Media update -2: United Nations Pakistan, 16 June 2026
UNIC-Islamabad
16 June 2026
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WHO
PRESS RELEASE
Water availability shrinks as the investment gap increases in Pakistan: UN reports
As part of the extended celebrations of World Water Day, UNESCO, WHO and partners launch 3 water-related publications and convene experts and Pakistan’s Ministry of Water Resources to discuss solutions to enhance access to safe water, public health and the empowerment of women in water-related decisions.
Islamabad, 16 June 2026 – Women and girls spend 250 million hours every day on water collection globally, over three times more than men and boys. This disparity affects their education, health and income.
This is one of the key findings of the three water-related publications that were jointly launched today in Islamabad – as part of the extended celebrations of World Water Day – by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The event also counted with the collaboration of the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), the Global Climate Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC), the Economic Cooperation Organization Science Foundation (ECOSF) and UNESCO Water Chair on Knowledge Systems for IWRM at COMSATS University Islamabad.
The UN World Water Development Report 2026 presented today in Pakistan reports that 2.1 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water, while 3.4 billion people do not have access to safely managed sanitation services – while 1.7 billion do not have basic hygiene services at home. In Pakistan, according to WHO and UNICEF estimates, around 55% of the population lacks access to safely managed drinking water and over 58% of the population living in rural areas does not have safely managed sanitation services.
“At the time of independence, each Pakistani had access to over 5,000 cubic meters of fresh water annually, now Pakistan is below 1,000,” said Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo during the event.
“Water solutions should be inclusive, practical and embedded in local knowledge,” said Mohamed Yahya, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Pakistan.
As water availability shrinks, the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) investment gap for urban areas has increased in Pakistan, while the deficit in rural areas has decreased, compared to the 2021/2022 period, according to the UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) 2025 Report – also launched today.
According to the GLASS report, in Pakistan, the combined Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) budgets of the four provincial governments and the Islamabad Capital Territory increased from 225 billion to 265 billion Pakistani rupees (US$ 808 million to US$ 952 million) from 2022 to 2024 – an 18% nominal increase. However, due to high inflation over the same period, this represents a 20% decrease in real terms.
The “Guidelines for Science Policy Practice Interface (SSPI) for Achieving Water Security in Pakistan” –presented by UNESCO and Pakistan’s Council of Research in Water Resources during the event – provide guidance to bridging the gap between scientists, policymakers and practitioners for these challenges.
Under the global theme “Water and Gender”, the United Nations entities underlined that the global water crisis affects everyone – but not equally. Where people lack safe drinking water and sanitation close to home, inequalities flourish, with women and girls bearing the brunt.
The event brought together government officials, United Nations agencies, researchers, development partners, academia, civil society organizations, and water sector experts to discuss pathways towards climate-resilient and gender-responsive water governance.
A high-level round table chaired by Mr. Fuad Pashayev, Representative of UNESCO in Pakistan, focused on the key findings and recommendations emerging from the three publications. The session highlighted the growing urgency of addressing the interconnected challenges of water security, climate change, and social inclusion.
The round table featured contributions from Ms. Pernille Ironside, Representative of UNICEF Pakistan; Mr. Fahim Ahmed, Technical Specialist, UNDP Pakistan; and Ms. Ellen Thom, Deputy Representative, WHO Pakistan. Discussions explored global and national trends in water security, sanitation, public health, climate adaptation, and the importance of strengthening the science–policy–practice interface to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6.
Discussions were followed by a panel that brought together leading experts from research, policy, climate science, and regional cooperation institutions. They analyzed practical pathways for translating scientific evidence into policies and actions. Experts underscored the need for stronger science-informed policymaking, climate-resilient water management, improved water governance, enhanced cooperation among institutions, and greater participation of women in water-related decision-making processes to leave no one behind.
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For more information, please contact:
UNESCO: Zahra Sohail, Communications Officer, z.so...@unesco.org
WHO: Dr. José Ignacio Martín Galán, WHO Pakistan Head of Communications, joma...@who.int
UNDP
PRESS RELEASE
National Women Lawyers Conference spotlights digital gender-based violence
12 June 2026, Islamabad: Under the European Union (EU) funded ‘Deliver Justice Project’, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) partnered with the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council (KPBC), Balochistan Bar Council and Islamabad Bar Council to convene the flagship Women Lawyers Conference in Islamabad, marking the first time the initative was held at the national level.
More than 75 women lawyers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan and Islamabad participated in the conference, which focused on examining emerging challenges facing women in the legal profession and Pakistan’s justice system, particularly related to technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV). TFGBV is gender-based violence that is perpetrated through phones, social media, or other digital spaces.
Hon’ble Mr. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, Judge, Supreme Court of Pakistan/Advisor to the Board of Governors, FJA took this opportunity to share, “Women lawyers are vital partners in advancing the rule of law, protecting fundamental rights, and ensuring equal access to justice. Through dialogue, collaboration, and collective action, we can build a more inclusive, equitable, and gender-responsive justice system for Pakistan.”
The Conference opened with reflections from last year’s gathering, shared by Ms. Sadia Hanif, Programme Analyst, UNDP, followed by a session led by Ms. Nadia Ali, Head of Gender Team, UNDP, who shared insights on online violence and Pakistan’s first National TFGBV strategy.
Dr. Sébastien Lorion, Team Leader, Governance and Human Capital Development, Delegation of the EU to Pakistan, underlined, “The European Union remains committed to working with national institutions and the legal community to advance gender equality, strengthen the rule of law and ensure that justice is accessible, especially as new challenges arise. The EU and Pakistan are committed to ensuring that the digital spaces and workplaces of tomorrow are safe, inclusive, and empowering for everyone. Technology was created to expand our horizons, not to shrink them. Women lawyers play a key role in supporting access to justice for women victims of technology-facilitated gender-based violence.”
A panel discussion moderated by Ms. Shahzada Ahmad, Programme Manager, Rule of Law Programme, UNDP Pakistan, brought together Ms. Munizae Jahangir, Award-Winning TV Journalist and Documentary Filmmaker; Ms. Huma Akhtar Chughtai, Member of the National Assembly; Mr. Usama Khilji, Director, Bolo Bhi; and Ms. Aaliya Zareen Abbasi, Senior Legal Expert. The discussion explored the impact of online violence on women and the need for stronger legal, institutional, and survivor-centered responses.
Ms. Noureen Bano Lehri, Chairperson, National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), emphasized, “The fight against violence and discrimination requires collective action and sustained commitment. By investing in education, responsible media practices, and institutional reforms, we can build a society where women and girls live with dignity, safety, and equal opportunity.”
The Conference also featured an impact hub showcasing efforts undertaken by UNDP with funding from the EU to strengthen gender-responsive and survivor-centered justice and security sectors in KP and Balochistan, including a virtual reality tour of GBV Courts established under the programme in Swat, Quetta, and Peshawar.
Mr. Hayat Ali Shah, Director General, FJA, reaffirmed, “The Federal Judicial Academy remains committed to supporting initiatives that enhance the capacity, visibility, and leadership of women legal professionals in Pakistan’s justice sector.”
In her remarks, Van Nguyen, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Pakistan, said, “Justice becomes stronger when women are not only seeking it, but shaping it. As more women participate in digital spaces, our collective responsibility is to ensure that technology expands opportunity rather than creates new forms of harm. Investing in women lawyers is an investment in more inclusive institutions, greater public trust, and a justice system capable of protecting rights and dignity in an increasingly digital world.” She appreciated the Supreme Court, FJA, and the Bar Councils of KP, Balochistan, and Islamabad for their commitment to a safer justice sector, and thanked the EU for its longstanding support to rule of law institutions.
The Conference concluded with recommendations focusing on addressing challenges fueled through technology, shaping systems that are resilient to these changing dynamics, and improving access to these systems for TFGBV survivors.
For further details, please contact:
- Fizza Bangash, Communications Analyst, UNDP Pakistan, at fizza....@undp.org or +92 (51) 835 5631
About the Deliver Justice Project:
The 20 Million Euro “Deliver Justice Project”, is funded by the European Union and aims to support reform processes to ensure the delivery of people-centered justice, enhance access to justice for all, particularly women and less privileged groups, and improve service delivery of the security sector in line with constitutional safeguards and international standards in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including the Merged Districts and Balochistan. The project is funded by the EU and jointly implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The UNDP Rule of Law Programme is implementing a range of interventions to enhance security and justice sector governance in Pakistan.
About UNDP:
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.
