centre for Migration Policy

email. Apart from being free-of-cost, the

grants and migrant workers. These brief-

Development (ICMPD) with funding from

consultations are strictly confidential.

ings provide basic information to departing migrants to ease their transition into

the EU provided the technical support for the establishment of the MRC’s. The aim

The MRCs also provide guidance on a

the country of destination and empower

of establishing these MRCs was to ensure

number of issues ranging from the pro-

them to maximize the benefit of their over-

the accessibility of outgoing, intending

cesses and procedures involved in all

seas employment experience.

and potential migrant workers and their

stages of the migration cycle, to employ-

The MRC staff provide pre-departure

families, to general and specific informa-

ment options, rights and duties of mi-

orientation to those who are ready to mi-

tion on migration and work abroad.

grants in destination countries, socio-cul-

grate to such countries as Kingdom of

The MRCs in Islamabad and Lahore pro-

tural norms and labour laws of destination

Saudi Arabia (KSA), United Arab Emirates

vide information and counselling on safe

countries.

(UAE), Qatar, Malaysia and South Korea

migration, raises awareness on irregular

The MRC’s ensure support and guidance

for employment purposes. During orien-

migration and the related serious risks,

with respect to verification of overseas

tation MRC’s provide detailed information

in order to empower outgoing, intending

employment

government

on migrant workers’ rights and duties,

and potential migrant workers and en-

fees and the role of various institutions in

safety and health at workplace, general

courage them to make informed choices,

the migration cycle. Providing intending

working and living conditions in destina-

as well as referral to skills providing institu-

migrants with an opportunity to consult

tion countries, key challenges one might

tions and trade testing centres.

counsellors enables outgoing, intending

encounter and coping strategies. A de-

and potential migrants to make informed

tailed list of important contacts in case of

Services Provided by Migrant Re-

decisions and also helps the MRCs re-

emergency is also provided to outgoing,

source Centres

alise its objectives of raising awareness

intending and potential migrants

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promoters,

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3. Orientation sessions

decent work – promoting jobs, protecting people

stitutions to facilitate migrants based on

under this system include, but not limited

their requirements. In this regard, MRC

to, foreign employment, lack of payments

The MRC’s provide free of cost orienta-

counsellors can assess the need and

for overtime, fraud or misrepresentation

tion sessions to outgoing, intending and

refer migrants to these institutions to get

by the recruitment agency, forced labour

potential migrants. Emphasises is placed

advice about necessary documentation,

and substitution of contract, unsafe work-

on educating people about safe migration

trade testing, certifications, verification of

ing conditions and exploitation by the em-

whether it is for employment, settlement

advertised jobs by overseas employment

ployer.

or education. These sessions highlight the

promoters and register their grievances if

The table below reflects the statistics on

benefits of regular migration and exposes

any.

the utility of services of the MRC’s in Islam-

the hazards associated with irregular mi-

The MRCs also provide assistance to mi-

abad and Lahore.

SERVICE#

ACTIVITIES

TOTAL BENEFICIARIES ISLAMABAD

TOTAL BENEFICIARIES LAHORE

Orientation on Safe and Informed Migration in educational institutions

13226

10109

Pre departure Briefings at POE / Distribution of IEC Material

38813

10809

Number of visitors at MRC Stalls

6870

2800

Counselling Services provided to the clients via Telephone/Skype

271

933

Group Counselling provided to clients.

Counselling Services provided to Walk-in clients

891

553

60071

25220

Total Beneficiaries GRAND TOTAL

85291

gration. These sessions are designed to help migrants make informed decisions and also ensure that the migration process is smooth and comfortable. The MRCs recognize the importance of technical and vocational training institutions in promoting skilled migration. Thus, orientation classes have been designed for students at technical and vocational institutions, colleges and professional universities. These classes cover safe migration, the current migration trends and social and economic benefits of mi-

grants and their families in lodging com-

gration. MRC counsellor’s visit technical

plaints to redress inconveniences faced at

The Migrant Resource Centres (MRC’s)

institutions, colleges and universities to

any time during the migration cycle. This

established under the EU funded Project

hold awareness session on regular basis.

is facilitated by the online complaint man-

on Promoting Effective Labour Migration

agement system which was established

Governance. The MRC’s in Islamabad

4. Referral and complaint facilitation

by MoPHRD with the funding from the

and Lahore were established in collabora-

The MRCs have established a referral

EU under the ILO’s Safe Labour Migra-

tion with ICMPD.

system with Government and private in-

tion Governance project. The registered

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The International Labour Organization’s Work on Child and Bonded Labour in Pakistan

Pakistan’s LFS 2014-15 indicates that there are 2.38 million child labourers. The 2016 modern slavery index report indicates that there are 2.134 million people working in forced labour conditions in Pakistan, commonly in the form of debt bondage. Data paucity remains a challenge in gauging the specific magnitude of these two phenomena. The regulatory environment in Pakistan supports the elimination of child and bonded labour as provided for under Article 11 of Pakistan’s constitution. Pakistan has also ratified all eight of the ILO’s fundamental conventions, and has also signed the relevant UN Conventions that support the elimination of child and bonded labour. The Government is also a signatory of the Sustainable Development Goals and is therefore committed to improving the lives

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of its citizens by maximizing progress towards the goals and targets set out under this agenda. Over the last two decades the ILO, in partnership with the Government of Pakistan, Workers’ and Employers’ organizations, as well as key stakeholders, has implemented development cooperation projects on the progressive elimination of child and bonded labour in Pakistan. In June 1994 the Government of Pakistan and the ILO signed a Memorandum of Understanding within the programme International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC). Under this framework, a number of successful initiatives were implemented in various economic sectors. The ILO facilitated the development of the District Model approach, designed to build the capacity of District Governments and provide

them with the tools and approaches such as the Integrated Area Based Approach to tackle child labour. Overall, ILO-IPEC projects helped the withdrawal of more than 100,000 child labourers by facilitating their rehabilitation, through the provision of non-formal education and their placement in the general education system. On Pakistan’s concern over bonded labour, under the ILO’s project on “Strengthening law enforcement responses and actions against internal trafficking and bonded labour in Sindh & Punjab, Pakistan” funded by J/ TIP-US State Department, the ILO was able to facilitate some notable results including the development of a Provincial Plan of Action on Bonded Labour in Punjab and Sindh. In total, ILO’s interventions positively impacted the lives of over 36,000 family members.

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A light in the dark An example of ILO’s work and its impact is described by a beneficiary Usman Bilal, a former child labourer

When I was young, I lived in my village in Pakistan with my father, mother, three brothers and four sisters. My father was a carpenter and he worked hard to build a bright future for his family, but his income was always too low to make this possible. So, in 2001, when I was just ten, my parents sent me to my maternal uncle’s workshop in the village of Bhagwal Awan, in the district of Sialkot, to make surgical instruments. I wanted to stay in school and study, but I had no choice. I earned 500 Pakistan Rupees a month (US$8) and I knew that made a real difference to my parents. But the work was hard. Every day I got painful cuts on my hands. My spirit was broken and I felt my future had been snatched away. One day in 2002, an ILO official came to my uncle’s workshop and persuaded my uncle to enrol me and other children at one of the ILO’s Non Formal Basic Education Centres. At that time, the ILO had started a project for child workers, offering them free education. Every day I went to work from 8am to 3pm, and then I went to study at the Centre for three hours. The teacher was very kind and the classes were good. When the time came for my first primary level exam, I was top of the class. The ILO then spoke to my parents and persuaded them to let me return to formal schooling. Over time,

in addition to pursuing my education, I began to work as a social activist with the ILO and the Bunyad Literacy Community Council. In 2016, I obtained a degree in Mass Communications and hope to further my education by pursuing an MBA. In 2004, I was invited to be a child delegate at the first World Congress on Child Labour, in Florence, Italy. I also took part in the Global March against Child Labour that same year. The following year I went to the second World Congress on Child Labour, in New Delhi, India. People started to notice my work against child labour. I received awards, including a Student of the Year Award from the Education Minister of Pakistan and a Leadership Award from the Prime Minister of Pa-

kistan. None of these achievements would have been possible without the ILO and its work fighting child labour. It changed my life forever. I know I still have a lot to do, because there are many more children like me out there, waiting for help. The ILO has been a light in the dark for me. My achievements belong to the ILO and I’m proud to be a part of its work.

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Businesses re-affirm their commitment to promote decent work in supply chains The second Business Round Table on Promoting Decent Work and Fundamental Rights in Value Chains was organized under the aegis of the Child Labour Platform (CLP). The event was organized under the ILO-Stora Enso Partnership that aims to eliminate child labour and promote decent work in supply chains, with a focus on Pakistan. The meeting provided an opportunity to a diverse stakeholder group to discuss ways of promoting decent work in business supply chains. Attendance included 30 participants representing international and national brands working in Pakistan, as well as those representing supply chains within various industrial sectors, development agencies along with UNIDO and UNICEF. Representatives from Telenor, Nestle and Bulleh Shah Packaging shared their initiatives and experience of undertaking efforts to ensure that their supply chains are child labour free and compliant to decent work. The panel also highlighted practical challenges and constraints including the financial costs associated for such initiatives in a business environment where there was no legal or social compulsion to work with supply chains. Other challenges cited included lack of awareness and capacity constraints faced by business concerns in addressing these issues. The participants were also apprised on the global initiatives such as the CLP, a business led initiative that brings together multi-sectoral business to address

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child and bonded labour. The CLP supports the identification of obstacles to the implementation of the ILO Conventions in supply chains and surrounding communities, identifies practical ways of overcoming these obstacles, and catalyzes collective action. Information and case studies were shared on current public private partnerships comprised of bi-lateral agreements between ILO and business companies and Alliance 8.7. a multi stakeholder group which is poised to take effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour by 2025. Alliance 8.7 is anchored under SDG 8 i.e. Decent Work and Economic Growth and also supports local initiatives aimed at accelerating progress in the area of child and bonded labour.

The discussion was further enriched by a session dedicated to defining a way forward. During this session, participants presented potential solutions to scale up efforts in keeping supply chains decent work compliant and free from child labour. Participants also discussed strategies on how to strengthen their network, joint initiatives, experience sharing and the reach to other stakeholders and in particular, government institutions, academia and the media The first business roundtable was held in July 2017 in Lahore, which recommended the establishment of a network, with assistance of the ILO, to drive change aligned with international labour standards while at the same time paying attention to sustainable businesses.

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The story of a positive deviance* By Zishan Siddiqui, National project Coordinator/ ILO Country Office Pakistan

It used to be a usual sight to notice the violations of labour safety codes pervasive at the famous Rawalpindi Metro Bus project in the summer of 2014. Not only the commuters remained fearful of an accident that seemed very likely while grappling within the labyrinth of fragile makeshift arrangements, but the labourers too seemed exposed to serious life- threatening hazards. Eventually an accident did occur to a labourer who wasn’t wearing proper gear. This was clearly an outcome of lacking safety measures and occupational standards. I decided to lodge a complaint to the government of Punjab province. I attempted to remind the government of its obligations and the responsibility to ensure compliance to statuary Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) standards. The complaint never received any attention but this made me register the seriousness of this issue. Later in 2015, I found the opportunity to join ILO’s project on Strengthening Labour Inspection System in Pakistan (SLISP) at the Country Office Islamabad. The project aimed at strengthening the regulatory framework of labour inspection and institutional capacities of the labour inspection machinery. The project helped me speak to every labour inspector of Pakistan and learn

about their interesting stories. During my interactions, the stories that captured my attention the most pertain to the issues that workers experience at their workplaces and the challenges labour inspectors face in discharging their duties for compliance of labour standards. I found the standards inscribed to ensure health and safety of workers are mostly severely compromised. These conditions cause serious threats to the longevity and productive health of the workers. Only an effective labour inspection was the remedy. The promulgation of the 18th amendment in 2010 that redefined constitutional relationships between provinces and the federation, left labour inspection exposed to challenges of post devolution institutional readjustments. Consequently, we observe higher number of industrial accidents, enlarging informal economy and weak social security mechanisms. The entire labour inspection machinery of Pakistan, is currently comprised of 350 labour inspectors resourced with meager inspection facilities. Obviously, this under-resourced apparatus should not be expected to carry out technical inspection, use technological tools and enunciate high performance methodologies. The project I am leading currently has

helped me contribute to advancing crucial reforms and laws that regulate OSH conditions for Pakistani workers. I also found the opportunity to train almost every labour inspector on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW) and effective labour inspection which has, somewhat led to improving their theoretical understanding of labour laws from workers’ basic human rights perspective. I am happy that instead of residing within the conventional societal aloofness from matters of collective concern, I chose to deviate. I count my positive deviance the most important factor behind letting me find an opportunity to employ my potential too.

* Positive deviance (PD) is an approach to behavioural and social change based on the observation that in any community there are people whose uncommon but successful behaviours or strategies enable them to find better solutions to a problem than their peers, despite facing similar challenges and having no extra resources or knowledge than their peers. These individuals are referred to as positive deviants.

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decent work – promoting jobs, protecting people

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PROMOTING JOB CREATION AND SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT United Nations Pakistan | Magazine

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decent work – promoting jobs, protecting people

Youth employment – a future unknown

Ten years ago, the collapse of the Lehman Brothers in New York led the world to a multiplicity of crises: an economic and financial crisis, and at the heart of it all a youth employment crisis. The Arab Spring in 2011 served as a reminder that we needed to do more to include young people in policy discussions. Today there are signs of hope with more positivism stemming from economic reports in reference to job creation, GDP growth and reforms. But these reports also call for caution. The people in Pakistan –especially the youth- know all too well that robust growth has been associated with very high levels of informality and working poverty; and not necessarily with decent work. That is why SDG 8 focuses both on growth and on decent employment, supported by the Pakistan National Human Development Report (NHDR) 2018. The 2018 Report stresses the need for “quality employment among the youth”. More than 1.3 million young

people are without a job, and over 40 million are trapped in working poverty. In Pakistan where fertility is declining slowly and where it is particularly difficult to find decent jobs, one of the immediate challenges is to educate and to provide technical and professional training to the young workforce. However, as pointed out in the NHDR, the education budget remains a shy 2.3% of GDP and at the current net enrolment growth rate it will take another 60 years to reach the target of “zero outof-school” children. Sector-wise, the trends are clear: employment in agriculture is declining while services and industry are steadily growing at a third and a fifth of all jobs, respectively. Meanwhile, new technologies are reshaping jobs. Despite these opportunities, some want to caution against the notion that somehow, artificial intelligence and automation are “stealing” and “cutting” jobs. However, only 15% of the population is online in

Pakistan and the “digital divide” is becoming less about access and more about the wise and productive use of the internet. The ILO has launched a major initiative called “The Future of Work”, ahead of its centenary in 2019. The ILO in Pakistan is working with the Government through the Prime Minister Youth Programme (PMYP) and has developed a National Youth Employment Framework (NYEF) for an integrated response. An inter-ministerial National Steering Committee for Youth Employment was notified and had its first meeting to review and endorse the NYES. The process of Provincial Consultations has been completed in 2018. Our ability to work jointly and inter-generationally will help ensure that no one is left behind, building healthy foundations for social stability and political harmony in Pakistan.

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World Employment and Social Outlook A just transition to a green economy could create 14 million jobs in Asia and the Pacific

region lost an annual average of 536 working-life years per 100,000 working age people due to human-induced or climate change related disasters. Heat stress is another concern, as rising temperatures impact the health of workers and reduce worker performance. Southern Asia could face productivity losses equivalent to 4.8 per cent, because of rising temperatures. Agriculture workers will be the most affected.

14 million new jobs would be created in Asia and the Pacific by 2030 if the right policies to promote a greener economy are put in place, the new ILO report World Employment and Social Outlook 2018: Greening with Jobs suggests. The gains would be in fields of renewable energies, construction, manufacturing, and sustainable agriculture. In Asia and the Pacific, economic growth remains coupled with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Environmental degradation is further exacerbated by the high volume of extraction; the region was responsible for 55 per cent of the 84 gigatons of materials extracted globally in 2013. Estimates show that between 2008 and 2015, the

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According to the report, globally, action to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius will result in sufficient job creation to more than offset the expected job losses of 6 million in traditional energy sectors. The global net job creation as countries make the transition to green economies would amount to 24 million jobs: 14 million in Asia and the Pacific, 3 million in the Americas, and 2 million in Europe. In contrast, there could be net job losses in the Middle East (-0.48 per cent) and Africa (-0.04 per cent) if current trends continue, due to the dependence of these regions on fossil fuel and mining, respectively. The report calls on countries to take urgent action to train workers in the skills needed for the transition to a greener economy, and provide them with social protection that facilitates the transition to new jobs.

Although measures to address climate change may result in shortterm employment losses in some cases, their negative impact can be reduced through appropriate policies. The report calls for synergies between social protection and environmental policies which support both workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; incomes and the transition to a greener economy. The report also shows that environmental laws, regulations and policies that include labour issues offer a powerful means to advance the ILOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Decent Work Agenda and environmental objectives.

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Women do four times more unpaid care work than men in Asia and the Pacific be created if investment in education, health and social work were doubled by 2030, the report says. According to the report, worldwide 2.1 billion people were in need of care in 2015, including 1.9 billion children under 15 and 200 million older persons. By 2030, this number is expected to reach 2.3 billion, driven by an additional 200 million older persons and children.

Women do 4.1 times more time in unpaid care work than men, in Asia and the Pacific. According to the ILO report on Care work and care jobs for the future of decent work , investment in the care economy needs to be doubled to avert a looming global care crisis, says the new ILO report. Sweeping changes in policies should address the rising need for care and tackle the huge disparity between women’s and men’s care responsibilities. The figures show that globally, women are performing more than three-quarters of the time spent in unpaid care work. Around 269 million new jobs could

Data from 64 countries representing two thirds of the world’s working age population show that 16.4 billion hours per day are spent in unpaid care work. Were such services to be valued on the basis of an hourly minimum wage, they would amount to 9 per cent of global GDP or US$11 trillion (purchasing power parity in 2011). According to the report, Globally, women perform 76.2 per cent of total hours of unpaid care work, more than three times as much as men. In Asia and the Pacific, this rises to 80 per cent.

decades. The report says that unpaid care work is the main barrier preventing women from getting into, remaining and progressing in the labour force. In 2018, 606 million working age women said that they were not able to do so because of unpaid care work. Only 41 million men said they were not in the labour force for the same reason. The report advocates a ‘high road’ to care work, which would result in a total of 475 million jobs by 2030. This implies total public and private expenditure on care services of US$18.4 trillion or 18.3 per cent of total projected GDP. Such an investment would allow countries to reach several targets of four SDGs by 2030: SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 5 and SDG 8. The report also showed that most care workers are women, frequently migrants and working in the informal economy under poor conditions and for low pay.

In some countries, men’s contribution to unpaid care work has increased over the past 20 years. However, in the 23 countries providing such data, the gender gap in the time devoted to unpaid care responsibilities declined by just 7 minutes per day over the last two

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Part of the ILO’s approach to decent work includes the creation of green jobs. Green jobs are central to sustainable development and respond to the global challenges of environmental protection, economic development and social inclusion. By engaging governments, workers and employers as active agents of change, the ILO promotes the greening of enterprises, workplace practices and the labour market as a whole. These efforts create decent employment opportunities, enhance resource efficiency and build low-carbon sustainable societies. In Pakistan, the ILO in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature under an EU funded project on International and Environmental Standards in Pakistan’s SME’s is working in the textile and leather sectors to improve resource efficiency. To achieve this, two initiatives are currently underway that are working towards cleaner production in the two sectors.

Pakistan from water rich to water stressed country Freshwater is an essential resource for both people and nature. Healthy rivers, lakes, wetlands, aquifers and glaciers don’t just help supply safe drinking water; they also support the creation of green jobs, agriculture, hydropower, flood mitigation, and transportation of goods across the globe. Pakistan’s per capita water availability has decreased over the years. Massive population growth, unsustainable water consumption trends (domestic and commercial) and mismanagement of water resources over the course of the last few decades have progressively pushed Pakistan from being a water-abundant to a water-scarce country. Current average abstraction rates from the aquifer beneath are causing the water level to fall drastically, which has led the per capita water availability to decrease to 964 m3. WWF-Pakistan with ILO are collaborating to implement the EU-funded project on ‘International Labour and Environmental Standards (ILES) Application in Pakistan’s SMEs’. Under this project, a network of public, private and civil society actors was formed, titled ‘City-Wide Partnership’,

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The mean estimated cost of environmental and natural resources damage is about 365 billion rupees per year in Pakistan or 6 percent of GDP”. (The environment and Climate Change Outlook of Pakistan 2013). committed to mitigating shared water risks. The city-wide partnership aims to promote constructive open dialogues on priority water risks by mobilizing resources, fostering new partnerships for the creation of green jobs, improved water governance, adopting locally-driven solutions and making measurable improvements in the overall water management of a city to ensure water is available for domestic and business use. A key outcome of the project has been the establishment of a multi-stakeholder platform for water stakeholders in four cities (Lahore, Sialkot, Faisalabad and Karachi), to encompass businesses, local and provincial government, water management institutions, and civil society. An important component of the partnership is to conduct studies

Pakistan is the 7th most vulnerable country to climate change. (According to global climate risk index, 2018)

of all cities through ‘Situation Analyses of the Water Resources: Establishing a Case for Water Stewardship’. The scope of these studies includes comprehensive water accounting for cities, description and volumetric quantification of all significant water resources, stores, and discharges, sinks and losses. With this multi-stakeholder partnership, WWF-Pakistan and ILO aim to work towards better management of water by pilot scale projects in the country.

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Standards make enterprises sustainable

Pakistan’s textile and leather sector industries are the major export-earning sectors of Pakistan and are two of the most water and energy intensive sectors in Pakistan. Unsustainable practices and non-compliance with international standards and national environmental laws has put pressure on the competence of industries, which eventually affects Pakistan’s GDP. The adoption of sustainable consumption practices has become a prerequisite in global markets to promote the low carbon economy and has become an important factor posing risk to businesses. To make textile and leather sectors in SMEs in Pakistan more sustainable and compliant to international environmental and labour laws and standards, WWF-Pakistan and ILO are collaborating in implementing an EU-funded project on ‘International Labour and Environmental Standards Application in Pakistan’s

SOME FACTS FROM SEMP IMPLEMENTATION

“Most of the Resource Efficient Cleaner Production Techniques under SEMP have payback period within one year”

“Typical cotton based woven dyeing textile can save caustic soda worth 0.5 Million/yr through Reuse of mercerization hot washes in kier section.”

“Proper water measurement and monitoring system can reduce water consumption by 10%”

“Compressed air is the most expensive utility in textile and leather and proper maintenance of compressed air system can reduce the energy wastage by 15%”

“Proper condensate recovery and return to the boiler can reduce the cost of steam generation by 5 - 7%”

“Application of variable frequency drives on pumps and fans with variable loads results in savings of up to 25% in energy consumption”.

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“Programs like ILES will play an important role in improvement of compliance to international labour and environmental standards, and will result in increased exports earning foreign exchange for the country. In comfort knitwear the survey conducted under ILES has highlighted areas of improvement, and we have started working on some of the areas making business sense.” M. I. Khurram Chairman Comfort Group of Companies

“The ILES team has been very supportive throughout their engagement with ZKAP. Initially they conducted a comprehensive survey and analysed our existing resource consumption practices. Later on the team came up with some recommendations and available solutions which are helping us in complying our international buyers. We always keep the ILES team in the loop in case of any query in the implementation phase” Mr. Khalid Chaudhary General Manager Zulfiqar Knitting and Processing (Pvt) Ltd. (Z-KAP)

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Small Medium Enterprises (ILES)’. During the period January 2017 to April 2018, 85 enterprises have joined, with the collaboration of industrial associations such as APTMA, PTA, and PLGMEA. Performance analysis surveys have been completed for 25 enterprise units located in Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad and Sialkot, out of which, 20 units have received detailed report on findings of survey and training, imparted to management on identified Smart Environmental Management Practices. The technical support for implementation of SEMPs is underway and approximately 50 percent of the audited units have started implementation of SEMPs, which not only reduce resource consumption but will also reduce the pollution loading of the emissions and effluents. Relate to DWCP Priority 3: Strengthening ILS Compliance through Social Dialogue. Implementation of Smart Environmental Management Practices (SEMPs) in Textile and Leather sectors,

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Assessment of skill gaps and Decent Work deficits in selected agro feed value chains At a gathering of over 30 stakeholders, the Government of Gilgit Baltistan (GB), United Nations (UN), Academia, INGOs, and farmers endorsed the preliminary findings of an assessment study on Skill Gaps and Decent Work Deficits in selected agri-food value chains. The study was commissioned with financial support from the One UN Fund, under the ILO’s Project on ‘Improving livelihood and working conditions in agri-food economy through value chains development’. The province faces several challenges including difficult terrain, the long distance between Islamabad market and GB, and an absence of cold storage which makes it difficult to transport produce to the mainstream market. IFAD has initiated a long-term project in the province with an initial focus on the value chains of apricot and potato. The Department has advised the ILO and UNIDO to intervene in the value chains of cherry, apple and trout fish, which have huge potentials for economic growth. The Assessment study aimed at identifying skills gaps and decent work deficits in the selected value chains, which impede the desired level of productivity and economic returns. The study also brought a set of viable solutions and measures to strengthen and enhance stakeholder capacity, and help them to adopt decent work practices. The findings found the skills develop-

ment system in the region quite weak. For instance, training in fruit processing was generally limited to preparing jam, jelly and pickle at a domestic level, which is commercially not viable. The opportunities of technical training in trout farming were found missing. 81 percent of the respondents in the Assessment Study strongly identified capacity gaps related to plantation of improved varieties of apple as the most important area for intervention. Knowledge and skill gaps pertaining to preparation of commercially viable value-added apple products came out as the second most important element, highlighted by 73 percent of respondents. In the trout value chain, the weak institutional capacity of key actors surfaced. Establishing and managing new hatcheries emerged as one of the major needs. The inability to iden-

tify and manage fish disease at various stages, appeared as the most important skills gap for trout production. Overall, the lack of knowledge and skills on proper supply chain management was also reported as a gap which further makes the fish farmers vulnerable to dealers and middle men. On decent work, a majority of the farmers still rely heavily on conventional tools and practices, which leads to low efficiency; productivity and yields. Over 80 percent of the farmers were found unaware of occupational safety and health (OSH) issues in farming. The findings of the assessment will help design skills training programmes in the three value chains in the province, to address the skills gaps and decent work deficits as to improve livelihoods and working conditions.

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decent work – promoting jobs, protecting people

– promoting jobs, protecting people

EXTENDING SOCIAL PROTECTION

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Pakistan needs an effective Social Protection System to overcome inequalities By Saad Gilani,Senior Program Officer, ILO Country Office Pakistan

Social Protection essentially helps societies to overcome critical issues such as poverty, inequality and insecurities. Article 22 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states “Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security”. In the same lines, the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (1973) in its article 38 pledges “Promotion of social and economic well-being of the people” through equitable distribution of resources, social security and social insurance. Pillar-1 of Pakistan Vision 2025 seeks a just and equitable society in Pakistan where vulnerable and marginalized segments of the society would be mainstreamed, vulnerable segments will be protected and encouraged by revamping and expanding the social protection system and social safety nets. Furthermore, the ILO’s Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102) and the Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202), endorsed by the UN and the G20 promotes minimum standards of

social protection across all countries through technical support, advocacy, knowledge-products and sharing of good practices. Similarly, the Sustainable Development Goals, and in particular SDG 1.3 provides a stronger foothold to start serious dialogue among key national stakeholders to establish universal, progressive and inclusive Social Protection system. SDG Target 1.3 states that “Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable”. The ILO’s Recommendation No. 202 on Social Protection Floors clearly supports a life-cycle approach for the Social Protection covering maternity protection, essential health, income support for children, unemployed youth, persons with disabilities, and for elderly people. The Recommendation also lays down key principles for effective Social Protection including Universality, Non-contributory, Pluralistic, and focusing Results, i.e., having a clear graduation strategy for beneficiaries. The Recommendation also provides for a staircase approach of providing free and non-contributory social protection to the lowest quintile of population but opening contributory and voluntary social services for the better-off. ILO’s World Social Protection Report 2017-19 indicates that Pakistan’s spending on Social Protection is far less than its neighbouring nations. The country’s social protection system comp¬rises three types of schemes — social security/social insurance, so-

cial assistance for the poor and labour market programmes (public works programmes). Spending on social protection remains relatively low in Pakistan. Even though social protection expenditure is dominated by spending on social insurance, social insurance covers only 17 percent of the total beneficiaries. Coverage rates for key target groups is under 20 percent. In order to establish an effective social protection system in Pakistan, there is a need to establish a National Social Protection Council with the participation of all relevant stakeholders and social partners. The second most important task is to develop a mechanism to collect and compile accurate and timely data on social protection coverage. The Council should review the entire social protection regime in the country and support national institutions and Provincial Governments to gradually put in place universal social protection schemes covering different segments – based on their fiscal space. There are two important myths that needs to be broken to promote effective social protection. One, that social protection is only required by ‘poor and vulnerable’. Since Social Protection is recognized as a Human Right, it should be available for every citizen. Second, that universal social protection will require big budget. The World Social Protection Report 2017-19 clearly shows that fiscal space for social protection exists even in the poorest countries.

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decent work – promoting jobs, protecting people

Victims of 2012 Ali Enterprises factory fire receive additional compensation Additional beneficiaries, including the disabled victims of the factory fire, are in the process of having their compensation rights fully established. In January 2018, all parties agreed on how the funds would be disbursed to the different categories of beneficiaries.

More than five years after the deadly Ali Enterprises factory fire in Baldia, Karachi, victims and their families start receiving regular payments from a US$ 5.15 million additional compensation package financed by German retailer KiK Textilien, the main buyer at the Pakistani company. A ceremony was held in Karachi on 19th May 2018 to mark the occasion, attended by the parties to the arrangement, including beneficiaries and representatives of the Pakistani and German Governments, the Sindh authorities, employers, trade unions, civil society organizations and the ILO. The Minister for Labour and Human Resource, Sindh, Mr. Syed Nasir Hussain Shah presided over the ceremony as Chief Guest.

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More than 255 workers were killed and 57 injured in the fire at the garment factory on 11 September 2012, which is considered the most serious industrial accident in Pakistan’s history. KiK Textilien initially provided US$1 million in emergency benefits in December 2012. This was distributed through the Sindh High Court to the dependants of the identified victims. The beneficiaries also received payments from public social security schemes with the provisions of local legislation. In September 2016 KiK Textilien agreed to pay an additional amount of US$ 5.15 million for long term compensation, to ensure that regular payments go to beneficiaries in line with the minimum requirements of ILO’s Employment Injury Benefits Convention (C 121).

The ILO, with the financial support of the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation (BMZ) through Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) is currently providing technical assistance to the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI) for the next 1-2 years to deliver the lifetime benefits to victims of the 2012 fire and to strengthen the systems and institutional capacities. Local stakeholders, including beneficiaries of the additional compensation, conveyed their satisfaction with the process which they considered a precedent that would safeguard the welfare of Pakistani workers in the future.

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International Domestic Workers Day

On 16 June every year, the world commemorates International Domestic Workers Day. This is a day when we are all called upon to recall the rights of domestic workers. Domestic workers often face low wages, excessively long hours, have no guaranteed weekly day of rest, and at times are vulnerable to abuse or restrictions on freedom. Domestic workers comprise a significant part of the global workforce in informal employment and are among the most vulnerable groups of workers. They work for private households, often without clear terms of employment, unregistered in any book, and excluded from the scope of labour legislation. Currently there are at least 67 million domestic workers worldwide, not including child domestic workers and this number is increasing steadily in developed and developing countries. Even though a substantial number of men work in the sector – often as gardeners, drivers or butlers – it remains a highly feminized sector: 80 percent of all domestic workers are women. A domestic worker may work on fulltime or part-time basis; may be employed by a single household or by multiple employers; may be residing in the household of the employer (live-in worker) or may be living in his or her own residence (live-out). A domestic worker may be working in a country of which she/he is not a national, thus referred to as a migrant domestic worker.

At present, domestic workers often face very low wages, excessively long hours, have no guaranteed weekly day of rest and at times are vulnerable to physical, mental and sexual abuse or restrictions on freedom of movement. Exploitation of domestic workers can partly be attributed to gaps in national labour and employment legislation, and often reflects discrimination along the lines of sex, race and caste. The ILO Strategy for action towards making decent work a reality for domestic workers worldwide envisages support for countries that are committed and ready to take measures

aimed at improving the protection and working conditions of domestic workers, regardless of whether these involve ratifying the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189) in the immediate future. It recognizes that real change in the lives of domestic workers requires building national capacities and institutions and facilitating social and attitudinal change, which are complex and long processes. The ILO strategy encompasses actions at global, regional, and country levels in five broad areas: building and strengthening national institutions and, when required, adopting effective policy and legislative reforms and/or programmes; facilitating the organization and representation of domestic workers and their employers; support in respect of ratification and implementation of Convention 189 and the implementation of Recommendation 201; awareness-raising and advocacy on domestic workers’ rights; and building the knowledge base on domestic work and exchange of experiences between countries to enhance actions and impact at country level.

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13th annual employer awards on Occupational Safety and Health 28 April marks World Day for Safety and Health at Work every year. This year, the day was commemorated under the theme ‘Generation Safe and Healthy’. In Pakistan, ILO’s constituents organized an event hosted by the Employers Federation of Pakistan (EFP) in Karachi on 7 May, to reaffirm their commitment towards the common goal of safer workplaces and healthy workers in Pakistan. The event was attended by 175 delegates from the employer community, workers representatives, the chamber of commerce and related federal and provincial government officials. Majyd Aziz, President, Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (EFP) said that for EFP, the OSH event was not just a celebration, but a movement to shape the future of work in Pakistan. He added that EFP has advocated and continues to emphasize the concept that expenditure on OSH should not be treated as a cost burden by enterprise but rather, as an investment, both for short-term as well as long-term benefits. Zahoor Awan, Secretary General, Pakistan Workers Federation highlighted that Health and Safety was a common concern for both employers and workers, and called upon the government to take notice of the poor safety and health

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situation in the labour market. He further lamented the fact that the working environments in mining, construction and transportation were dismal due to constrained and incapacitated labour inspectorates. Ingrid Christensen, Country Director ILO Pakistan mentioned that almost all the work related accidents were preventable through systematic OSH measures. She emphasized a more collaborative role of the Tripartite Constituents to improve the worsening OSH situation in Pakistan, stating that the promotion of OSH must be an integral component of labour strategies to ensure safer workplaces and realization of decent work. Ms. Christensen also advised the employers to pay special attention towards the young entrants of the labour market. She also requested employers’ support for compliance with the provisions of Sindh OSH Act 2017 to create safe and healthy workplaces.

Ashraf Ali Naqvi, Joint Director Labour, Zishan Ahmed Siddiqi, National Project Coordinator SLISP, ILO, Zahoor Awan, Secretary General, Pakistan Workers Federation, and Abdul Waheed Sandal, Director Employers’ Federation of Pakistan discussed various challenges and strategies for improving the condition of OSH in Pakistan. Malik Tahir Javed, President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that Pakistan needed to formulate an Action Plan to reduce cost of doing business. He said that EFP, must play a pro-active and leading role in lobbying, advocating, and advising in all the economic and business issues faced by the private sector. The event also included a ceremony for awards distribution among 24 employers recognised for promoting safe working conditions at enterprise level.

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decent work

decent work – promoting jobs, protecting people

– promoting jobs, protecting people

PROMOTING SOCIAL DIALOGUE

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decent work – promoting jobs, protecting people

107th Session of the International Labour Conference “Building a future with decent work”

Every year, member states of ILO convene at International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva in the month of June. This gathering, often referred to as the Global Parliament of Labour sets the broad policies of the ILO, is a forum for discussion of key social and labour questions, adopts the ILO’s budget and similarly provides guidelines for the ILO’s general policy and future activity. The ILC elects the Governing Body of the ILO. This year, Pakistan’s tripartite constituents participated in the 107th Session of the ILC which was held under the theme ‘Building a future with decent work.’ Among the highlights of the ILC this year, was a standards setting discussion on a possible labour instrument on violence and harassment against men and women in the world of work. This standards setting discussion will reach conclusion in 2019 coinciding with ILO’s centenary celebrations. Details on the conclusions of the ILC committee’s on pertinent labour issues included the following: The Conference Committee on Social Dialogue and Tripartism decided on a new framework for action that includes a set of measures to promote social dialogue and tripartism. The Committee said that social dialogue plays a crucial role in designing policies

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cussion on the future of the ILO’s development cooperation in supporting constituents in achieving decent work for all and the Sustainable Development Goals. Committee members saw great challenges and opportunities arising from global social, economic and environmental megatrends and changes in the world of work. The Committee’s conclusions contain guiding principles and a roadmap for future ILO development cooperation. The guiding principles include a call for enhanced country ownership; promoting the ILO’s four strategic objectives with even more results and impact on the ground; policy coherence at all levels; an increased role of the private sector in sustainable development; a stronger focus on capacity development; promoting innovative and inclusive forms of partnerships and financing; and enhanced transparency through social dialogue.

to promote social justice. The Committee on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations of the ILC adopted conclusions on 23 individual cases relating to issues arising from the implementation of labour rights. The Committee also discussed standards relating to working time, based on a general survey, Ensur-

ing decent working time for the future. It noted that the discussions were timely, as transformations currently taking place in the world of work were changing many of the traditional ways of working and was having an impact on its organization. The Committee on Effective ILO Development Cooperation had a robust dis-

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decent work – promoting jobs, protecting people

Creating a vibrant trade union movement in a country like Pakistan, where the large majority of hard working people reside in the informal economy, is an obvious challenge. But, commitment, persistence and support have changed the narrative of how youth, women and informal economy workers can be brought into the fold of labour market governance. These are the stories of Saad, Arooma and Asad, beneficiaries of ILO’s continued support to improving the capacity of Pakistan’s trade union movement. The stories have been contributed by our staff member Razi Mujtaba Haider who works on Workers’ Rights, Gender and Communication with the ILO in Pakistan.

Thinking globally acting locally: transformation through education and training

My name is Saad Muhammad, I am a young trade unionist and have always aspired to assume a leadership role at an international forum, with a particular interest in mobilising young women and men and to raise voices for the youth in Pakistan’s trade union movement. I was fortunate to receive training imparted by the ILO on Second Line Leadership and Paralegals, and I did not put the training books on the shelf after this. I turned to action, created a team of motivated young people and set out to organize the Domestic Workers in Lahore. We registered the first ever TU of the Domestic Workers (DWs), imparted training to the DWs on their rights and responsibilities, and imparted skills training to the DWs through the skills train-

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ing programme of the ILO. Until 2009 I was just an ordinary member of the Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) Youth Committee, but after the education and training, my journey started at an international forum, and through hard work, conviction, leadership and sincere work for the Domestic Workers in Pakistan, in 2014 I was elected as the titular member of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC- International Governing Body for the Asia Pacific Region. In 2014 I was among 16 young leaders of the global trade union movement who were elected as titular members of TUC CSI IGB World Body. I continued my active struggle and have been involved in designing strategies, influencing policy, and training young women and men to take an informed and strong position in promoting and protecting workers’ rights from the forum of the trade unions. In 2015 I was elected as the Titular Member of the ITUC Youth Committee at global level and I

have been representing Asia Pacific trade unions in the governing body of the ITUC. In 2018 UNDP convened a dialogue between political parties on youth agenda in their manifesto, and I was the only person from the Trade Unions who provided feedback to the political parties on what strategies they should follow for the youth in the trade union movement. I continued my education and now I am a licensed and practising lawyer, presently I am also involved in providing free legal assistance to workers from the unions, in collaboration with a few students and faculty of Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) Law School. The youth of Pakistan have great potential and they can achieve success and higher pedestal in life, provided that they pursue grand dreams, work hard and be sincere to their cause. My story is a story of success of transformation through education and training turned to action!

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My Journey- becoming a female trade union leader

Pakistani workers participate in a rally on the international Labor Day in Lahore, Pakistan, May 1, 2018. Pakistan observed Labor Day on Tuesday along with other nations worldwide. (Photo: K.M. Chaudary/AP)

My name is Arooma Shahzad and after completing my education I started off as a journalist but was not satisfied. I always wanted to do something remarkable for the women in Pakistan, in particular for the unprivileged and marginalized working women. In 2014 I was nominated for a training of ‘Second Line Leadership’ organized by the Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF), through the support of the ILO. This landed me in the exact field where I wanted to work. I received valuable education on labour laws, gender equality, collective bargaining, and other related topics. After a month got another chance to participate in another ‘Paralegal Training’ organized by the PWF through support of the ILO. Then, along with a team of young aspiring colleagues,

I set out to put our training to action and use. We chose domestic workers as a category of the labour force that needed help. As the majority comprise of women who face exploitation and do not have readily-available information on their rights and national and international laws- I decided that we had to organise them and provide them awareness. I went door to door, telling them about their rights and organizing a collective voice. I faced a lot of difficulties and challenges. Nobody was positive to the idea of a woman working for women, but I did not want to give up. We registered the first Domestic Workers Union in 2015, and I was elected as the first President of the Domestic Workers Union in Pakistan. This was the first milestone in recog-

nising domestic workers as formal contributors to the labour force. In the second elections held in 2017 I was elected as the General Secretary of the union. I participated in rallies and walks for the cause of DWs in Punjab, I fought with the male chauvinism and patriarchal approach in trade unions, but I persisted, and I used my education and training to enlighten the masses. My federation, the Pakistan Workers Federation leadership supported me and I have been fortunate to expand my learning through international trainings at the ITUC Turin Centre, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka where I represent my union the Domestic Workers Union (DWU). People are surprised that women in Pakistan can rise to leadership roles in Pakistan and in the trade union movement, and I often tell them that hard work, perseverance, dedication and conviction have been my assets. When I look back on my journey, I feel satisfied that I utilized my training practically and have contributed to being a change leader for domestic workers in Pakistan. My journey continues and I am convinced that women have great potential to aspire to leadership and decision making roles through their commitment and devotion.

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decent work â&#x20AC;&#x201C; promoting jobs, protecting people

The voice of agriculture workers in Sindh

My name is Asad Ullah Memon. I belong to a rural agricultural family from Sindh and though we have been residing in Karachi for many years, our roots still lie with the agriculture workers. From an early age I had always seen agriculture workers, particularly women, working from dawn till dusk, in very precarious conditions, without any fixed and determined wages or defined working hours, toiling incessantly to manage two meals for their family. I was also fortunate to be in a family of a trade unionist. In 2014 the Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) organized a training of Paralegals in Karachi, with the support of the ILO Pakistan Office. After the completion of training I wanted to do something concrete. I also completed another training of Second Line Leadership organized by the PWF supported by the ILO Pakistan Office. After the training I formed a team of men and women from the agriculture sector of rural Sindh and I started my journey in far flung districts of Sindh, facing challenges of illiteracy and language barriers. Our team developed a training manual in Sindhi language, using only pictures and infographics. More women and men from the agriculture sector started coming to our trainings. We also registered the first Sindh Agriculture and Fishing Workers Union (SAFWU) in 2015 with the

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department of labour in Sindh under the Sindh Industrial Relations Act (SIRA). We focused our training on OSH, met the feudal lords and land owners and sensitised them on the fact that training their agricultural workers on safety would help to reduce accidents of the workers and would be economically viable. We were given access and gradually, even female agricultural workers recognised and accepted that that the trainings were useful. We had an able team and ILO supported us in conducting trainings and education for the agricultural workers. In the meanwhile, I had the opportunity to represent my union in various international forums where I spoke candidly about the obstacles that we had faced to train agriculture and also explained how we changed

our strategies to fit in to our objectives. In November 2016 I was elected as the Titular Member of the ITUC Youth Committee for the Asia Pacific. The work that our union started has caught the attention of various international development partners and we are in discussion with them on how they can support the agriculture workers through education and training. No dream is too big or too small and no path is easy. The path to success is tilled with toil and persistence and it gives me immense satisfaction when I utilized my learning and knowledge gained from trainings for the benefit of the agriculture workers and for spearheading change and being the first drops of the rain of change.

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decent work – promoting jobs, protecting people

Sindh Labour Department completes consultation for drafting rules of business for implementation of labour laws

The devolution of the subject of labour to provinces through the 18th Amendment to the Constitution has enabled the provinces to contextualize and re-enact the labour laws. The province of Sindh has formulated 14 new labour laws through a tripartite consultative process. For effective implementation of these labour laws, the province initiated the process of framing new Rules. As part of this process, the Sindh Labour and Human Resource Department organized a second phase of consultation with the technical and financial support of ILO through its International Labour and Environmental Standards project, funded by the European Union, and the German funded project on Labour Standards in Global Supply Chains. The process was also supported by the ILO Country Office Islamabad and the ILO’s technical specialist on International Labour Standards, Ms. Miranda Fajerman. Representatives of workers, employers and civil society participated in the consultation.

As a result of the consultative process, Rules of Business were drafted for the following five labour laws: The Sindh Industrial Relations Act 2013, Sindh Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act 2015, Sindh Prohibition of Employment of Children Act 2017, Sindh Terms of Employment Act (Standing Order) 2015 and Sindh Workers Compensation Act 2015. Workers’ and employers’ representatives appreciated the Government of Sindh for enabling the process of social dialogue and congratulated the Department of Labour on the completion of the consultative process. During the consultation, the participants worked in groups which allowed exchange of views and opinions and consented on inputs to the drafting process and suggested practical recommendations for the effective implementation of laws under consideration Workers Representatives in consultative group recommended some important amendments including equal nomination from workers and

employers sides in Workers Management Council, use of birth certificate /NADRA registration forum as a primary mean for age verification and at least 30% representation of women in vigilance committees to monitor bonded labour. Mr. Fasihul Karim Siddiqui, representing the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan, agreed that the Sindh Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act 2015 does not fully address bonded or forced labour in the province. He stressed the government should pursue amendments in the Act and derive the definition of bonded and forced labour as stated in ILO Conventions Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (C. 29) - and Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (C. 105) - to be included in the law.

real lives: stories that inspire us

Empowering women to practice safe menstruation

Hajra Bibi’s life turned upside down the day her husband had an accident and was left paralyzed. As he was the sole breadwinner for the family, she had to take matters in her own hands, selling hand-embroidered clothes but failing to meet all household expenses and pay her six-year-old daughter’s school fees. Last year, owing to her sewing skills, she was selected for a Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) training organized by UNICEF, where she learnt about the importance of menstrual hygiene along with how to make sanitary pads at home. She started making the pads and selling them to girls and women in the community, and as demand grew so did her income. Hajra lives in a small cottage at the corner of a narrow muddy street in village Kuri Junali. Located along the base of Hindukush Mountains, the village is more than 100 kilometers uphill from the city

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of Chitral. The distance, hilly route, and extreme weather add to the cost of living as it can take days for supplies to reach the local market.A pack of eight sanitary pads costs around 250 rupees (over two dollars). While talking about menstrual hygiene in this area is considered a taboo, high costs of pads further exacerbate the situation. As a result, most of the women prefer using a piece of cloth that is often washed and reused repeatedly. This could cause infections, putting girls and women’s health at risk. Many a times, these infections go untreated as menstruation and gynecological issues are considered a matter of shame, therefore, no one talks about them. In 2016, UNICEF initiated a Multi-Year Humanitarian Program under the Pakistan Approach to Total Sanitation (PATS) that sought to improve sanitation and wellbeing of the people in Chitral. Funded by the United

Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and implemented by the Agha Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP), one of the key objectives of the project was to educate communities on the importance of proper menstrual hygiene and promote local solutions to hygienic, affordable and environmentally sustainable menstrual supplies. The project was implemented in three Union councils of Chitral district: Charun, Mulkhow and Kosht. Multiple training sessions were organized and MHM kits, containing menstrual management essentials, were provided in schools and colleges benefitting over 2500 girls and women. Some community women were given entrepreneurial trainings to produce and sell home-made sanitary pads. They were trained to prepare hygienic sanitary pads at home, using material that is easily available in the market at a low cost. These entrepreneurs are not only producing and selling MHM kits, but are also educating and training other women in their communities. Following the project’s success and increasing demand, UNICEF has expanded the initiative to three additional union councils in Chitral District between 2018-2019. During this time, UNICEF aims to reach more schools benefitting at least 6,000 adolescent girls and training around 50 women including health workers and community leaders.

real lives: stories that inspire us

A time to cherish and nourish new bonds

After five years of marriage, I distinctly remember this day last year when my wife and I received the news of our first baby arriving. It was the happiest day of our lives. We were ecstatic and nervous at the same time, as we made preparations for the arrival of our little one. Nine months went by and we were ready to hold God’s biggest gift in ours arms. Our son, Baryal Muhammad was born on 16th March, this year. While the mom was doing well, the baby had to be admitted into newborn care unit as he was diagnosed with high ammonia and low platelets count. It was a stressful time, as we wanted to take our son home but he had to be kept in the hospital for treatment. This was the time when I knew my wife and son needed me the most. I knew about UNICEF’s two-month paternity leave policy, which makes application

easy through an online system. I registered my son’s birth online with the organization and received a response within 24 hours. My wife was discharged from the hospital, and though herself frail, she worried more about the baby. However, she stayed at home, while I stayed with our son at the hospital, bringing her in after every few hours to feed the baby. I was striving to care for both wife and son at home and at hospital, but knew that it was the first test of parenthood. A new experience that made me realise the struggles, strength and beauty of becoming a father. My son fought the illnesses and was discharged after ten days, as he fully recovered. This is when we named him Baryal, which means The Victorious in Pushto language. UNICEF provides a two-month paternity leave to its staff members. I feel

that this is a major facility that enables an employee to provide the most needed support to his spouse, which strengthens the family bond. In Pakistan, there is no official policy for paternity leave. Thus, most fathers either miss out on being with the family at this crucial time or avail their annual leave. Childbirth is the time when a father must shoulder a lot of responsibilities. If not spared from office work during this time, family and work both suffer. Spending time with my wife and son at home really helped us evolve a caring environment, a must for every new born. No doubt, parenting is a demanding job. One has to give up his sleep and alter lifestyle preferences; readjusting it all to the baby’s schedule. A mother cannot do this alone. It is imperative that the dad is also there to help and support, at least during the first few months. Giving birth is an emotional and exhaustive experience for a woman. Therefore, the best a husband can do is to be around for her emotional support. In Pakistan, the family support system is strong and other family members are also around but I realized that no one could provide the support to my wife, that I could.

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WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE

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women in agriculture

Taking women along to ensure Zero Hunger in Pakistan By MinĂ Dowlatchahi, FAO Representative in Pakistan working women in Pakistan. The majority work in agriculture, and are among the most vulnerable. National women literacy rate is 49 percent, but only 38 percent in rural areas, with a net enrollment rate at primary-level-aged girls of only 53 percent in rural areas. Still we are too oblivious of their needs, in particular when drawing policy implementation and plans of actions. When men migrate to cities looking for higher and faster sources of income, it is the women who remain behind to look after the families, farms and livestock. In a country where agriculture is the main source of ensuring food security and sustainable livelihood for rural families, the role of women cannot be emphasized enough. While it is encouraging to see the women engaged in Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agri-sector being more acknowledged recently, workers in the fields are still neglected. It is women who actively engage in growing and harvesting crops, producing vegetables, maintaining homestead kitchen gardens, and managing herds of cattle along with performing their mandatory roles of raising children, looking after their homes, and fetching water, animal feed, and collecting fuel. It is these women who are often left behind when policies are being implemented. Women in rural areas make up 83 percent of the nearly 15 million of

It might be a challenging situation for the women to be in, however if we look closely there is an inherent opportunity. These women end up making important decisions. They select crops, decide and acquire the agriculture inputs they need, and invest back their earnings, giving high priority to the education and needs of children and family members. Women in agriculture need support to gain the necessary knowledge to better access productive resources, improve their agriculture and livestock practices, and ensure they can increase their contribution to their family nutrition status and incomes. One important aspect is to ensure extension services are up to the mark and reach a high number of women farmers and the overall agri-econo-

my, and one structural impediment in gaining optimal benefits from these services is the near-absolute absence of women in agriculture extension departments in all the provinces of Pakistan. A recently held IFPRI-FAO National Workshop on Extension Services good practices and way forward held in March 2018, identified the lack of female extension workers as one aspect to be addressed. Out of a total of 6,390 field extension workers in Agriculture Departments, 1.31 percent are female (In Balochistan there are 49, in Pakistan administered Kashmir 25, in Sindh 10, and 0 female field extension workers in KP and Punjab). There is a real and urgent need to induct more women officers and field staff in government agriculture and allied natural resource departments to tap the potential of women and girls, by exposing them to modern and climate smart farming practices, helping them to gain better access to productive inputs and credit at fair prices and to make informed decisions based on available information. The benefits will be manifold. Our women farmers will have improved access to services, training and knowledge about innovative technologies and techniques. Vulnerable and subsistence women farmers will gain confidence and feel empowered with improvement in

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communication channels with staff of their own gender. Young women graduates from agriculture universities will have more employment opportunities and a chance to play their role in the economic growth of their country. Rural women are a channel for en-

women in agriculture

suring transformative change, and sustainable and inclusive growth of the Pakistan Agriculture sector. For development of agriculture in Pakistan, women need to be given equal access to resources and opportunities. Gender equality needs to be promoted to reduce extreme poverty,

improve food security, and improve nutrition for future generations. Investment in tapping the potential of women and girls will contribute to the achievement of SDG-2, Zero Hunger and SDG-5 Gender Equality in Pakistan.

With a view to strengthening capacities at various levels including women and youth, FAO Pakistan enters into a long term commitment with its partners. The focus is on sustainability and on maintaining ongoing dialogue with local partners, stakeholders and Resource Partners. The end result is local adoption of new improved approaches, knowledge and capacities to make a long-lasting and sustainable impact on the ground. We invited women in leadership roles to give us and our readers, valuable insights on the role of women in agriculture, the challenges and examples from their work aimed at ensuring that women associated with agriculture are not left behind.

“Agriculture is a vital part of the story of Pakistan; it mirrors the history of the entire region. Thousands of years ago the Indus Valley was the cradle of some of the earliest agricultural civilisations in the world. Closer to the present, during the 1960s Punjab was in the vanguard of the Green Revolution. Today, agriculture remains a major employer and accounts for a

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significant share of national GDP. As at the outset, women continue to play a central role in the sector. The rate of female employment in agriculture is 73 percent, much higher than in most other areas of economic activity. But the position of women in agriculture is far from equal. They don’t have equal wages or equal access to training. For agriculture to improve, the position of women must improve.Economic empowerment of women is an Australian Government priority. That is why support for women is an integral part of the work Australia does to help Pakistan realise the potential of its agriculture sector. In line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Australia promotes agricultural development through innovative partnerships with the private sector, civil society and partner governments. Our Gender

Equality Fund Investments in the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) aim to benefit women farmers and their households in Balochistan by connecting them with markets and improving their skills through training. The Australian aid program in Pakistan is also helping small-scale women farmers access markets and address constraints to the agri-food business. Through our aid program we therefore aim to improve agricultural productivity while emphasising women’s empowerment. A key element in this is promoting the efficient and environmentally sustainable use of precious natural resources, especially water.” By Margaret Adamson Australia’s High Commissioner to Pakistan

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“Enough food in quantity and quality is a basic human right for everyone. Women, accounting for half of the population, have a key role in the families. They are the

women in agriculture

“It is obvious that when women optimize their potential, society’s potential as a whole is optimized. This holds for the economy in general, and also for the agricultural sector the backbone of Pakistani economy. Women make up to half of the agricultural labour force, but don’t have equal access to resources, control over the use of income, an equal share in decision making, or equal opportunities to assume leadership roles. These constraints undermine the transformative role women can

play in agricultural growth. The Netherlands plays its modest role in supporting women to realise their full potential. An example is the $5 million loan the Dutch Development Bank FMO recently granted to the Kashf Foundation; this money is being used to provide small loans to women entrepreneurs, mainly in the areas of livestock and agriculture.”

ones who make sure that everyone in the household, but especially the children, girls and boys, have access to what they need for a healthy childhood and early healthy life.

ing for an inclusive approach for equal rights to everyone, to women and men, especially in the agriculture sector. Only putting all forces from women and men together, the intelligence of all, the knowledge, creativity and work force, a sustainable development and peace for all will be possible.”

Worldwide studies show that empowered women with money handled and controlled by them use the resource for food, education and health for their children. Having equal rights over land titles and property, access to financial means, and being able to control income generated through agriculture production is essential for women. Switzerland is strongly advocat-

By Ardi Stoios-Braken Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands to Pakistan

By Dr. Stefanie Burri Head of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

special feature

“The backbone of Pakistan is its almost 64 percent rural women

United Nations Pakistan | Magazine

women in agriculture

working in agriculture: for example in livestock, dairy products, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture, horticulture. Not only are they the backbone – they also perform the most backbreaking tasks, such as cotton-harvesting, without which neither their families, nor Pakistan’s economy would survive. Rural agricultural women need to be counted in the national accounts, as vital contributors to the GDP. They need statistical recognition, acknowledgement, and appreciation. The

best way to do so, would be for the State to grant each rural woman a minimum of one acre of land, transferred into her own name, with legal ownership documentation.”

“Never underestimate the role that women play in Pakistan’s agriculture. From sowing to harvesting and from packaging to making sure the product reaches the market, they stand shoulder to shoulder with the men. They are resilient, confident and good at timely decision-making. Agriculture requires the heart and soul of those involved, and women make significant contributions with great passion. I was amazed at how quickly they understood and adopted various climate-resilient agriculture techniques taught to them at our schools. We have to take them along and engage them because it is the women

who have the well-being and food security of their families and children in their mind when they step out of their homes to work in the fields.”

By Tahira Abdullah Economic Development Practitioner, Researcher and Human Rights Defender

By Deeba Shaheen FAO Farmer Field School facilitator

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women in agriculture

This year as the FAO Representation in Pakistan proudly marks its 40th anniversary, we present to you a few stories of successful impact on the lives of women associated with agriculture.

On the road to empowerment Being illiterate can have serious consequences, remarked Safia as she adjusted the veil on her face. She narrates an incident that haunts her to this day: a woman from her village once gave a dose of expired cough syrup to her child because she did not know how to read the expiry date on the bottle. Safia comes from Killi Ali Mohammad in Balochistan, and like almost all the other women in her village, Safia fell into the illiterate category. The situation is not very different in other parts of Balochistan. Educating their women is often not on the list of priorities of most families. According to government estimates, less than two percent of women in rural areas are educated in Balochistan and only 26 percent of women are able read and write in the province. Safia goes into the details of the challenges that she and her counterparts faced, unable to even do the most basic mathematics. For anyone associated with the wool business, a source of livelihood, the ability to compute is a pre-requisite. The men used to do the mathematics for business, but there was no way for females to find out how much profit the wool they were selling was bringing to them, creating a situation of dependency. However, things took a turn for the

better. Safia found an opportunity to learn and considers herself lucky to have had the chance to take the training. Realizing what a life-changing experience the ability to read and write could be, she decided to share her knowledge with other women around her. Safia and approximately 79 other females from Community Organizations benefited from the training that FAO arranged in Quetta, Chagai, Nushki, Kharan, Kech and Wasuk with the support of DFAT. Arranged under the project â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Economic Empowerment of Women in Balochistan through agri- entrepre-

neurshipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the five day basic literacy training not only taught them reading, writing and simple calculations but also equipped them with the skills of record-keeping and time management.

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women in agriculture

Securing the necessities of life

Women in Kurram agency have always played a role in society: not only at home, looking after their families, but also helping in other chores. They have been a helping hand for the male members of family in agriculture, livestock and poultry to secure a livelihood. Like other villages of the valley, Village Manatu in Central Kurram was affected by the conflict in the area. People lost their means of earning a living as many had to move to safer areas, leaving their homes behind. Women of Manatu Village take an active part in rearing poultry. Realizing this potential, FAO formed the Farmer Business School of poultry for women to empower them to earn a living by selling eggs. In this school women were taught how to minimize losses resulting from disease, poor handling and poor stor-

United Nations Pakistan | Magazine

age of eggs. They were also provided with useful tips on bargaining in the market for better prices. They learnt skills for starting their own poultry business. The FBS made a business plan for egg production for a week, collected the target of 168 eggs, packed then sold to the canteen adjacent to the village. FBS participants were pleased to see the profit of Rs.24 per dozen eggs, as they were able to fetch a better price for their product. This training and its practice will help women sustain their livelihood as they have become managers of their own business. Women from nearby villages have also expressed their interest in learning from the business women in Manatu. The women are looking towards greater heights, in hopes to reach

the markets in big cities and earn more for their families. They give full credit to FAO for empowering them for a long time to come

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women in agriculture

Local farmer benefits from climateresilient agriculture techniques

Lucas and his wife Rosaline, two local farmers, have seven children together. Sometime ago, feeding the family of eight was something Rosaline worried about every day. Although she had some idea about what the problem was, she did not know about any options available to them to improve their situation. In Azizabad village in Punjab province, where Rosaline lives with her family, as the impacts of climate change intensify and water is becoming increasingly rare, the challenges for farming communities have grown manifold. Under its Building Disaster Resilience in Pakistan programme, FAO first identified and mobilized eight willing farmer families who hold small lands in this locality. The project also considered the gen-

der dimension with Women Open schools. In Pakistan, women have almost no opportunities to leave their home and work to help improve household incomes. While men sell their produce in the market, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the women who are responsible for looking after family nutrition and well-being. Women Open Schools were set up in Rosalineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s village to raise awareness among women not only on climate-resilient agriculture techniques but also on aspects of nutrition. Since then, Rosaline has noted an improvement in their living conditions. She can now provide enough food for the entire family and their small vegetable field allows her to sell excess produce and to save money. Growing their own vegetables instead

of paying for expensive vegetables at the market has been very useful. Following this example, other women have also made their own kitchen gardenOn a community level, local farmers are now growing a variety of vegetables, making better use of the available water and increasing their incomes. Through the Farmer Field Schools, this FAO-UK aid programme has also helped establish strong linkages between the farmers and the government agriculture departments. Women in the area said they felt excited because they now feel needed. Now that they are contributing to the household income, they are involved in the decision-making process.

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women in agriculture

Women take up gardening

Adjusting her headscarf, Naseema bends down to pluck the tender seedlings of radish from the soil, following the trainerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s instructions. Naseema, from Killa Khali Village in the Quetta District of Balochistan was one of the women trained by the USAID-funded FAO Balochistan Agricultural Project, to develop kitchen gardens. She had never had a garden of her own before the project came to her community. The USAID-funded Balochistan Agricultural Project worked with multiple communities throughout the province to improve their agricultural incomes.

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As many women in the highly conservative Balochistan are limited in their daily activities to the space of their family compound, the project decided to offer women a concept of kitchen gardening as an opportunity to improve family nutrition and incomes. Along with 30 other women, Naseema came to study new gardening concepts at the model kitchen garden set up by the project every two weeks. Together, they experimented with different planting times, seed varieties, fertilizer, pest management, and planting techniques that the pro-

ject exposed them to. She no longer need to buy vegetables from the market, and the nutrition of her family has improved significantly.

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women in agriculture

Chicken find a home in Sindh

“Thanks to FAO, our family now has a source of income,” says Bhoori Shanker, a young mother of six from Imran Khatiyan Village, Mirpurkhas District of Sindh Province. Bhoori, her husband Shanker and their children were among the 500 flood-affected poor farmer families in Mirpurkhas District who received chicken from FAO in late 2014. The activity was funded by the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS) under a FAO project titled ‘Livelihood Restoration, Protection and Sustainable Empow-

erment of Vulnerable Peasant Communities in Sindh Province’. Each family received 10 hens and 2 roosters, as well as a water trough, a feeder, several feet of wire net for a bird pen and some chicken feed. FAO estimated that during their 2-year productive lifespan, each chicken would lay approximately 320 eggs, improving the nutrition and income options for the families. Bhoori also attended training sessions that the FAO project organized for the recipients of the birds. During these, women studied together how

to take care of their chicken, how to earn some income from eggs, and a variety of other useful skills. Within weeks of arriving to their new home, Bhoori’s hens started laying eggs. The family collected 6-7 eggs daily. Some are used for meals, while the rest are sold at the local market at 8-10 Rupees per egg. The family also shared eggs with their neighbours- this way, the entire community benefits from the chicken.

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women in agriculture

Empowering women in Balochistan through agricultural enterprise development Fatima Bibi is a resident of Nushki and is one among dozens of other women who put their embroidery and handicraft at display at Serena Hotel during a ceremony organized by FAO, as part of its project on empowering women in Balochistan through agri-entrepreneurship. The Serena Hotel Management expressed their interest in purchasing Balochistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s traditional handicrafts and 150 pieces of embroidery to decorate hotel rooms. Women within the tribal culture of Balochistan, do not enjoy social safety nets. Literacy rates in rural areas are far from where they should be. It is estimated that only two percent of the rural women are literate. Illiteracy, poverty, dearth of access to services, jobs and markets have increased Baloch womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s woes. With very limited social and economic opportunities available, women in rural Balochistan are entirely dependent on their husbands and male family members. Often they are left with insufficient means of income. With the support of the Australian Government, FAO in collaboration with the Government of Balochistan, has launched two projects in the province: the Australia Balochistan Agri Business Program and Empowering women in Balochistan through agri entrepreneurship. The latter project aims to empower women from Nushki, Chagai and Quetta districts

United Nations Pakistan | Magazine

through female enterprise development in the agriculture sector. Under the Australian Government funded economic empowerment project, women have been trained to prepare the sheep for shearing and to hand wash the sheared fleeces and grade, sort, spin and dye the wool. Once wool has undergone basic processing, it can be spun into yarn. The yarn can then be dyed and used in carpet making which is also mostly done by women. The President of the Balochistan Women Business Association, Sana Durani, when asked to comment on the FAO women empowerment and entrepreneurship initiative stated that with the support of the Australian Government and FAO many more women including in rural dis-

tricts can be reached to become entrepreneurs and start their own agri-businesses.

news and events

disaster risk reduction

Community participation and training for better watershed management

UNESCO with the financial assistance of the Government of Japan, is collaborating with the Soil and Water Conservation Research Institute (SAWCRI) to further improve and strengthen the flood management capacity of Pakistan, focusing on community based flood and drought management. In this context, UNESCO and SAWCRI jointly organized a two-day international workshop in Islamabad which aimed to share the common integrated flood and drought management issues and to introduce eco-watershed management practices for collective community action. Another impor-

tant objective of the workshop was to introduce and design flood and drought resilient school plans with relevant organizations, professionals and farmers using nature-based solutions to combat these challenges. The workshop was part of UNESCO’s ‘Strategic Strengthening of Flood Early Warning and Management Capacity of Pakistan’ Project-phase-II, launched in March 2015 in cooperation with the Government of Japan. The two day international conference was attended by representatives from national and international partner organizations such as Miyagi University

of Education, Japan, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs), Federal Flood Commission (FFD), Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Indonesian Agency for Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysics (BMKG), universities, provincial irrigation departments and international experts from Australia, Japan, and Indonesia. Another very important training workshop on ‘Flood Management through Flood Early Warning and Forecasting System’ was organized by UNESCO in collaboration with the Centre for Disaster and Preparedness Management (CDPM), University of Peshawar, from 2 to 4 of May in Islamabad, where government officials from Gilgit Baltistan, Sindh and Balochistan were trained in the latest Disaster Risk Reduction techniques. Collective Community Action (CCA) can play a vital role to mitigate damage potential and increase coping capacity of both drought and flood extremes by providing support to decision makers and to end users such as local authorities, non-governmental organizations and disaster prevention officers.

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drugs and crime

Japan contributed $3,730,935 to UNODC Country Office Pakistan

The UNODC Country Office in Pakistan and the Embassy of Japan hosted a play up media event for UNODC projects aimed at enhancing air cargo security, combating transnational organized crime, strengthening border security against illicit drug trafficking and response to counter terrorism. This is to be implemented under the UNODC Country Programme for Pakistan (2016-2019) through the financial support of the Government of Japan. In total, the generous contribution of the Japanese government for four projects will be amounting to about 3,730,935 US dollars for the duration of one year. Officials from the Ministry of Narcotics Control, National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) were present at the occasion. Four one-year projects will receive the funding from April 2018 to

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March 2019: combatting Transnational Organized Crime and strengthening borders in Pakistan; Strengthening the response of Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Action to Counter Terrorism Financing (CTF); Improving Forensic Capacity of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Investigate Terrorism Cases; and Enhancing Air Cargo Security through establishment of Air Cargo Control Unit at Lahore Allama Iqbal International Airport in Pakistan. Pakistan has been facing border management challenges at its western border with Afghanistan, which is used for trade and movement of people, but is also a preferential route for drugs and human trafficking. In recent years, the challenges have become more complex with the changing geo-political environment in the region. The security situation across Pakistan remains fragile and terrorists are regularly targeting civilians and law enforcement officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh. The primary focus of the efforts of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in Pakistan for countering terrorism has been on intelligence, investigation and operations against suspected individuals and organisations without considering the financial mechanisms exploited by

terrorists to fund their activities. An effective approach to countering terrorism is to diminish the strength of the terrorism economy, through all possible ways including tracing the financial sources of funding used by terrorists, seizing those sources, preventing individuals and organizations from raising funds nationally and internationally. During his opening remarks, Mr. Cesar Guedes, the UNODC Country Office Representative in Pakistan, thanked H.E. Mr. Takashi Kurai and highlighted that through the financial support of the Government of Japan, the projects will contribute to the vision of creating a safer community, free from the threats posed by illicit narcotics trafficking and transnational organized crime. H.E. Mr. Takashi Kurai, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Pakistan, reaffirmed Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to help Pakistan eradicate all types of transnational organized crime including illicit drug trafficking. Mr. Kurai stated that the Government of Japan stands committed to combating international criminal syndicates, which through their illicit activities hinder the economic development and prosperity of the Pakistani people.

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drugs and crime

UNODC stands committed for the capacity building of LEAs in Khyber Paktunkhwa

The UNODC Country Office in Pakistan conducted a three-day training on Illicit Drug Trafficking and Diversion of Precursors in Peshawar, generously sponsored by the Government of Japan.The training workshop was implemented under UNODC Pakistan Country Programme II (2016-2019) and was designed for field officers of the Anti-Narcotics Force, Pakistan Customs, Pakistan Railways and provincial Excise, and the Taxation and Narcotics Control Department, who have responsibilities to monitor and control drug trafficking and diversion of precursor chemicals, and carry out operations and investigations on clandestine laboratories. The training conforms to the Government of Japan’s commitment to strengthen border security against illicit drug trafficking and related transnational organized crime. Approximately 26 mid-ranking officers attended the training. On behalf of Mr. Cesar Guedes, UNODC Representative in Pakistan, Ms. Anila Rahim, Program Officer, Precursors, highly

appreciated the Government of Pakistan and its law enforcement agencies for making concerted and commendable efforts in interdicting and seizing large amounts of illicit drugs and illegally diverted precursor chemicals destined for international markets. Lt. Col Muhammad Saqib Ansari, Joint Director ANF, Regional Directorate Khyber Paktunkhwa gave an overview of ANF RD operations in Khyber Paktunkhwa. Mr. Adnan, Assistant Director ANF, gave a detailed presentation on the “Existing control mechanisms and efforts of ANF to control drugs and precursors trafficking” and highlighted the main trafficking routes and challenges faced by the ANF and other law enforcement agencies. He emphasized the need to cooperate and collaborate with individual efforts of the agencies. In his session, Col. Sajid Aslam covered the overall prevalent drug situation in the region, with special emphasis on the diversion of precursor chemicals. On the second day, the participants completed the

drugs and precursor specific global eLearning modules. UNODC COPAK in collaboration with Global eLearning Programme has recently localized five new eLearning modules on Land Border Interdiction Techniques in Urdu, and has made them available for Pakistani law enforcement learners on the Global eLearning platform in both online and offline formats. UNODC eLearning modules complement the classroom lectures, and incorporate practical exercises to enhance the knowledge and skills of law enforcement personnel. The knowledge gained by the participants was measured through the difference of pretest and post-test scores secured by participants in each eLearning course, which showed a stark jump from an average of 30% in pre-test to an average 80% in post-test, with an increase in knowledge at average 103% in aggregate. At the end of the workshop, certificates were distributed to the participants.

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drugs and crime

Coordination between law enforcement agencies and local communities: a vital step in the fight against human trafficking and migrant smuggling Trafficking in Persons (TIP) is a global problem. According to UNODC, improving the coordination between local communities and law enforcement agencies -such as police forces- can help fight the phenomenon. Over recent years, the government of Pakistan has taken serious steps to counter TIP and SOM, including the development of the “Strategic Action Framework to combat Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling 2016-2020” and the passing of relevant national legislation. Yet, a lot more work needs to be done to raise awareness about TIP, particularly on the terrible impact this crime has on its victims. UNODC, under the framework of the Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) made prevention one of its key focus areas when engaging with the police as well as local communities in Pakistan. Most recently, from 26-27 April 2018, GLO.ACT in partnership with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) organized two awareness-raising sessions in Gilgit for members of the police and the local community. The first session was attended by 25 police officers while over 50 representatives from academia, the media and civil society organizations attended the second session. The main objectives were to provide some in-depth information about TIP, with a focus on what makes people vulnerable to potentially being trafficked

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as well as what the impact of being trafficked may have on a victim. Highlights included presentations delivered by UNODC and Federal Investigation Agency officials and the interactive participation of police and community representatives. The Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) is a four-year (2015-2019), €11 million joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The project is being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). GLO.ACT aims to provide assistance to governmental authorities and civil society organizations across 13 strategically selected countries: Belarus, Brazil, Colombia,

Egypt, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine. GLO.ACT works with the 13 countries to plan and implement strategic national counter-trafficking and counter smuggling efforts through a prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships approach. It supports the development of more effective responses to trafficking and smuggling, including providing assistance to victims of trafficking and vulnerable migrants through the strengthening of identification, referral, and direct support mechanisms.

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drugs and crime

GLO.ACT supports multi-disciplinary training of prosecutors and investigators in Pakistan

UNODC, under the framework of GLO.ACT (The Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants), organized a twoday workshop for prosecutors and investigators from 17 to 18 April 2018. The workshop provided participants with multi-disciplinary training on issues such as victim identification in trafficking in persons (TIP) cases, financial investigation, asset recovery as well as raising awareness about the methods criminals use to launder money and finance terrorism. This training was important, as within Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), for example, the same individual is the investigator and the prosecutor of a case. In some cases, this dual role can prove to be problematic. The two-day session focused on a broad range of topics from victim identification, financial investigations and recovery of assets. Participants included 25 law enforcement representatives from different agencies, including the FIA, the National Accountability Bureau, the Anti-Narcotics Force, the Punjab police as

well as the Pakistan railway police. The organizers felt it was important to include the railway police, as one of the most common modes of transport used by criminals to move their human trafficking victims and to smuggle migrants in Pakistan are trains. The training was highly interactive in nature, and group work was a key feature of the workshop. Participants were split into three different groups made up of the various law enforcement agencies represented. This arrangement enabled trainers to encourage participants to share their best practices with each other. In addition, each group had to pick one case to present to all the other participants. E-learning modules were also used during the training sessions, in particular modules focusing money-laundering and financial investigations. Over recent years, UNODC has developed numerous online training and e-learning modules that are interactive and specifically designed for law enforcement and criminal justice practitioners. Upon conclusion of the training, participants received training certificates and, when asked, expressed their confidence in being able to solve problems based on the new approaches and ideas introduced to them during the course. According to one participant, “the training not only increased our confidence to solve problems but also strengthened our belief in our ability

to apply what we have learnt in our work going forward”. Finally, there can be no doubt that the participants brought a wealth of experience to the workshop, thus helping to making the training realistic, practical and innovative. The Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO. ACT) is a four-year (2015-2019), €11 million joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The project is being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). GLO.ACT aims to aid governmental authorities and civil society organizations across 13 strategically selected countries: Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine. GLO.ACT works with the 13 countries to plan and implement strategic national counter-trafficking and counter smuggling efforts through a prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships approach. It supports the development of more effective responses to trafficking and smuggling, including providing assistance to victims of trafficking and vulnerable migrants through the strengthening of identification, referral, and direct support mechanisms.

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drugs and crime

Government of Pakistan and UNODC organize a side-event and exhibition during CCPCJ 2018

At the 27th Commission of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), UNODC Country Office facilitated participation of a delegation from Pakistan consisting of National Coordinator and Director General Legal from National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), Director Counter Terrorism from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Home Secretary from the Home and Tribal Affairs Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Director Military Operations from the Military Operations Directorate, and a senior official from the Ministry of Defense. To showcase Pakistan’s contribution to international peace and security the Government of Pakistan organized a side-event with the support of UNODC Country Office on ‘Pakistan’s Action to Counter Terrorism’. During the opening session Her Excellency Ms. Ayesha

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Riyaz highlighted and appreciated the close working relationship between UNODC and Pakistan, while Mr. Ihsan Ghani, National Coordinator of NACTA and head of delegation, briefed the participants on recent initiatives undertaken by NACTA while applauding the support being rendered by UNODC Country Office under the framework of a European Union supported project entitled ‘PACT’. He also informed the participants that NACTA is in consultative stages with UNODC for developing a comprehensive five-year project which would pave path for greater cooperation between the two organizations. Mr. Mauro Miedico from the Terrorism Prevention Branch of UNODC in his brief remarks appreciated the contributions of Pakistan in eliminating terrorism while assuring continued support

in meeting the common challenges posed by terrorism. UNODC Country Representative for Pakistan Mr. Cesar Guedes in his remarks thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NACTA for their participation and informed the delegates on the fiveday exhibition booth which the Government of Pakistan and UNODC has jointly organized at the margins of the 27 th Commission to highlight the success of PACT, an EU funded project. Ms. Humaira Mufti, the Director General Legal of NACTA, along with Brig. Inayat Hussain, Director Operations from the Military Operation Directorate of Pakistan Army, delivered a detailed presentation on Pakistan’s response to counter terrorism while highlighting the success achieved under the National Action Plan and various other national initiatives aimed at eliminating terrorism from the country and beyond.

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drugs and crime

Trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants laws 2018 After many years, the parliament of Pakistan finally passed ‘The Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2018’ and ‘The Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Acts, 2018’ in the weeks preceding its dissolution on 31st May, 2018. These laws safeguard the rights of victims of human trafficking and smuggled migrants, on the one hand, and empower the law enforcement agencies of Pakistan to effectively prosecute the organized gangs perpetuating and benefitting from these crimes, on the other. The two laws, drafted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) with the assistance of UNODC, are inline with international standards and are based on United Nations model laws on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM). These laws impose long imprisonment terms and substantial fines for traffickers, smugglers and their accomplices. One of the most important aspects of “The Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Act, 2018” is the non-criminalization of smuggled migrants which shows the commitment of the Government of Pakistan to ensure the protection of human rights of victims trapped by unscrupulous migrant smugglers. UNODC Country Office in Pakistan would like to felicitate the Government of Pakistan, the Ministry of Interior and the Federal Investigation Agency on achieving this milestone.

UNODC would especially like to acknowledge and congratulate Director General, FIA, Mr. Bashir Memon and Director Immigration, FIA, Mr. Tariq Malik for drafting the new laws in conformity with the UN and international standards and ensuring their passage in a short time by providing effective and committed leadership throughout the complicated and sensitive legislative process. UNODC believes that these powerful new laws will strengthen the hands of FIA and police in preventing and prosecuting the crimes of organized criminal groups of traffickers and smugglers who put the lives, freedom, wellbeing and dignity of countless human beings at risk every year. UNODC remains committed, within the limits of its mandate, to the Government of Pakistan and other relevant stakeholders, to provide all necessary support required to ensure that organized criminal networks are dismantled and that traffickers and migrant smugglers are brought to justice. UNODC Country Office Pakistan work under human trafficking and migrant Smuggling (HTMS) is made possible with the contributions of partners such as Australia, USA and EU. UNODC COPAK would like to thank its partners for their financial support in this whole process.

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food security

Managing the water-energy-food nexus crucial for ensuring food security South Asia, being the hot spot of future increases in food demand due to demographic growth and changing lifestyles, may face even more severe consequences if no adaptation measures are taken. This was concluded at a three-day international workshop jointly organized by the Centre for Climate Research and Development (CCRD) COMSATS University Islamabad and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Germany in Islamabad in June. Scientists from leading institutes from Europe (PIK, IIASA) and South Asian countries, INGOs, think tanks, research organizations deliberated on ensuring food security in the region. German Ambassador to Pakistan Mr. Martin Kobler, said without concerted efforts by the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stakeholders it will not be possible to tackle the already-pressing regional food security issue. Presenting FAOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approach to the Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus, Ms. MinĂ Dowlatchahi, FAO Representative in Pakistan said that understanding and managing the complex interactions between water, energy and food security is essential to cope with a changing climate and for

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achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. She added that the FAO approach to the Water-Energy-Food Nexus describes the complex and inter-related nature of our global resources systems with social, economic and environmental goals. Uptake of new technologies, changes in agricultural and water management practices by smallholder farmers with concurrent actions to help conserve natural resources and protect our eco-systems will pave the way towards Food Security and the eradication of malnutrition in all its forms.

The Workshop recommended that Research funding on climate change monitoring and adaptation may be enhanced to minimize the adversities of changing climate on agriculture. Moreover, efficient climate smart alternate crops and technologies must be introduced or fine-tuned, taking care of biodiversity, sustainability and profitability.

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food security

Building the capacity of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics to collect reliable data for achieving Zero Hunger Under SDG2, Zero hunger aims to end hunger and ensure access for all to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round. Achievement of this target by the year 2030 requires countries to look after the poor, and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, women and children. Two indicators under this target ensure obtaining reliable data that can be used to work towards leaving no one behind: ‘Prevalence of undernourishment’ and ‘Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES)’. Monitoring these indicators represents an immense challenge for countries with regards to their current data availability, statistical capacity and resource availability. According to the resolution adopted by the General Assembly in 2017 on Work of the Statistical Commission pertaining to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Sustainable Development Goal indicators should be disaggregated, where relevant, by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability and geographic location, or other characteristics, in accordance with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics. In the context of this resolution, measurement or estimation of food insecurity in Pakistan has been a matter of debate recently, as different

methodologies have been applied in the past to estimate food insecurity. Realizing the need to address challenges in collecting and analyzing available data and to be able to monitor the status on food security and SDG indicators related to food and agriculture sector, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics - the national statistical organization - requested FAO to provide support in building capacity of its officials in computing the SDG 2 indicators. FAO in Pakistan in response has conducted a training workshop to build capacity of national institutions where data analysts from Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, (PBS), Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNNFSR), Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, Na-

tional Agriculture Research Centre, Provincial/Regional Bureau of Statistics, academia and UN organizations to compute SDG 2 indicators related to food security. FAO experts on food security and statistics facilitated the workshop, and participants were awarded certificates after its completion.

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food security

FAO stresses the need for a national biotechnologies policy and provincial strategies in Pakistan

The world commemorates International Day for Biological Diversity on 22 May. At present, there is an array of agricultural biotechnologies available that contribute to ensuring food and nutrition security in agriculture-based economies around the world. However, there are still a wide range of issues related to agricultural biotechnologies including investment, dissemination, adoption and use, regulation, policies, intellectual property rights, nutrition, and climate change, which need to be addressed urgently. As part of its commitment to biodiversity, FAO is supporting countries in creating good governance, enabling frameworks and stewardship incentives to include biodiversity in all agendas. Although agricultural biotechnology has made significant strides in Pakistan, there is a need for better coordination and collaboration

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to promote knowledge sharing of ideas, scientific advances and practices. There is a need to showcase and exchange knowledge on current research activities in biotechnology underway in universities and R&D institutions in Pakistan. The National Biosafety Committee under the Ministry of Climate Change has started functioning in the field of commercialization. Ms MinĂ Dowlatchahi, said FAO stands ready to support efforts by providing legal and technical advice on areas such as intellectual property rights and facilitation of innovative modalities to support change in farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; practices and behaviour in the adoption of relevant biotechnologies She also said that that the draft National Food Security Policy provides the framework for a national strategy for the development and application of biotechnology in agriculture, for-

estry, fisheries and livestock. Establishing priorities within the broad context of Pakistan agriculture research needs and policies is key to identifying best suited biotechnologies that benefit small holders and poor farmers. On this issue, in September last year, about 200 representatives of governments, intergovernmental organizations, private sector entities, academia and research institutions and civil society and producer organizations met in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the FAO Regional Meeting on Agriculture Biotechnologies in Asia â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pacific. The meeting encompassed a wide spectrum of available biotechnology in different sectors and showcased experiences from various countries.

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food security

Punjab food fortification: a step to improve nutrition

The Punjab Food Department, the National Fortification Alliance (NFA) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) launched the Punjab Food Fortification Strategy 2018 to address high rates of micronutrient deficiencies in Punjab, Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest province. This initiative was made possible by the generous contribution of the Australian government. In Punjab, more than 39 percent of children under age five are stunted, 30 percent are underweight, and 14 percent are wasted, according to the National Nutrition Survey 2011. The survey also indicates a high rate of micronutrient deficiencies among children, including anaemia 60%; iron 49%; zinc 38%; vitamin A 51%; and vitamin D 67% - numbers that are internationally categorized as at emergency levels. Australia is supporting efforts to im-

prove nutrition in Pakistan and has committed an additional AUD11 million to WFP to 2020 for nutrition and humanitarian activities, on top of AUD6 million previously committed. Food fortification is an established and economical way to reduce micronutrient deficiencies. Fortifying staple foods such as wheat flour, edible oil, ghee and salt with micronutrients is one of the leading ways to overcome deficiencies and improve the nutritional status of a population. The Government of Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation & Coordination (MNHSRC), the provincial governments and WFP are working together to reduce micronutrient deficiencies through the establishment of National and Provincial Fortification Alliances. Food fortification efforts require strong collaboration between the public and private sectors as well as

a regulatory environment where appropriate government legislation is enacted, allowing for the work of the Fortification Alliances to be effectively monitored and enforced. The Pakistan National Fortification Strategy was launched in March 2017 by the NFA and MNHSRC with the support of WFP and the Australian Government. The objective of the strategy was to create a national framework for sustained wheat flour, oil/ghee and salt fortification programmes implemented by private and public sectors.

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food security

Livestock departments to work with FAO to help control Foot and Mouth Disease in Pakistan

The Government of Pakistan has approved a project to improve food security and increase the resilience of livelihood of the livestock farmers to animal disease threats. FAO and the Ministry of National Food Security and Research signed the USD 6.6 million project agreement in Islamabad titled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Risk based control of Foot and Mouth Disease in Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The project will be implemented over the next six years in the country and will address FMD lab diagnosis, outbreak surveillance and rapid response, providing good quality vaccines for prevention, improving the legal framework and the capacity building of the stakeholders. This will eventually curtail losses caused by the disease, increase productivity of livestock and improve livelihoods. Mr. Fazal Abbas Maken, Secretary Ministry for National Food Security and

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Research signed the agreement on behalf of the government of Pakistan. Ms. MinĂ Dowlatchahi FAO Representative said FAO is honored to support the Government of Pakistan in implementing the project, since it will be instrumental in tapping the potential that the livestock value chain offers to improve livelihoods, resilience of communities and contribute to agriculture GDP growth. 8.5 million small-holder families across Pakistan dependent on livestock will benefit from the work done under this project. The project will focus on ensuring that animals stay in good health and become a sustainable source of livelihood for all, including women and youth. FMD is the most prevalent and economically deadliest infectious disease found in cattle and buffaloes in Pakistan. Annual losses are estimated to exceed USD 692 million in terms

of loss of milk production, treatment cost, body weight loss and mortality in calves. FAO has been working for the control of FMD in Pakistan since 2008. On a FAO-OIE FMD Progressive Control Pathway, Pakistan moved from stage 0 to stage 1 in 2009 and to stage 2 in 2015. The current project will move Pakistan to stage 3 and thus open up further international markets for the export of meat and other livestock products.

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food security

Across South Asia, women lack the nutritional care they urgently need The progress on improving nutritional care for women in South Asia during and after pregnancy is slow, impacting on their children’s survival, growth and development. A three-day regional conference on actions to accelerate improvements in women’s nutrition across South Asia was held in Kathmandu. Organised jointly by the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the conference brought together government representatives, UN partners and civil society organizations from all countries in South Asia, with regional and global experts. Poor nutrition deprives women of their health and well-being. Over one-third of the world’s anaemic women live in South Asia, and no country is on track to meet the global nutrition target to reduce anaemia by 50 percent women by 2025. Furthermore, one in ten women are too short (height <145 cm), and in some countries as many as one-fifth are too thin. Children who are born small due to poor maternal nutrition start life at a huge disadvantage. They are more likely to become wasted or stunted in early life, do less well at school, earn lower wages in adulthood and suffer diabetes and chronic heart diseases later in life. Evidence shows that maternal nutrition is strongly linked to child stunting, which affects 62 million

children in the region. Many adolescents and women also face serious obstacles in meeting their right to health and nutrition. Essential nutrition services, including dietary counselling and iron-folic acid supplements, are reaching too few women during pregnancy. Underlying causes include the under-investment in maternal health services, the low prioritization of nutrition services, and the low reach of care for pregnant women. Furthermore, there is poor understanding at all levels, from policy makers to families, of how maternal nutrition impacts on the health, survival and development of women and the future generation of children. Yet, it is possible to achieve rapid progress in South Asia. In Nepal, for example, the percentage of women who take iron-folic acid supplements

for at least 90 days during pregnancy increased from only 6 percent in 2001 to 71 percent in 2016, a 10-fold increase. Delegates agreed upon a set of key recommendations at the end of the conference to transform maternal nutrition.

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New transport service for women launched in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Transport and Mass Transit Department has launched the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sakura Women Bus Serviceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with financial assistance from the Government of Japan, along with technical implementing partnership with UNOPS and UNWOMEN. With the aim of providing a public transport service safe to women and girls, a total of 14 buses were procured: 7 buses will be allocated to each of the two districts of Mardan and Abbottabad. Although the service is meant for women only, boys under the age of 12 can also utilize the transport service when they are accompanied by their mothers or sisters. The project has been initiated in response to an increasing demand for an efficient and reliable public transport system in the districts that is safe for women. Ms. Samita Khawar, Country Manager UNOPS Pakistan highlighted the fact that sexual harassment of women is not limited to the workplace and can in fact occur when a woman leaves home for work or studying. Women experience sexual harassment from drivers and conductors or ticket collectors in public transport and as a result either give up the opportunity of working or studying or face this harassing behavior when

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they have no other option but to use public transport. Mr. Takashi Kurai, Ambassador of Japan stated his hope that Sakura Women Buses will help the women of KPK not only move from one place to another but also depart for a new stage of their lives such as studying in school, participating in job training, or working in an office, and that their lives will bloom and shine just like the Sakura flowers- or cherry blossoms- which have been painted on the buses. Mr. Kamran, Provincial Secretary Transport and Mass Transit Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also thanked the Government of Japan, UNOPS and UN WOMEN for supporting this initiative. He stated the project is already getting good response from

the ladies of KPK, and they are looking forward to it. This is the first brick of a bigger vision, in which many more buses will be included into the public transport domain. This is also being linked up with the Mass Transit System or Bus Rapid Transit that is being developed in the cities Mardan and Abbottabad, which will also cater to the needs of ladies in a preferential manner. Ms. Sangeeta Thapa, Deputy Representative, UN WOMEN emphasized that the all-women buses in Mardan and Abbottabad will ensure that women have access to safe and reliable public transport, which in turn will enable them to become an active part of society.

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gender equality and women’s empowerment

Procter & Gamble announces a new initiative for women’s economic empowerment in Pakistan Procter & Gamble (P&G) announced the launch of its latest Gender Equality initiative under the P&G #WeSeeEqual program at a formal ceremony held in Karachi, reinforcing its commitment to contribute towards the economic empowerment of women in the country. Through its social cause programs, P&G has partnered with Health Oriented Preventive Education (HOPE) and UN Women for women’s skill development and girls’ education. P&G announced the launch of a new program with long-term NGO partner HOPE, which includes the establishment of seven vocational training centers and provision of quality secondary education to women and girls in semi-urban and rural areas which is expected to benefit an estimated 10,000 girls over the next 3 years. Additionally, P&G is partnering with UN Women to provide 50 women with skill development and financial literacy training, enabling them to set up small-scale business ventures in Sialkot and conduct an evidence-based research study, aimed at promoting women entrepreneurship and documentation of gender-responsive procurement practices in the country. Pakistan is currently ranked 143 (out of 144) on the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index and the overall literacy rate amongst girls in the country is 46 percent. With the

setup of these vocational and educational centers, many women and girls in areas such as Badin, Sujawal, Thatta, Gadap, Ghagger and Muzaffargarh will now have the chance to have to a brighter future. P&G is committed to advancing its Gender Equality mission in the country. It is leveraging the strengths of its business operations as well as its scale and advertising voice to address gender bias, enable education for girls and promote women’s economic empowerment. Gender diversity is an important aspect of P&G’s overall diversity and inclusion mission. The company has joined the US-Pakistan Women’s Council (USPWC) in its mission to promote the economic participation of women in the workforce in Paki-

stan. As the founding member of the USPWC’s corporate initiative, P&G has played an active role in supporting the Council’s efforts to promote supplier diversity in Pakistan. P&G has provided training sessions for 100 women entrepreneurs in collaboration with USPWC and WECREATE. The sessions aimed at, counselling women entrepreneurs about how to successfully enter the corporate supply chain and creating awareness about the procurement processes at corporate organizations. In partnership with Health Oriented Preventive Education (HOPE) and READ Foundation, P&G has provided quality education to over 3500 girls from underprivileged communities in Pakistan.

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gender equality and women’s empowerment

Pakistan’s leading wholesale store METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan sets an example for women’s economic empowerment

METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan has joined hands with UN Women by signing the Women Empowerment Principles to promote Women in Trade (WiT) initiative to enhance the capability of informal workers, along with its employees in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 - to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Within the local chapter, METRO Pakistan has set two goals: to ‘drive cultural change in the company’ and ‘focus on female employment and development internally and externally.’ UN Women and METRO Pakistan will be working together to enhance women’s access to organized work opportunities. The Seven Principles for Women’s Empowerment a joint initiative of UN Women and the UN Global Compact – provide a set of guidelines to assist companies focus on key elements, in-

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tegral to promoting gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and community, through policy and action. This includes the promotion of women to executive positions, career development opportunities for female employees, supporting women-owned companies as vendors and service providers, promoting a positive image of women in marketing campaigns and enhancing basic facilities within the company (childcare, maternity and paternity leave, flexible work options, etc.). With the belief that gender equality promotes equal opportunities for employees, who then feel empowered to work towards achieving organizational goals, METRO aims at not just providing a barrier-free work environment for all its employees, but also enhancing capability of its female farmers, home based workers and at the same time, bridging the gap between the corporate sec-

tor by acknowledging, appreciating and celebrating success of female labor force. By signing the seven steps of the Women’s Empowerment Principles, METRO Pakistan takes on a global approach to four key areas: promoting economic development through female entrepreneurship, championing gender diversity in business and corporate level, public-private partnerships for advancing women’s economic opportunities and providing potential business and investment opportunities through supplier diversity and marketing practices. To date, more than 52 Pakistani companies have made a public commitment of support over the last two years by signing onto the Women’s Empowerment Principles.

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gender equality and women’s empowerment

An extra step to prioritize gender equality and gender-responsive behaviour The Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has presented Gender Equality Mobilization (GEM) Awards to staff members and teams in recognition of their exceptional efforts to prioritize gender equality and gender-responsive behaviour in their work.Addressing an audience of diplomats and staff members at the award ceremony, UNIDO Gender Coordinator Hedda Oehlberger-Femundsenden spoke of the impact of

the awardees in advancing gender equality as a vital stepping stone towards inclusive and sustainable industrial development.The importance of investing in women’s talent and innovation was underscored by the work of the winning teams and staff members. The UNIDO team in Pakistan employs a number of innovative strategies, capacity-building and advocacy efforts to enable more women to participate in and benefit from the programmes implemented under

their coverage. The gender champions of the Learning and Knowledge Development Facility (LKDF) team targeted the traditionally male-dominated fields of heavy-duty equipment and commercial vehicles, as well as forestry, by developing specific measures to support industrial skills training for women.At headquarters, staff members were recognized for their individual efforts to advance gender equality throughout the Organization.

Strengthening the capacity of government officials to promote gender equality and provision of safe public spaces UN Women in collaboration with the Women Development Department enhanced the capacity of Punjab-based government representatives on gender equality. In this context, UN Women delivered the training to 148 government representatives on gender equality and providing safe public spaces for women and girls. The training is aimed at strengthening the capacity of the concerned officials to ensure promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment agenda committed as enshrined in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Universal Declaration on

Human Rights (UDHR). The training will be utilized as a tool to enhance understanding of gender equality and women’s empowerment issues and to address conceptual confusion, inadequate understanding of the linkages between gender perspectives and different areas of work for promoting gender responsiveness. The participants will also be oriented on Pakistan’s commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment reflected through the Constitution and signing of international conventions such as CEDAW.

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gender equality and women’s empowerment

Safe bus stops for women inaugurated in Lahore A Women Safety Helpline was inaugurated to check harassment of women in public transport based on the findings of a women safety audit report by Women Development Department (WDD), Aurat Foundation and UN Women. The ceremony was held at Model Town Bus Stop, Lahore. The Secretary of the Women Development Department (WDD), Ms. Bushra Aman said that WDD has initiated public service awareness messages to stop harassment of women at public places. She said that according to PPC 509, whoever intends to

insult the modesty of any woman, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object, intending that such word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years or fine up to 500,000 or both. Women can register their online complaints through the website of www. wdd.punjab.gov.pk, helpline of Punjab Commission on the Status of Women, phone number 042-111-582-111 of Lahore Transport Company, 15 help-

lines of Punjab Police and by using the application of Punjab Safe City Authority, she added. Acting CEO LTC Maryam Khawar, COO LTC Zafar Ahmed Qureshi, Hoorya Syeda and Sara Sheraz also spoke on the occasion and lauded the steps taken for the welfare of the women community by the Punjab government. Maryam Khawar said that campaign posters are being pasted on several bus stops. Furthermore, awareness posters will also be posted in LTC buses for public awareness.

The UK and UN launch Aawaz II – a programme to empower and protect Pakistan’s youth, women and children United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) will provide £17.25 million to the United Nations (UN) in Pakistan to implement a five-year (2018-22) programme, AAWAZ II, which will Empower and Protect Pakistan’s Youth, Women, Girls and Boys, who are too often exploited and too often left behind. An agreement to this effect was signed today between Ms. Joanna Reid, Head of DFID Pakistan and Ms. Aida Girma, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan, at a ceremony chaired by Dr. Asma Haider, Member (Social Sector and Devolution) Planning Commission of Pakistan. AAWAZ II will work with government and local communities to promote the

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rights of children, youth and women. The programme will reach 7 million people across the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Punjab. It will build on the success of its predecessor, AAWAZ I: Voice and Accountability Programme. Aawaz II will be implemented jointly by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nation’s Fund’s Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women. UNICEF focuses on overall strengthening of child protection systems and building the capacities of families, communities and the government to promote rights of children for protecting them from all sorts of violence and abuse. UNFPA’s goal is to help women make informed decisions

and choices pertaining to their lives including reproductive rights, thereby facilitating a demographic transition in Pakistan. UN Women focuses on strengthening the capacity of gender equality advocates to help Pakistan fulfil its gender equality commitments. UN Women work in Pakistan with a focus on children, youth and women through various interventions at the national and provincial level.

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gender equality and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s empowerment

Policy dialogue on acid crime and related legislation in Sindh A Policy Dialogue on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Acid Crime and Related Legislation in Sindhâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; was held at a local hotel in Karachi. Legal Rights Forum (LRF) organized the event on behalf of Sindh Chapter of Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAW/G) Alliance with the support of UN Women. An extensive dialogue on this heinous crime took place among the legal fraternity, judiciary, relevant government departments, civil society organizations, academia and social activists. This provincial level dialogue was led by a group of panelists having prominent background in legislative reforms and policy development. Ms. Saman Ahsan of UN Women highlighted the importance of the consultative process to resolve sensitive social issues such as violence against women and girls. She told the house that UN Women supports policy and legislative reforms on EVAW/G through involvement and engagement of all stakeholders. With the participation of community-based organizations from twenty districts of Sindh and many other key stakeholders, the event demonstrated the interest and commitment of the people of Sindh in addressing the important issue of acid crime. Sindh currently lacks legislation on acid crime, and as a result there are no funds allocated for handling incidents. Victims of acid crimes suffer a most terrible punishment and yet they

are denied free medical treatment, legal assistance and rehabilitation. Other issues raised were that there is no data on acid crime; cases of acid crime are not reported; easy availability of acids in the market; release of perpetrators of acid crime through local level arbitration; and lack of burns centers and presence of special doctors to treat acid victims. Acid attacks occur all over the world, but this type of violence is most common in South Asia. In Pakistan, most acid attacks occur in Punjab followed by Sindh. 65% cases of acid burn victims happen to be women and girls and 15% are children. About 200 acid attacks are reported in Pakistan annually but acid crime is believed to be underreported and as a result many of the incidents do not show up in official statistics. Additionally, more than 90% acid crime cases remain undecided because victims of acid are mostly poor people and unable to pursue justice. Subsequently, the draft Sindh Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Act was discussed and a number of issues were identified to strengthen the legislation and ensure that justice and relief are provided to the victims. Mr. Shahid Shafiq, District & Sessions Judge reviewed the draft law. Mr. Haroon Ahmed, Secretary Women Development Department (WDD), promised that WDD will play its due role to implement the law. He hoped

that all the departments will coordinate well to prevent Acid Crimes and support victims. Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, DG, Sindh Judicial Academy said that sheer hatred and revenge are the major motives behind acid crimes. He expressed that stereotypical gender roles are also the major contributing factors that are fed into the minds of men and women since the childhood. Men are believed to maintain the order of the family and women are supposed to comply. The concepts ingrained in the minds of the men about their superiority with regard to women promote gender discrimination and violence against women. In the concluding remarks, Justice Ali Aslam Jafri said that acid crime not only affects an individual but it also has an impact on society.

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gender equality and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s empowerment

Empowering our women

In Pakistan, women account for almost 49 percent of the population. But while the gap between the number of men and women is small, the Global Gender Gap index-which captures the gap between men and women across a wide variety of socio-economic categories placed Pakistan at 143 out of 144 countries in 2017. Education is the foundation upon which change is built. And change has the power to transform mind-

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sets and create new dimensions of existence. A recent study of 60 countries estimated that the economic loss from not educating girls at the same level as boys totals USD 90 billion. Indeed, Pakistan has shown progress on closing the gender gaps in basic literacy, improving from a global rank of 138 in 2016, to 127 in 2017, although the ranking for equality in primary and secondary enrolment ranks remained the same for both years, at

127 and 134, respectively. At present, one out of every four women participate in the labour force in Pakistan. However, a majority of these are working in low paying, low-quality and low-security jobs, often under-appreciated and unaware of their rights. Within this female workforce, a large fragment of women exist in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;informal sectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Providing and promoting equal opportunities is an area that can feed

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into socio-economic empowerment and gender equality for women. This can be achieved through ensuring laws are non-discriminatory towards women and that policies and systems are pro-women. Pakistan has important and good examples: the Benazir Income Support Programme, a social cash transfer programme with female leadership since its inception, is an internationally recognized example of progress in the advancement of poor women. Likewise, the Punjab government’s ‘Women on Wheels’ Program works to remove a significant barrier to women’s economic and social empowerment - an overwhelming shortage of safe transport- by creating conditions where women can ride motorcycles without suffering stigma. Pakistan does appear to be making steady progress in regard to women in leadership roles. For instance, the Punjab Fair Representation of Women Act 2014 mandates up to 33 percent of women in Boards and Committees of six statutory institutions and entities, including companies. With the growing increase in social enterprises owned or led by women, they are discovering new opportunities to lead and govern. At the moment, 43 percent of social enterprises focus on women’s empowerment in Pakistan, and 20 percent are completely led by women. These numbers delineate a promising trend towards women becoming leaders and initiators of change. Women constitute only one- fifth of parliamentary seats worldwide. Pakistan’s rank in terms of political empowerment has dropped to 95

from 90 (in 2016). While women’s representation at the federal level remains at 7.6 percent (201314), there is, however, a promising upward trend in the Civil Service, with women recruitment increasing from 9 percent in the year 2000, to 45 percent in 2015. The key question is, if women are not included in the national development discourse, then how can policies and laws originating from this discourse be gender sensitive? Inclusivity and gender equality must not only be on paper, but in fact, also in practice. Therefore it is women’s empowerment that holds the key to gender equality. Measures to ensure women’s empowerment should include recognizing women’s unpaid care and domestic work, bridging gender pay gaps and addressing gender gaps in leadership. What really is required, is unity. More now than ever, integration of each member of humanity into all aspects of development is crucial to move forward. The world recognized in Agenda 2030 through the Sustainable Development Goals, that a more inclusive and integrated approach is needed.

gender equality and women’s empowerment

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governance

Inclusion of vulnerable groups into electoral processes in Pakistan

The transgender community of Pakistan has continued to experience extreme forms of exclusion and brutal trans-phobia along with stigma and discrimination. Despite making vital inroads and claiming spaces for their voice and visibility, the transgender community largely remains pushed around the margins of society and face complex problems leading them towards extreme vulnerability. Transgender personsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experiences suggest that they are often targeted and misrepresented and face hatred and aggression from the masses which leads to their isolation. This often violent bias in most cases goes unpunished. In this vein, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Pakistan, displaying commitment to Agenda 2030 and the principle of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Leave No

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One Behindâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (through its Strengthening Electoral and Legislative Processes and Decentralization and Local Governance projects) organised a National Consultation on May 22, 2018 in Islamabad to provide a platform for transgender persons in Pakistan for their political inclusion and to highlight the challenges that are faced by transgender electoral candidates and transgender voters and similarly provide recommendations to the concerned authorities to improve the situation. The consultation proved particularly beneficial to maintain the impetus for the movement for transgender rights as the President of Pakistan signed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill into law on the very same day. A total of 120 participants attended the consultation which included 70 trans-

gender community representatives and 50 civil society members. Stakeholders present included: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), All Pakistan Transgender Elections Network (APTEN), Transgender Persons groups/activists, government line departments, United Nations entities including UNDP and UNAIDS, international development partners, community/youth leaders, TransAction Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh Transgender Welfare Network, Punjab Transgender Association, Baluchistan Alliance for Transgender and Intersex, Blue Veins and Peace Justice. The national consultation has resulted in the compilation of a charter of recommendations to promote inclusiveness in the political process for the transgender community that include, inter alia, revision of party manifestos to cater to transgender rights; sensitisation of stakeholders and duty bearers (such as police); procedural amendments in electoral processes by ECP (particularly inclusion of a third gender column and facilitation of voting for transgender persons); and rolling out of awareness campaigns through media to promote mainstreaming of the transgender community.

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health

Rising to the challenge: World No Tobacco Day A number of activities were planned by various governmental and non-governmental organizations to mark World No Tobacco Day all over the country. The focus this year was â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tobacco and heart

disease.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) kill more people than any other cause of death worldwide, and tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure

contribute to approximately 12 percent of all heart disease deaths. Tobacco use is the second leading cause of CVD, after high blood pressure. In Pakistan, tobacco is the leading risk

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What is MPOWER ? The WHO MPOWER measures address the demand side of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and can be used by governments to reduce tobacco use and protect people from NCDs. These measures include:

M P

Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies;

Protect people from exposure to tobacco smoke by creating completely smoke-free indoor public places, workplaces and public transport;

Offer help to quit tobacco (cost-covered, population-wide support, including brief advice by health care providers and national toll-free quit lines);

Warn about the dangers of tobacco by implementing plain/standardized packaging, and/or large graphic health warnings on all tobacco packages, and implementing effective anti-tobacco mass media campaigns that inForm the public about the harms tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure.

E R

Enforce comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; and Raise taxes on tobacco products and make them less affordable.

factor causing cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and respiratory diseases. Deaths attributed to tobacco were estimated at 108800 annually in Pakistan in 2010. With the increase in population the conservative estimates suggest that these deaths may amount to 125,000 to 140,000 per year. Tobacco use is very high, (19.1% of adults smoke daily), particularly among men (31.8%). Global Adult Tobacco Survey findings suggest 69.1 percent of adults are exposed to second hand smoke at workplaces, 48.3 percent at home, and alarmingly 76.2 percent in public transport. Ms. Saira Afzal Tarar, Federal Minister for Health chaired an event in the Committee Room of the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination on 31 May. The event highlighted health and other risks associated with tobacco use, and advocated for effective policies to reduce tobacco

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consumption. A WHO World No Tobacco Day Award was also conferred upon Mr. Mohammad Waqas Tarar, Director Tobacco Control Cell, for his outstanding endeavours in the fight against tobacco. Pakistan has made commendable achievements to curb tobacco in the past years: it has a national legislation to do so, and has also ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). With the personal interest and leadership displayed by Minister Ms. Saira Afzal Tarar, new steps include a ban on the sale of loose cigarettes, a ban on the sale of cigarettes to minors and an increase in the size of the picture warning on cigarette packs (from 40% to 50% this year, and 60% next year). Although challenges remain, Pakistan has a clear way forward which will include some of these measures: enforcement of existing tobacco con-

trol laws, plain packaging, eliminating exposure to second hand smoke in public spaces, comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, and mass awareness campaigns to educating the public. The implementation of WHO MPOWER Strategies will also help in curbing tobacco use.

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health

A day to honour midwives Those who help women to become mothers and deliver their babies deserve a special day to celebrate themselves - for saving lives and making childbirth a safe experience. Worldwide, the 5th of May is marked as ‘International Day of the midwife’, highlighting the work of midwives. This year UNFPA Pakistan in collaboration with the Midwifery Association of Pakistan has commemorated the day in line with the global theme of Quality, Equity and Leadership: ‘Midwives leading the way with quality care’. UNFPA has been a strong supporter of midwifery globally since 2008, being involved in midwifery programmes in over 120 countries. In Pakistan, UNFPA has been providing support to the MoNHSRC and the Midwifery Association of Pakistan to strengthen Midwifery Regulations and Education. The effective engagement of midwives in capacity building and midwifery-led care are crucial to decrease maternal mortality and safe motherhood. Leading midwifery voices from all over the country gathered at the Marriott Hotel Karachi and shared their stories of successes and challenges while serving the community. Policy makers, UN agencies representatives, and Government Officials were also present at the event.

At the event Ms. Ana Maria Leal, Programme Specialist UNFPA, spoke on behalf of UNFPA and emphasized on the three strategic pillars of quality of care for mother and new borns, equal treatment of Midwives as skilled professionals, and giving a leading role in health care facilities to Midwives. Chief guest at the event Dr. Asad Hafeez, Director General of the Ministry of Health said that the country needs more than half a million midwives to meet the current need of Pakistan’s populations’ health care and that the current schools and colleges for training in midwifery cannot produce enough of this force in the coming fifteen years. He said the challenge can

be overcome only by increasing the existing number of schools for midwives, while at the same time raising their quality.

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health

Missing cases a huge challenge for end tuberculosis strategy

Despite significant progress over the last few decades, Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be ranked, along with HIV, as the leading cause of death and top infectious killer worldwide, claiming over 4,500 lives a day. The emergence of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) poses a major threat to health security and could risk gains made in the fight against TB. 10.4 million TB cases were estimated globally during 2016, of which 766,000 TB cases were projected in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. TB is responsible for approximately five percent of the current national disease burden in Pakistan. While the country is ranked 5th among high burden countries globally and 6th among Multi Drug Resistance TB prevalent TB countries, approximately 518,000 people got infected with TB and around 44000 patients died of Tuberculosis in 2016 (WHO report 2017). Around 366,000 TB cases were notified and treated during 2016, with a success rate of 93%. 63% of TB burden of WHO Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR) resides in Pakistan alone. The country faces a substantive gap among the estimated number of people who become infected with TB and the

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number of patients who got diagnosed and treated. With TB case notification rate of 69 percent, around 160,000 TB cases are estimated missing, which pose a serious challenge to break the cycle for TB transmission and adverting deaths due to drug-resistant TB – which accounts for about one-third of all antimicrobial resistance deaths. WHO launched the ‘End TB Strategy’ to eliminate TB globally by 2030 through the reduction of TB deaths by 90 percent and the reduction of TB incidence by 80% compared with levels in 2015. Now, with cooperation of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria has initiated a three years ‘Strategic Initiative’ aiming at identifying missing TB cases and linking them with treatment services. The strategic initiative is planned to focus around identifying and addressing barriers to find missing cases among the key and vulnerable population groups and introducing innovative approached for find and treating missing cases. The missing TB cases who may or may not be have any symptoms of TB, can be

located, among the individuals in the community with non-severe symptoms, who don’t seek treatment; individuals at work, school, home or clinic presumed not to have TB, hence not screened and Individuals seeking care for TB symptoms at health facilities, but do not get diagnosed.Apart from systematic screening, with active contact investigation, enhancing detection of childhood TB, involving unengaged public and private sector, including non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations, there is a need to introduce systematic and routine screening children, prisoners, migrants and people residing in the urban slums. Better application of diagnostics tool such as X-rays and GeneXperts technology will accelerate case finding, treatment and prevention, among the presumed TB cases. Finding the missing cases is critical to eliminating TB because they actively contribute to transmitting the disease to others in the community and poses a major threat to eliminate TB by 2030.

news and events

health

Pakistani doctor Sana Hafeez named WHO global champion for assistive technology

25-year old Pakistani doctor Sana Hafeez has been advocating for improved access to assistive technology ever since a tragic accident left her with a spinal cord injury, which meant that she would use a wheelchair for the rest of her life. While attending a friend’s wedding in 2016, she was hit by a heavy metal pole which fell from the scaffolding directly on her back. Dr. Hafeez was in the middle of completing her final year of medical studies at the Fauji Foundation Medical College in Rawalpindi when the accident happened. She had dreamt of becoming a plastic surgeon. After being consigned to a wheelchair, she recalls thinking her hopes and dreams had become impossible to achieve. And yet, this harrowing experience ultimately turned out to be her source of strength. During the lengthy rehabil-

itation process following the accident, Dr. Hafeez became a role model and a source of inspiration for other patients. She claims disability shouldn’t stop anyone from achieving their goals. Since the accident, Dr. Hafeez has not only completed her medical studies and 1-year mandatory medical training, but has also completed initial exams to become a radiologist. Moreover, she has recently received an offer to work as a medical doctor at the Fauji Foundation Hospital in Rawalpindi, and has also gone on to become a strong advocate for improving access to assistive technology. According to Dr. Hafeez, there is an urgent need for greater awareness of the benefits of assistive technology and the scope and potential it has to assist those individuals living with disabilities. Assistive technology is the

umbrella term used for devices and technologies whose primary purpose is to maintain or improve an individual’s functioning and independence to facilitate participation and to enhance overall well-being. They can also help prevent impairments and secondary health conditions. Examples of assistive devices and technologies include wheelchairs, prostheses, hearings aids, visual aids, and specialized computer software and hardware that increase mobility, hearing, vision, or communication capacities. Currently, it is estimated that in low-income and middle-income countries, only 5–15 percent of people who require assistive devices and technologies have access to them. In recognition of her resilience and determination, Dr. Hafeez has been nominated as the first ever WHO Global Champion for Assistive Technology. The nomination was presented by His Excellency the President of Pakistan, Mr Mamnoon Hussain at the First Regional Meeting on Improving Access to Assistive Technology which took place from 8 to 10 May 2018 in Islamabad. The prestigious nomination has further encouraged Dr Hafeez to advocate for improved access to assistive technology, not only in Pakistan but also at the global level. “I hope to continue to work.

news and events

health

Pioneering Eastern Mediterranean regional consultative meeting on improving access to assistive technology held in Pakistan Pakistan lead Resolution on Assistive Technology adopted by 71st World Health Assembly on 26 May 2018

The opening ceremony of the first Eastern Mediterranean Regional meeting on Improving Access to Assistive Technology was held on 8 May in Islamabad. The high-level meeting was attended by health professionals from 15 countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region, high officials from the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, Government of Pakistan, participants from UN agencies, donors and dignitaries from the private sector. The aim was to develop a regional framework on improving access to assistive technology and highlight WHO efforts in the Eastern region on promoting assistive technology, enabling people with functioning disabilities to lead healthy, productive, independent and dignified lives. In addition, efforts were geared towards developing an evidence-based integrated policy to improve access to assistive technology for all as an essential component of health service delivery systems, supported by adequate financing. Her Excellency, Mrs Saira Afzal Tarar, Federal Minister of Health (MoNHSR&C), while addressing the gathering thanked all for supporting the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations

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and Coordination for this cause, especially World Health Organization in its untiring efforts in Public Health. It was a great honour for World Health Organization (WHO) that His Excellency Mr. Mamnoon Hussain, President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan opened the inaugural session of the meeting. His Excellency said that the Government of Pakistan has taken numerous steps in this respect including the Prime Ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Health Insurance Programme and other welfare projects. To assist Member States to meet their commitments and realize related strategic actions at country level, WHO established the Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE). Dr Sana Hafeez, designated as the first ever WHO Global Champion on Assistive Technology was formally presented the letter of nomination from the President. She has been honored for effectively raising awareness on the importance of improving access to assistive technology at global, regional and national levels. The meeting successfully concluded with the development of a draft Regional Framework, which was reviewed, analyzed and updated after series of group

discussions and plenary meetings. Various experts introduced different models and the fundamentals of the regional framework. Meeting highlighted the importance of including Assistive Technology within the Universal Health Coverage and states responsibility and ownership of Assistive technology program considering majority of the EM countries have also ratified the UN Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Time and again participants highlighted the need decentralization of Assistive Technologies preferably with three levels of Health care; primary secondary and tertiary.Considering the ongoing conflicts of the region and its consequences a dedicated group work was carried out to include assistive technology as part of the emergency response. The provincial secretaries appreciated WHOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contribution in strengthening the health sector and committed their support towards the regional framework and its implementation in their respective provinces. The meeting was labelled as a historical one and a model for other WHO regions to follow.

news and events

health

Trainers on facility based healthsystem response to gender based violence

The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (MoNHSR&C), Pakistan in collaboration with the Department of Health Punjab and the WHO country office with support provided by the WHO Headquarters and Regional Office conducted a 3-day Training of Trainers on Health System Response to GBV, on 25-27 June 2018 in Islamabad. The training was conducted under the UN Joint Programme Partnership on Essential Services to respond to GBV in Pakistan for the selected districts of Punjab. The participants represented health care providers including medical doctors and medico-legal professionals from tertiary and secondary care (DHQ and THQ) level hospitals of districts Lahore, Faisalabad, Muzaffargarh, Chakwal and Rawalpin-

di, based on the existing situation of caseloads. In order to integrate GBV health response skills in Reproductive and Sexual Health Interventions and training packages, the professionals and care providers including medical doctors, Lady Health Visitors (LHVs) and councilors from Family Health Hospitals of Family Planning Association of Pakistan (FPAP) also participated in the training. The meeting aims to build capacity of health service providers and reproductive health/family planning providers to provide a multi-sectoral health response with an integrated system approach for the roll out implementation of the adapted clinical handbook and the National GBV health protocol. The meeting was inaugurated by Dr. Sabeen Afzal from the Federal Ministry of National Health Services, Reg-

ulation and Coordination and WHO head of office Pakistan. Dr. Sabeen explained the process of development, adaptation and endorsement of the National protocol and the adapted clinical hand book to provide services to GBV survivors. She emphasized on the Ministryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full support for roll out implementation across the country. Dr. Muhammad Assai, WHO head of Office Pakistan underlined the role of health system in addressing GBV, including response and prevention. He further emphasized on integrative health system approach where GBV response should be incorporated in other priority health programmes, including at the community level, and different training Packages.

news and events

human development

UNDP Pakistan launches the Pakistan National Human Development Report 2017

UNDP Pakistan launched its National Human Development Report (NHDR) – Unleashing the potential of a Young Pakistan. The report seeks to understand Pakistan’s human development challenges and opportunities from the prism of youth. It focuses on how to improve human development outcomes – by empowering young people, addressing the root causes of the obstacles they face, and by proposing innovative ways to surmount these challenges. Offering first-rate analysis and evidence-based policy recommendations, this Report looks at three key drivers of youth empowerment: quality education, gainful employment and meaningful engagement. Authored by Dr. Adil Najam, Dean, Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University, and Dr. Faisal Bari, Associate Pro-

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fessor of Economics, at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), the Pakistan NHDR accentuates the critical role youth’s quality education, gainful employment, and meaningful engagement can play in securing human development progress in the country. This report relies on the Human Development Index (HDI) as the measure of overall achievement, emphasising three main aspects of a nation’s polity: people, opportunities and choices. Ahsan Iqbal, the Minister for Interior and Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms said it is essential to include young people at all levels of decision-making, because voice and participation are a key part of the human development approach and important for long term policy-making. Neil Buhne, the UN Resident Coor-

dinator stated that never before have the opportunities for social, economic and political progress been so great. Nor have the challenges facing us ever been more pressing. Being aware of this opportunity, the United Nations in line with the Government of Pakistan’s Vision 2025, has prioritized working with youth as a key pillar of the work across the board. Dr. Adil Najam, Lead Author of the NHDR said the future of Pakistan will be determined by those who are between 15 and 29 years of age, and that the most useful thing to do is to create meaningful opportunities in education, employment and engagement that can empower them to unleash their potential. This Nationally-owned report, is formulated under the advice of an Advisory Council with members represented by major political parties, the government and intellectuals. Through its intensely inclusive and participatory process, the Pakistan NHDR 2017 has reached out to nearly 130,000 individuals across the country, 90% of whom where youth, making it essentially a Report ‘by the youth, for the youth’.

news and events

industrial development

Piloting cherry, apple and trout value chain development through private sector’s collaboration the Agri-business and agro-industry development assistance in Pakistan (PAAID) – Initiative for Gilgit-Baltistan. UNIDO conducted a baseline and feasibility study for the Cherry, Apple and Trout Fish value chains. As part of the event, UNIDO also presented its agro-food value chain approach and potential intervention scope for the selected value chains. The Government of Gilgit-Baltistan encouraged the development partners in the province to join forces thus ensuring the local needs of farmers. As an outcome of this event, the Steering Committee members have agreed on the intervention approach for this initiative. as well as the timeline to finalUNIDO strives to achieve shared pros-

International Cooperation Agency (JICA),

perity and environmental sustainability

as well as other federal agencies.

around the world through the promotion

The main objective was to finalize the

and acceleration of inclusive and sus-

agricultural value chains which need to

tainable industrial development. Recently

be addressed in the project and subse-

UNIDO and the Agriculture Department

quently finalize the scope of the project to

of Gilgit and Baltistan convened the very

acquire government resources for various

first Steering Committee meeting for Pa-

interventions. The climate and abundant

kistan Agribusiness and Agroindustry

water resources make the Gilgit-Balti-

development project for Gilgit Baltistan,

stan region ideally suitable for fruit crops

followed by the Validation Workshop in Is-

like cherry and apple as well as trout fish,

lamabad. The event saw the participation

however, currently the farmers and trad-

of high-level representatives of the Depart-

ers are unable to harness the best value of

ment of Agriculture and the Planning and

these crops due to lack of resources and

Development Department of Gilgit-Balti-

technology.

stan, representatives from ILO, IFAD, the

UNIDO’s initiative will help to overcome

Agha Khan Foundation and the Japanese

the hurdles faced by the farmers through

ize the Trust Fund Agreement and governmental approval between the two parties. Nadia Aftab, Country Representative of UNIDO in Pakistan commended the provision of seed money from UNIDO and funds from One UN for initiating the project activities. She thanked the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan for continuous support and their vigour IN developing the selected fruit and fisheries sector. She especially praised the keen interest shown by the progressive farmers, women associations and women farmers and small fruit businessmen of Gilgit-Baltistan in UNIDO’s pursuit for providing technical assistance.

news and events

UNIDO trains industry professionals and trainers on energy management systems in Karachi

UNIDO under its ongoing GEF funded project ‘Sustainable Energy Initiative for Industries in Pakistan’ successfully conducted a round of two back-to-back training sessions on Energy Management Systems Implementation and Training of Trainers for energy auditors and energy managers in Karachi. These trainings were especially designed and conducted by an international expert from Denmark to produce a critical mass of competent professionals on the implementation of energy management systems (EnMS) in industry. During the trainings, participants learned about the fundamentals of EnMS, Energy Performance Indicators and Measurement and Verification, as well as other advance techniques. The training included interactive sessions where participants presented case studies on the implementation of EnMS. The trainings were attended by around hundred professionals including a sizeable number of women. The participants were top managers from various industrial sectors, energy efficiency consultants and representatives from public and private sector organizations. Speaking as Chief Guest during the opening session of Energy Management System implementation training, Mr. Tariq Malik, Chairman of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) in Karachi, highlight-

United Nations Pakistan | Magazine

ed that in order to compete with the international market, it is vital for local industries to reduce their energy costs through implementing energy efficiency, conservation measures and adopting renewables, which will maximize the profitability and will reduce CO2 emissions. As such, he applauded UNIDO for its efforts in enhancing local industrial human resources through specialized trainings. One of the training participants, Mr. Atif Khan –an energy consultant– mentioned that the intensive course on Training of Trainers on Energy Management supported the participants in becoming effective trainers by learning new skills and knowledge on technical subjects. Other participants also appreciated UNIDO’s efforts in promoting EnMS and emphasized that these trainings will greatly help them to start implementing measures to improve the energy systems in their respective organizations. After the successful completion of the trainings, participants were granted participation certificates.

news and events

press freedom

Press freedom and trustworthy information keeps power in check and preserves democratic processes

To mark the 2018 World Press Freedom Day, UNESCO Pakistan jointly with the European Union, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Embassy of Sweden organized the World Press Freedom Day celebration in Islamabad. The event engaged 70 participants including university students, journalists and media workers, civil society organizations, government officials, UN counterparts and representatives of the international community in a discussion on the importance of free and independent media. The main segment of the event consisted of debates

held on subthemes of online speech regulation and the role of social media during elections. In his welcome address, His Excellency EU ambassador Jean-Franรงois Cautain recalled this was the 25th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day and called for a moment of reflection. The Ambassador further added that free press is the key to peace, free press is the key to justice, free press is the key to stable democracy. Looking at the state of press in any country is looking at how a country is doing when it comes to state of human rights and the state of democracy.

Mr. Shafqat Jalil, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Heritage, in his opening remarks acknowledged the relevance of media in context of upcoming general elections in Pakistan. He said the independence of media and provision of justice are inseparable: free media is fundamental to check misuse or abuse of power and building the capacity of journalists enables them to act as a watchdog. Following the debates, Mr. Neil Buhne, UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan pointed out that in the face of rapidly changing nature of social and mainstream media, it is important to examine how these changes can have positive or negative effects in Pakistan. He said that in the light of the recent attack on journalists in Kabul, press freedom is more relevant than ever. Her Excellency Ms. Ingrid Johansson, the Swedish Ambassador for Pakistan closed the ceremony noting that the diverse audience present at the event symbolized the universal relevance of and commitment to media freedom.

news and events

refugees

Balochistan opens state-of-the-art kidney centre Balochistan opens a state-of-the-art public health facility providing free treatment to Pakistanis and Afghan refugee patients suffering from kidney disease. The project was jointly delivered by Balochistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health department, the Balochistan Institute of Nephro-Urology Quetta, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) will cater for the needs of over 14,000 Pakistani citizens and Afghan refugees with renal diseases every year. The facility was inaugurated at a ceremony attended by UNHCR representative for Pakistan, Ms. Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, Chief Justice of the High Court of Balochistan, Justice Mir Muhammad Noor Meskanzai, provincial secretary of health, Mr. Saleh Muhammad Nasir and Chief Executive Officer of the Balochistan Institute of Nephro-Urology Quetta, Prof. Karim Zarkoon. The project has been implemented under the Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas (RAHA) initiative â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a platform for improving access to quality services for both Afghan refugees and their host communities. Under the agreement, the provincial government has provided dialysis machines and trained staff while UNHCR has constructed a building to house the dialysis unit, installed an elevator and centralised the oxygen and air-conditioner systems, as well as provided 15-modern hospital beds. The facility is unique in the province and currently treats sixty patients suffering

United Nations Pakistan | Magazine

UNHCR Representative and Chief Executive Officer of the Balochistan Institute of Nephro-Urology, Quetta exchanging the document

UNHCR Representative visiting the Balochistan Institute of Nephro-Urology in Quetta

from renal diseases every day. With the new dialysis unit, an average of forty-five additional patients who require haemodialysis will be treated free-of-cost each day. It currently costs Rs. 6,000 (USD 50) per patient, per session. All chronic patients need dialysis between two and three-times-a-week. Since its launch in 2009, the RAHA programme has provided assistance to over 10.6 million people through 4,100

projects worth USD 200 million in Pakistan in the sectors of education, health, livelihood, water, sanitation, infrastructure and social protection. Pakistan continues to host 1.4 million Afghan refugees. Around 4.3 million Afghans have returned to Afghanistan under the UNHCR-facilitated voluntary repatriation programme since 2002.

news and events

refugees

One person displaced every two seconds 85 percent of the world’s refugees are hosted by developing countries The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) and GiZ (German Development Cooperation) marked World Refugee Day and expressed solidarity with some 68.5 million people who had been displaced across the world at the end of 2017. According to UNHCR’s annual report, an average of one person was displaced every two seconds in 2017 – with developing countries most affected. 85 percent of the world’s refugees are hosted by developing countries. Refugees who have fled their countries to escape conflict and persecution accounted for 25.4 million of the 68.5 million. This is 2.9 million more than in 2016 – the biggest increase UNHCR has seen in a single year. People displaced inside their own country accounted for 40 million of the total, slightly fewer than the 40.3 million in 2016. Leading global displacement during 2017 was the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the war in South Sudan and the flight into Bangladesh from Myanmar of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees. Afghan refugees living in south-west Asia remain one of the world’s most protracted refugee populations. Pakistan has been hosting millions of Afghan refugees over the last four decades. Federal SAFRON Minister, Ms. Roshan Khursheed Bharucha, Director of UN-

HCR’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Indrika Ratwatte, German Ambassador to Pakistan, Martin Kobler, government officials, representatives from diplomatic missions, UN agencies and refugees attended an event in Islamabad which included an exhibition of refugee-made clothes and crafts, as well as traditional music and dancing from Afghanistan. UNHCR in Pakistan also signed a Statement of Cooperation with the fashion designer of FnkAsia, Ms. Huma Adnan. UNHCR Pakistan will collaborate with FnkAsia to arrange skills training for refugees and promote the products created by them. The aim is to create livelihood opportunities for refugees leading to a digni-

fied life for them and their families. The Islamabad event was jointly hosted by UNHCR, the government of Pakistan and GiZ (German Development Cooperation

news and events

youth

Youth hold dialogue with mainstream political parties to shape 2018 election manifestos UNDP Pakistan and PILDAT organized a Youth Dialogue with Political Parties on Inclusion of Youth Issues in Political Manifestos for 2018 Elections, in which representatives of ten major political parties of Pakistan engaged with youth representatives in a robust discussion on how political parties could shape their 2018 election manifestos to reflect youth’s priorities and aspirations. In his welcome address, Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, President PILDAT, said that youth constitute 31 percent of Pakistan’s population, while approximately 46 percent of the country’s total electorate today comprises youth. He added that effective political and civic participation by youth is a pre-requisite for successful peaceful and sustainable democracy and effectiveness of sound democratic institutions in Pakistan. In his opening remarks, UNDP Country Director, Mr. Ignacio Artaza, said that Pakistan currently has the largest generation of young people ever recorded in its history. This dialogue is taking place at an important juncture in Pakistan’s history, as the nation prepares for its third consecutive general election this year.

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Youth representatives identified issues of revival of students’ unions, lack of quality of education, homelessness and sexual exploitation of children, lack of availability of clean drinking water across Pakistan, madaaris to introduce standard curriculum alongside religious education, requirement of development focus on peri-urban and rural youth, career counselling services in educational institutions, counter-terrorism, entrepreneurship opportunities as well as investments in scientific education, business and investment. Party representatives appreciated the candid review and input by youth representatives on their respective 2013 manifesto pledges and underscored

the need for youth to hold the parties accountable on the implementation of their manifesto pledges using their right to vote in the upcoming General Election. The one-day consultative policy dialogue was part of the UNDP Pakistan’s national Youth Empowerment Programme (YEP) being implemented in Pakistan. The lynchpin of UNDP’s youth-led development approach in Pakistan is to create platforms for meaningful interactions between young people and key policy actors such as government, parliament, media, academia, and civil society with the aim of promoting inclusion of their voices in the policymaking processes

special feature:

UN PEACEKEEPING: 70 YEARS OF SERVICE & SACRIFICE #SERVINGFORPEACE

special feature un peacekeeping: 70 years of service & sacrifice

This year, the United Nations celebrates the 70th anniversary of UN peacekeeping, a unique and dynamic instrument to help countries torn by conflict transition to lasting peace.

Over the past 70 years, more than 1 million men and women have served under the UN flag in more than 70 UN peacekeeping operations. More than 100,000 military, police and civilian personnel from 125 countries currently serve in 14 peacekeeping operations.

United Nations Pakistan | Magazine

UN Peacekeepers have long been the best chance for peace for some of the world’s most vulnerable people. Their service and sacrifice – frequently under harsh and dangerous conditions– has made the Blue Helmet a symbol of hope to millions of people.

In the early years, UN Peacekeeping’s goals were primarily limited to maintaining ceasefires and stabilizing situations on the ground so that efforts could be made at the political level to resolve the conflict by peaceful means. Over the years, UN Peacekeeping

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has adapted to meet the demands of different conflicts and a changing political landscape. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s multidimensional peacekeeping operations are called upon not only to maintain peace and security but also to facilitate the political processes, protect civilians, disarm combatants, support elections, protect and promote human rights and restore the rule of law. While most peacekeepers are serving military or police, 14 per cent are civilians who perform a wide range of functions, from serving as the civilian leadership of the mission to working in the areas of political and civil affairs, human rights, elections, strategic communications, IT, logistics, transport and administration and more. Women peacekeepers today play an increasingly prominent role and are crucial towards improving the performance of our missions. They serve as police officers, troops, pilots, military observers, and other uniformed and civilian posts, including in command positions.

un peacekeeping: 70 years of service & sacrifice

special feature

un peacekeeping: 70 years of service & sacrifice

International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers 29 May 2018 proven investment in global peace, security and prosperity. Together, let us pledge to do all we can to enable that mission to succeed.

On May 29, 1948, the United Nations Security Council authorized the first United Nations peacekeeping operation – the UN Truce Supervision Organization in the Middle East. On this 70th anniversary, we express our gratitude to the more than one million men and women who have served under the UN flag, saving countless lives. We honour the more than 3,700 blue helmets who paid the ultimate price. And we pay tribute to the fourteen missions working around the clock today to protect people and advance the cause of peace.

United Nations Pakistan | Magazine

This year, I will spend International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers in Mali to express my solidarity with colleagues facing high casualties and enormous volatility. As we recognize a legacy of service and sacrifice around the world, I am also committed to taking action for peacekeeping — action to make our operations safer and more effective in today’s challenging environments. We also are committed to reinforcing the important role our forces must play in promoting human rights and addressing sexual exploitation and abuse. United Nations peacekeeping is a

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un peacekeeping: 70 years of service & sacrifice

Seven fallen peacekeepers from Pakistan among those honoured at UN Headquarters ceremony ations, said peacekeepers are saving lives every day, and their service and sacrifice inspires us to work harder to support a sustainable peace in some of the world’s most complex and challenging places. Today, more than 96,000 uniformed personnel from 124 troop-and-police-contributing countries serve under the blue flag, alongside more than 15,000 international and national civilian staff and nearly 1,600 United Nations Volunteers.

Upon his return from Mali, the Secretary-General presided over the observance of the International Day of Peacekeepers at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Friday, 1 June, by laying a wreath to honour those who lost their lives while in the service of peace. He also officiated at a ceremony to posthumously present the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal to the 129 military, police and civilian personnel who lost their lives in peacekeeping operations during 2017. Among the fallen peacekeepers honoured are seven from Pakistan: Sepoy Hazrat Bilal, Naik Abdul Ghafoor and Naik Muhammad Ali who were deployed with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA);

Sepoy Muhammad Ishtiaq Abbasi, Sepoy Tariq Javed, and Naik Atta Ur Tehman who served with the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); and Sepoy Yassir Abbas from the African Union – United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). Pakistan is the 5th largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping. It currently contributes nearly 6,000 military and police personnel to the UN peacekeeping operations in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Mali, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Western Sahara.

This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of UN Peacekeeping, the flagship enterprise of the Organization described by the Secretary-General as a proven investment in global peace, security and prosperity. More than 3,700 blue helmets have paid the ultimate price over the past seven decades, and 14 peacekeeping missions are working around the clock to protect people and advance the cause of peace.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Oper-

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un peacekeeping: 70 years of service & sacrifice

Pakistan: One of the longest-serving and largest contributors to UN peacekeeping

Pakistan has a long history with UN peacekeeping, having been one of the largest contributors of troops and police for decades. In this photo, Brigadier-General Said-Uddin Khan (right), Commander-in-Chief of the UN Security Force (UNSF) George J. Janecek and several Pakistani Officers are viewing, from the bridge of a ship, the departure of about 100 Pakistani soldiers serving with the UN Security Force in West New Guinea (West Irian). Troops serving with UNSF were beginning to withdraw in preparation of the transfer of administration from the UN to Indonesia on 1 May 1963.

Pakistani women and men currently serve in seven UN operations, with the vast majority of them deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Darfur region of Sudan and

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the Central African Republic (CAR). Pakistani peacekeepers serving with the UN mission in CAR (MINUSCA) are seen here arriving in the capital, Bangui, in September 2014.

As of February 2018, Pakistan is the fifth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to United Nations peacekeeping, with more than 6,000 men and women serving under the UN

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flag. UN peacekeepers in the DRC are tasked with protecting civilians and facilitating humanitarian assistance. Pakistani troops are seen here providing escort to NGO and media personnel in South Kivu in January 2015. Farkhanda Iqbel, a Pakistani police officer serving with the Joint UN-AU peacekeeping mission in Sudan’s Darfur region (UNAMID), attends the opening ceremony in March 2014 of the El Raman Women Shopping Centre. The Centre, located in the Abu Shouk camp for internally displaced persons, was built through the efforts of UNAMID police and is run by nearly 100 women, who make and sell their handicrafts to the community. The Pakistani contingent of UNMIL provided technical and vocational skills training, including tailoring and

UNMIL, along with Lt. Shafqat, are seen here at Camp Clara, the battalion’s headquarters outside of Monrovia, where they are conducting a five-day computer course for young Liberians in June 2013. A member of the Pakistani contingent of the UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) is seen here providing medical consultations to civilians in Korhogo, in the country’s Poro Region, in May 2014. Over the course of 13 years, UNOCI also facilitated an inclusive political dialogue, strengthened the National Commission on Human Rights, and helped to disarm 70,000 combatants and re-integrate them into society. The mission completed its mandate in June 2017. Pakistan has lost 148 peacekeepers throughout its history in UN peacekeeping. Seen here is Private Johar Nafees (centre), a member of the Pakistani contingent of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), leading a prayer during the farewell ceremony in Khartoum for Sergeant Nazir Ahmed, who died in the line of duty in October 2006.

computer literacy, for the local population, which was emerging from a brutal civil war. Seen here is a Pakistani peacekeeper teaching a young Liberian to sew as part of the programme offered in Tubmanburg in May 2010. Seargent Saif (right), Signal Technician serving with the Pakistani battalion of

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un peacekeeping: 70 years of service & sacrifice

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un peacekeeping: 70 years of service & sacrifice

Unamid-built airport ring road at El Geneina airport transferred to west Darfur authorities EL GENEINA – A new UNAMID-built ring road that will facilitate movement and enhance security at El Geneina airport has been handed over to local authorities in last July. The 10 km road was constructed by UNAMID Pakistan peacekeepers inside the perimeter of El Shaheed Sebira airport. The new road was officially transferred to the State Government of West Darfur at a ceremony in El Geneina earlier this month. Participants included El Hadi Adam, the Minister of Finance for West Darfur, along with senior officials from the Government of Sudan and UNAMID. Oumar Kane, UNAMID’s Head of Office for Sector West, said the project is a real addition to state infrastructure. The road will facilitate movement inside the airport and enhance security in the area. Mr. Kane commended Pakistani peacekeepers for supporting infrastructural projects such as the airport road and the embankment at Kaja wadi. The embankment is helping to prevent soil erosion from damaging the main road to the airport. Mr. Adam expressed appreciation for UNAMID’s support, noting that the ring road is essential for internal movement at the airport.

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un peacekeeping: 70 years of service & sacrifice

The UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) What is UNMOGIP? The Jammu and Kashmir region has been a source of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan for nearly seven decades. The UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) observes the ceasefire between India and Pakistan along the Line of Control and Working Boundary in Jammu and Kashmir.

Where UNMOGIP operates? UNMOGIP has six field stations in the Pakistan- administered Kashmir (PAK) and four fi stations in the Indian-administered Kashmir (IAK) to monitor the ceasefire. Additionally, one field station is located in Sialkot, Pakistan, along the Working Boundary, and one liaison office e is located in New Delhi, India. UNMOGIPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s headquarters rotate seasonally, between Srinagar, in the Indian Administered Kashmir from May to October, and in Islamabad, Pakistan from November to April.

UNMOGIPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S mandate: The task of UNMOGIP is to observe, to the extent possible, developments pertaining to the strict observance of the ceasefire of 17 December 1971 and to report thereon to the Secretary-General. The last report of the Secretary- General to the Security Council on UNMOGIP was published in January 1972.

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Monitoring the 770-kilometre long Line of Control and Working Boundary By Major General Per Lodin, Head of Mission and Chief Military Observer of UNMOGIP

the past years and look forward to their continued contributions and our ongoing cooperation. This past year, the Mission has been very engaged in investigating alleged ceasefire violations. This is tedious work which requires impeccable professionalism, impartiality and high precision in reporting. The results achieved by UNMOGIP have only been made possible thanks to the efforts of our 44 UN Military Observers (UNMOs) that monitor the 770-kilometre long Line of Control and Working Boundary with the support of 75 civilians ensuring the smooth running of our peacekeeping operation.

The United Nations Military Observer Mission in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) is the second oldest peacekeeping mission in operation and we are aware of the changing nature of UN missions that today require greater knowledge, competencies, and diverse skills. Women have increasingly become part of the peacekeeping family with proven ability to perform the same roles, to the same standards and under the same difficult conditions, as their male counterparts. I would like to thank Thailand, South Korea, and Croatia as the three highest ranking contributors of women

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Military Observers to UNMOGIP. We highly appreciate these efforts and are eager to welcome more women as part of our Mission team. In February, UNMOGIP said goodbye to Finland following 56 years of uninterrupted troop-contributions. I thank Finland for its unwavering efforts and welcome Italy and Romania as our new troop contributors. I also extend my appreciation to Chile, Croatia, Philippines, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and Uruguay for their solid commitment made to UNMOGIP over

Our Mission has continued to build confidence in the region and we will continue to fulfil our mandate with impartiality. This has only been made possible through the relentless support of India and Pakistan, their army liaison officers, their drivers that assist us in our movements and the local authorities. We also wish to highlight the kindness and welcoming attitude of the Kashmiri civilian population. Diversity and professionalism is the beauty and strength of UNMOGIP in which we rejoice and will continue to celebrate while working towards bringing more peace and stability to the region.

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un peacekeeping: 70 years of service & sacrifice

The Investigation

Major Mats Orden accompanied by a South Korean UN Military Observer and a Pakistani officer during a field station visit in Kotli, Pakistan near the Line of Control.

The mandate of United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) is in short “to observe and report”. This also means that the Mission conducts investigations, when needed. UNMOGIP was established to supervise the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It has remained in the area to monitor developments pertaining to the strict observance of the 1971 ceasefire. Peacekeepers observe the ceasefire

through conducting investigations, area reconnaissance, observation posts and field trips. The investigation is, therefore, one of UNMOGIP’s most important tasks. If an investigation needs to be conducted, most other tasks are put aside. The usual reasons for conducting an investigation is if there is fi across the Line of Control (LoC), (troop) movements across the LoC, or aircrafts crossing the LoC. Investigations can also be conducted if there are cases of complaints related to the Working Boundary in the South, as well as investigations into “other alleged incidents (OAI)”.

Most often the trigger for an investigation is a complaint received by UNMOGIP. These complaints, once handed. Lastly, a more thorough report is put together: the “Final Investigation Report, which is shared with UN Headquarters. over to the field stations in PAK, are received and get a case number from the Operations Centre (OPS). Then the Field Station plans the investigation process, which most often in volves a visit to the area of the incident.

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Major Mats Orden

If that area is near the Line of Control (LoC), the Indian side is notified about the upcoming visit. During the investigation, the teams often first meet up with the Commander of the unit who gives them a briefing about the alleged violation, often followed by a meeting with the whole military unit involved. In many cases, the team visits the place of the incident and talks to any civilians involved in the incident. After conducting the investigation, the team immediately sends in a “First Investigation Report” to OPS. In this report, the responsible team leader or officer in charge (OiC) reports about the investigation and provides a short summary of the incident. The report ends with a recommendation on whether the incident was considered a violation or not. One of the most challenging things about an investigation is that it seldom arrives “alone”. Often it takes place within a period of numerous alleged ceasefire violations. That means that Field Stations have to do many investigations in a short period of time. The

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UN Military Observers carrying out an investigation in Domel Field Station with local witnesses

OiC of each station has to plan them in the most efficient way after exploring different possibilities, like; is it possible to split the station into two teams, and in that way, conduct two investigations each day? If there are only three UNMOs at the station, you might have to divide everyone into 1, 2 and 3 – and have a “circling plan” meaning that UNMO 1 is responsible for the first investigation on day 1, UNMO 2 for the investigation the next day and so on. With this solution, UNMO 1 can stay at the station the day after making an investigation and finish all paperwork while others are doing another investigation. With this three-person solution, a field station can conduct 6 investigations per week. With a 4 or 5 UNMO team, it’s possible to conduct up to 12 every week.

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un peacekeeping: 70 years of service & sacrifice

Diversity is the beauty of the UN

Flight Lieutenant Orapim Pakdeesongkram

During my last field investigation, the situation was very tense in the area. I met the Pakistani officer who was present there as our interpreter. During the interview, my colleague and I had trouble understanding some Urdu words. I looked at the offi er’s face but he seemed to be uninterested in our questions. I realized that I needed to change the atmosphere. So instead of resuming the investigation, I asked him where he was from. He eagerly spoke about his hometown. When I told him that I have travelled in Pakistan and told

him about my trip to Lahore, his face just lit up. That’s how a tense situation changed into a delightful conversation. As a new United Nations Military Observer (UNMO) in the field in Pakistan, was challenging to say the least. I found carrying out investigations to be the most difficult task. But the other challenges presented themselves in unexpected ways from familiarizing myself with the culture and traditions of my host country to breaking into the military boy’s fraternity as a female officer.

During the one year that I served in UNMOGIP, I had a chance to work on both the Indian Administrated Kashmir (IAK) side and the Pakistani Administered Kashmir (PAK) side of the LoC., though I spent more time in PAK. My officer in charge in Domel was Captain Denis Zubac. On the day I was going to carry out my fi fi task in a Pakistani Army unit, Denis cautioned me that I might have trouble communicating with Pakistani officers because they are not used to having many female officers around. When I started working in the fi I

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realized that his thoughts were true. I learned a lot from Denis by observing and studying him interact with officers and how they interacted with him. Pakistani officers really like to ask questions like: How do you fi Pakistan? Is this your fi UN mission? Have you visited any place in Pakistan? Do you like Pakistani food? Is this your fi fi station? I consciously made an effort to learn more about Pakistan’s interesting places, food, and also learned some Urdu vocabulary. I decided to travel and visit Pakistan when I got my fi Compensatory Time Off (CTO) after a few months of stay. I heard a lot of Pakistani officers’ talk about Lahore. They told me that “one who has never been to Lahore, has yet to be born.” So, I travelled to Lahore where a friend hosted me for a week. Pakistan is a really incredible country, rich with nature and historical places. This travel experience helped me engage in meaningful conversations with Pakistani officers in the fi That, in return, greatly facilitated my work often dissolving tense situations and building rapport. During my fi visits, I made it a point to ask other officers if they had ever been associated with UN peacekeeping Missions. They gladly shared stories from their time in UN Missions and their experiences. One Pakistani officers told me that his boss in his previous UN mission was a woman and that made him feel comfortable interacting with other female officers. “Respect for diversity” is a core value that all UN personnel are familiar

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with, as we need to work together, side by side, with people from other countries to achieve the same goals of bringing peace to the conflict area. I observed that the diversity in the UN mission can really shape the attitude of people. They become more open and embrace diversity readily. They are more accepting and comfortable around diverse groups, people from other countries, gender and race. I will always remember a sentence a Pakistani officer said, “Diversity is the beauty of the UN.”

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un peacekeeping: 70 years of service & sacrifice

A Peacekeeper’s journey into a new culture

Major Michael Tschumi

Major Michael Tschumi joined UNMOGIP in June 2017 as his first UN peacekeeping mission. Coming straight from Zurich, Switzerland to a remote part of Pakistan, contrasts between the two societies were evident. His approach has been to try to learn new things about the culture and find common ground to get his job done when faced with challenges due to cultural differences. He learned many new things, including some new perspectives with regards to time management. This different pace and approach to life sometimes brought minor challenges. Major Michael recalled that at times they went to villages to do an investigation on a very tight schedule. But on arrival, according to local customs, drinking chai [tea] came before anything else. Instead of being frustrated, he accepted the local culture and tried to find a middle way between that and his own way of working. Image: UNMOGIP-News-

letter-MayJun18-5 He recalled that when he started his mission, the situation was quite tense on the Line of Control and there was a lot of firing and shelling from both Indian and the Pakistani sides. So, he spent most of his time performing investigations of the alleged ceasefire violations. At times, incidents occur in remote areas that are difficult to reach involving long bumpy drives and walking for hours wearing heavy protection equipment like bulletproof vests and helmets. In addition to that, everything must be documented and that involves a lot of paperwork. Despite these challenges, he never found the technical part of the investigations difficult, because being a military officer for the last 14 years, he has been trained to undertake such responsibilities. However, at times he couldn’t detach himself from the human suffering. “The difficult part is visiting civilian vic-

tims, as most of those have lost a son or a daughter or have an injured family member. It is difficult to interview them and stay focused on what you have to do technically, when you are at the same time overwhelmed with compassion, understanding and emotions”, he said. It is part of UN Military Observers’ (UNMOs) job to go on field visits to army units and maintain good relationships with the commanding army officers of the area. Another important job is to go out for area reconnaissance and build rapport with the local community and explain the purpose for being in the area. “If we don’t have an investigation (because that’s the priority), we go out for area reconnaissance, explain to people what we are doing and also understand their opinions about the issue between India and Pakistan and the Kashmir conflict,” he said.”

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messages from antĂłnio guterres, secretary-general of the united nations

International Day for Biological Diversity 22 May 2018 The rich variety of life on Earth is essential for the welfare and prosperity of people today, and for generations to come. That is why, 25 years ago, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nations agreed on the Convention for Biological Diversity. The Convention has three goals: the global conservation of biodiversity, its sustainable use and the equitable sharing of its benefits. Achieving these objectives is integral to meet our goals for sustainable development. Protecting and restoring ecosystems and ensuring access to eco-

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system services, are necessary for the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. Reducing deforestation and land degradation and enhancing carbon stocks in forests, dry lands, rangelands and croplands are needed for mitigating climate change. Protecting the biodiversity of forests and watersheds supports clean and plentiful water supplies. These are just some of the benefits of biodiversity. Yet, despite this, biodiversity loss persists around the globe. The answer is to intensify efforts and build on successes.

This year, Parties to the Convention will begin work on a new action plan to ensure that, by 2050, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used for the benefit of all people. The entire world needs to join this effort. On this International Day for Biological Diversity, I urge governments, businesses and people everywhere to act to protect the nature that sustains us. Our collective future depends on it.

messages from antónio guterres, secretary-general of the united nations

World Environment World Oceans Day 8 June 2018 Day 5 June 2018 A healthy planet is essential for a prosperous and peaceful future. We all have a role to play in protecting our only home. But it can be difficult to know what to do or where to start. That’s why this World Environment Day has just one request. Beat plastic pollution. Our world is swamped by harmful plastic waste. Every year, more than 8 million tonnes end up in the oceans. Microplastics in the seas now outnumber stars in our galaxy From remote islands to the Artic, nowhere is untouched. If present trends continue, by 2050 our oceans will have more plastic than fish. On World Environment Day, the message is simple: reject single-use plastic. Refuse what you can’t re-use. Together, we can chart a path to a cleaner, greener world.

The oceans make our blue planet unique in our solar system - and not just visually. They help regulate the global climate and are the ultimate source of the water that sustains all life on Earth, from coral reefs to snow-covered mountains, from tropical rain forests to mighty rivers, and even deserts. However, the ability of the oceans to provide their essential services is being threatened by climate change, pollution and unsustainable use. On this World Oceans Day, we are highlighting the problem of plastic pollution. Eighty percent of all pollution in the sea comes from land, including some eight million tons of plastic waste each year. It chokes waterways, harms communities that depend on fishing and tourism, kills turtles and birds, whales and dolphins, and finds its way to the most remote areas of the planet and throughout the food chain on which we ultimately rely. Unless we change course, plastic waste could soon outweigh all the fish in the oceans.

We must work individually and collectively to stop this preventable tragedy and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, including plastic. Action starts at home, and speaks louder than words. The United Nations aims to lead by example, and more than thirty of our agencies have now begun working to end the use of single-use plastic. But everyone needs to play a part. You can make a difference today – and every day – by doing simple things such as carrying your own water bottle, coffee cup and shopping bags, recycling the plastic you buy, avoiding products that contain micro plastics, and volunteering for a local clean-up. If we all do a little, our combined actions can be massive. On this World Oceans Day, I urge governments, communities and individuals alike to celebrate our oceans by helping clear them of pollution and ensure they remain vibrant for generations to come.

International Albinism Awareness Day 13 June 2018 Albinism is a genetic condition that affects people throughout the world, regardless of race, ethnicity or gender. Yet, tragically, people with albinism continue to suffer widespread discrimination, stigma and social exclusion. Very many, including children and women, are extremely vulnerable, isolated and subject to abuse and violence.

The endorsement of a Regional Action Plan on Albinism in Africa by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights as well as by the Pan African Parliament is a key step forward. But much more can be done globally to raise awareness about the plight of people with albinism. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development promises to leave no

one behind. International Albinism Awareness Day is an opportunity to declare solidarity with people with albinism and strive together so those who are often left furthest behind are able to live free from discrimination and fear, and are empowered to enjoy their full human rights.

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World Refugees Day

International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

20 June 2018

26 June 2018

“What would you do if you were forced to leave your home? Today, more than 68 million people around the world are refugees or internally displaced as a result of conflict or persecution. That is equivalent to the population of the world’s 20th largest country. Last year, someone was displaced every two seconds. Mostly, in poorer countries.

Drug challenges are among the most complex problems we face, with wide-ranging impacts on health and well-being, families and communities, security and sustainable development. Addressing them requires a holistic focus across many fronts, as highlighted in the outcome document unanimously adopted by the 2016 United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the world drug problem. We need international cooperation and effective law enforcement responses to stop organized crime networks and drug traffickers, with full respect for human rights and in accordance with international standards and norms. At the same time, we need to expand evidence-based approaches to prevention, treatment and support. The UNGASS outcome document outlines concrete steps for taking such balanced action, rooted in the principle of shared responsibility. It is also flexible enough to allow countries to pursue national drug policies according to their priorities and needs – as I did when I was Prime Minister of Portugal.

On World Refugee Day, we must all think about what more we can do to help. The answer begins with unity and solidarity. I am deeply concerned to see more and more situations where refugees are not receiving the protection they need and to which they are entitled. We need to re-establish the integrity of the international refugee protection regime. In today’s world, no community or country providing safe refuge to people fleeing war or persecution should be alone and unsupported. We stand together, or we fail. This year, a Global Compact on Refugees will be presented to the UN General Assembly. It offers a way forward and recognizes the contributions that refugees make to the societies hosting them. As long as there are wars and persecution, there will be refugees. On World Refugee Day, I ask you to remember them. Their story is one of resilience, perseverance and courage. Ours must be of solidarity, compassion and action.

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In line with the three international drug control conventions, I introduced non-criminal responses to drug possession for personal use, while increasing resources for prevention, treatment and social reintegration, and reinforcing criminalization of drug trafficking. There are no easy solutions. But my own experience reinforces my strong conviction that we can chart a better path to counter the world drug problem. Building on agreed international frameworks and using the UNGASS consensus as our guide, I urge countries to advance prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration services; ensure access to controlled medicines while preventing diversion and abuse; promote alternatives to illicit drug cultivation; and stop trafficking and organized crime – all of which would make an immense contribution to our work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Together, we can ensure that all people can live in health, dignity and peace, with security and prosperity.

International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 26 June 2018 This day acknowledges and honours the many survivors of torture worldwide, including those who have been tortured for their political or other views, those caught in the fight against terrorism or those who have been tortured simply because of their differences. Victims of torture have a right to an effective remedy, rehabilitation and redress. The absolute prohibition of torture has been stipulated in unequivocal terms in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the United Nations Convention against Torture. Much

has been achieved in the fight against this and other cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and treatment, yet more action is needed to eradicate torture fully. Torture remains unacceptable and unjustified at all times, including during states of emergency, political instability, or even in a war. On this day, let us also pay tribute to all those who stand in solidarity with victims and their families – and reaffirm our commitment to ending this abominable and useless practice.

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Thanking UN Peacekeepers

70 years of UN Peacekeeping. 360VR Film - Under the Blue Helmet: Life As A UN Peacekeeper

Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peacekeepers Leave a Legacy of Peace in Liberia

Sohaib Arshad

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Sikander Nawaz Rajput

Rimsha Mehmood

Kanza Munir

Ameer

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Abdullah Qureshi

#ServingForPeace: UN Peacekeepers

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The United Nations Pakistan Newsletter is produced by the United Nations Communications Group

The United Nations has a long-standing partnership with the people of Pakistan in support of national development goals. The United Nations has also been providing humanitarian assistance in case of natural disasters and crises. Led by the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, United Nations works in all eight administrative areas of Pakistan through 19 resident organizations. Straddling humanitarian assistance and sustainable development, the work of the United Nations in Pakistan includes key areas such as education, health, water and sanitation, nutrition, economic growth, employment and livelihoods, resilience against disaster, governance, gender equality and social justice. The One UN Programme for Pakistan, United Nations focuses on accelerating progress towards achievement of Millennium Development Goals, reducing poverty, promoting opportunities for youth as well as advancing gender equality and human rights both at national and sub-national levels. United Nations encourages economic growth in Pakistan through supporting policies and programmes that link small farmers to markets, improving working conditions for women and supporting home-based and domestic workers. It will also assist the Government in strengthening democratic processes and institutions at the federal, provincial and local levels. Tackling the effects of climate change and reducing Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vulnerabilities to natural disasters features especially prominently in the work of the United Nations in Pakistan.

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