Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 15 July 2025
UNIC-Islamabad
15 July 2025
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FAO
PRESS RELEASE
Japan-Funded FAO Project Helps Restore Farming and Livestock Livelihoods in Flood-Hit Pakistan
Islamabad – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has concluded a critical emergency project that provided support to flood-affected farming and herding communities in Pakistan’s Balochistan and Sindh provinces, made possible through generous funding from the Government of Japan.
The FAO-led intervention, backed by a contribution of USD 6.48 million, focused on restoring food production, improving household nutrition, and building longer-term resilience in areas devastated by the unprecedented 2022 floods. Over 74,000 households—equivalent to more than 520,000 people—benefited from the initiative, which combined agricultural support with livestock protection and targeted assistance for female-headed families.
A project completion event was held at FAO’s country office in Islamabad to highlight the key results and express appreciation for Japan’s contribution. The event brought together Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, H.E. Mr. Akamatsu Shuichi, FAO Representative in Pakistan,
Ms. Florence Rolle, and senior representatives from national and provincial partners.
“The Government of Japan has always prioritized human security in its development cooperation,” said Ambassador Akamatsu Shuichi, adding, “This project reflects our commitment to helping the people of Pakistan recover from the devastating floods and rebuild their lives through practical, sustainable support.”
FAO’s response involved the distribution of seeds, fertilizers, and training to help families restart food production. Over 14,000 households received inputs for vegetable and field crop cultivation, while 1,500 hectares of agricultural land were rehabilitated. As a result, farming families were able to grow a wide range of crops, including wheat, rice, maize, okra, brinjal, and tomatoes—improving food availability and income opportunities. Support to livestock-owning families included the distribution of animal feed, mineral blocks, poultry, and small ruminants, along with the construction of animal shelters and a mass vaccination campaign that reached more than 629,000 animals, benefiting 35,000 households. Special focus was given to female-headed households, who received livestock and poultry packages along with training in animal care and poultry production to help diversify and stabilize their incomes.
“This project made a real difference in the lives of rural communities that lost nearly everything to the floods,” said Ms. Florence Rolle, FAO Representative in Pakistan. “With Japan’s timely support, families not only regained their ability to produce food but also strengthened their resilience against future shocks.”
Implemented in close coordination with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, disaster management authorities, and non-governmental partners, the project also helped enhance local knowledge of climate-smart practices, food security planning, and livestock management—laying the foundation for more resilient rural systems in the future.
For more information: To learn more, please visit:
Contact: Fareeha Sultan Website: www.fao.org/pakistan
Communications Consultant Facebook: www.facebook.com/FAOinPakistan
Contact: 0331-4630116 Twitter: https://twitter.com/FAOPakistan
جاپانی فنڈنگ سے چلنے والا ایف اے او کا منصوبہ پاکستان میں سیلاب سے متاثرہ کسانوں اور مویشی پالنے والے خاندانوں کے روزگار کی بحالی میں مددگار
اسلام آباد: اقوامِ متحدہ کی خوراک و زراعت کی تنظیم (ایف اے او) نے بلوچستان اور سندھ کے ان علاقوں میں ایک ہنگامی منصوبہ مکمل کر لیا ہے جو 2022 کے تباہ کن سیلابوں سے متاثر ہوئے تھے۔ یہ منصوبہ جاپان کی حکومت کی فراخدلانہ مالی معاونت سے ممکن ہوا۔
ایف اے او کی قیادت میں کیے گئے اس اقدام کے لیے جاپان نے 6.48 ملین امریکی ڈالر فراہم کیے، جس کا مقصد خوراک کی پیداوار کی بحالی، گھریلو غذائیت میں بہتری، اور طویل المدتی لچک پیدا کرنا تھا۔ اس منصوبے سے 74,000 سے زائد گھرانے، یعنی تقریباً 5 لاکھ 20 ہزار افراد مستفید ہوئے۔ منصوبے میں زراعت کی بحالی کے ساتھ ساتھ مویشیوں کی حفاظت اور خواتین سربراہانِ خانہ کو خصوصی امداد شامل تھی۔
منصوبے کی تکمیل کے موقع پر ایف اے او کے پاکستان میں دفتر میں ایک تقریب منعقد ہوئی، جس میں منصوبے کے نتائج کو اجاگر کیا گیا اور جاپان کی امداد پر شکریہ ادا کیا گیا۔ اس موقع پر پاکستان میں جاپان کے سفیر محترم اکاماتسو شوئچی، ایف اے او کی پاکستان میں نمائندہ مس فلورنس رول، اور قومی و صوبائی شراکت دار اداروں کے سینئر نمائندے شریک ہوئے۔
سفیر اکاماتسو شوئچی نے کہا:جاپان کی حکومت نے ہمیشہ انسانی تحفظ کو اپنی ترقیاتی حکمتِ عملی میں اولیت دی ہے۔ یہ منصوبہ ہماری اس وابستگی کا مظہر ہے کہ ہم پاکستانی عوام کو سیلاب سے بحالی میں عملی اور پائیدار مدد فراہم کریں۔"
ایف اے او کی جانب سے متاثرہ خاندانوں کو بیج، کھاد اور تربیت فراہم کی گئی تاکہ وہ خوراک کی پیداوار دوبارہ شروع کر سکیں۔ 14,000 سے زائد گھرانوں کو سبزیوں اور کھیتی باڑی کے لیے ضروری اشیاء دی گئیں، جبکہ 1,500 ہیکٹر زرعی زمین کی بحالی عمل میں لائی گئی۔ اس کے نتیجے میں کسان خاندانوں نے گندم، چاول، مکئی، بھنڈی، بینگن اور ٹماٹر جیسی مختلف فصلیں اگائیں، جس سے خوراک کی دستیابی اور آمدنی کے مواقع بہتر ہوئے۔
مویشی پالنے والے خاندانوں کی مدد کے لیے جانوروں کی خوراک، معدنی بلاکس، پولٹری اور چھوٹے جانور فراہم کیے گئے، جانوروں کے شیلٹر بنائے گئے، اور 6 لاکھ 29 ہزار سے زائد جانوروں کی ویکسینیشن کی گئی، جس سے 35,000 گھرانے مستفید ہوئے۔ خواتین سربراہانِ خانہ پر خصوصی توجہ دی گئی، جنہیں مویشی اور پولٹری پیکیج دیے گئے اور جانوروں کی نگہداشت و پولٹری کی پیداوار سے متعلق تربیت فراہم کی گئی تاکہ ان کی آمدنی مستحکم ہو سکے۔
پاکستان میں ایف اے او کی نمائیندہ فلورنس رول نے کہا یہ منصوبہ ان دیہی کمیونٹیز کی زندگیوں میں حقیقی تبدیلی لایا جو سیلاب میں تقریباً سب کچھ کھو چکی تھیں۔ جاپان کی بروقت مدد سے ان خاندانوں نے نہ صرف خوراک کی پیداوار دوبارہ شروع کی بلکہ مستقبل کے جھٹکوں کے خلاف اپنی مزاحمت بھی مضبوط کی۔"
یہ منصوبہ وفاقی وزارتِ قومی غذائی تحفظ و تحقیق، قدرتی آفات سے نمٹنے والے اداروں اور غیر سرکاری شراکت داروں کے ساتھ قریبی اشتراک سے عمل میں لایا گیا۔ اس نے مقامی سطح پر موسمیاتی سمارٹ طریقوں، خوراک کی سیکیورٹی کی منصوبہ بندی، اور مویشیوں کے بہتر انتظام کے بارے میں آگاہی کو فروغ دیا—جو مستقبل میں زیادہ پائیدار دیہی نظام کے لیے بنیاد فراہم کرے گا۔
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UNICEF
PRESS RELEASE
South Asia immunises a record-high number of children in 2024
New UNICEF and WHO data show strong government commitments, investments, and partnerships have propelled South Asia to achieve its highest-ever immunisation coverage.
KATHMANDU/NEW DELHI, 15 July 2025: South Asia has reached its highest-ever immunisation coverage for children, according to new data released today by WHO and UNICEF for 2024. This marks a milestone in the region’s drive to protect every child from vaccine-preventable diseases.
“This is a proud moment for South Asia. More children are protected today than ever before, thanks to tireless frontline health workers, strong government leadership, donors’ and partners’ support and the unwavering trust of families,” said Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia. But we cannot forget the millions of children who are under vaccinated or unvaccinated. Now is the time to push further, especially into the most rural areas, to give every child his or her right to healthcare in the earliest years of life.
In 2024, 92 per cent of the infants in the region received their third dose of the Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTP) vaccine, a crucial global indicator of vaccination progress. This marks a 2 percentage point increase since 2023. During the same period, the proportion of children receiving their first dose of DTP increased from 93 per cent to 95 per cent. These figures show a strong bounce back, surpassing pre-COVID levels – reflecting the efforts of the South Asian governments to prioritise children’s health.
Additionally, there was a 27 per cent reduction in the number of children who did not receive a single dose of the vaccine, also known as zero-dose children, decreasing from 2.5 million to 1.8 million in a year.
Pakistan has achieved its highest-ever DTP3 coverage at 87 per cent. It is expected to launch its HPV vaccination programme later this year.
Progress has been notably strong in India and Nepal. India reduced its number of zero-dose children by 43 per cent (from 1.6 million in 2023 to 0.9 million in 2024), and Nepal achieved a 52 per cent reduction (from 23,000 in 2023 to 11,000 in 2024). However, Afghanistan still faces challenges, having the lowest coverages in the region and saw a 1 percentage point drop in coverage over the past year.
South Asia achieved the strongest regional progress in eliminating measles. In 2024, 93 per cent of infants received the first dose and 88 per cent received the second dose, up from 90 and 87 per cent, respectively. The number of measles cases dropped 39 per cent, from over 90,000 in 2023 to about 55,000 in 2024. However, vaccine coverage remains below the 95 per cent threshold required to prevent outbreaks.
"It is heartening to see WHO South-East Asia Region reach the highest ever immunisation rates, surpassing the pre-pandemic up-trend. We must build on this momentum and step up efforts to reach every child with these lifesaving vaccines. Together we can, and we must,” said Dr Thamarangsi Thaksaphon, Director Programme Management, WHO South-East Asia Region.
Vaccination coverage for adolescent girls in South Asia against human papillomavirus (HPV), a major cause of cervical cancer, increased from 2 per cent in 2023 to 9 per cent in 2024. Bangladesh achieved notable progress, vaccinating over 7.1 million girls since starting its HPV programme in 2023. Similarly, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka increased their HPV vaccination rates by 3 percentage points (from 91 per cent to 94 per cent), 15 percentage points (from 60 per cent to 75 per cent), and 17 percentage points (from 31 per cent to 48 per cent) respectively in 2024. Nepal launched its national HPV vaccination campaign in February 2025 and has vaccinated over 1.4 million girls so far.
Behind these strides are years of work and collaboration, including:
- Governments’ leadership in prioritising immunisation, supported by strong policies and investments.
- The efforts of frontline health workers, including community health workers, most of whom are women, in reaching the most underserved families and boosting vaccine confidence.
- Increased community support and trust in vaccines.
- Long-standing support from donors, local partners and manufacturers to ensure vaccines are available and accessible everywhere.
- Use of digital tools, innovations, and improved data collection and monitoring to identify children who have missed their vaccinations.
- Targeted campaigns that have ensured children, adolescents, and mothers receive lifesaving vaccines on time.
While the region made leaps in immunising children in 2024, more than 2.9 million children remain un- and under-vaccinated and therefore unprotected.
With this in mind, UNICEF and WHO urge governments in South Asia to:
- Sustain political commitment and increase domestic financing for immunisation
- Expand HPV vaccination coverage
- Increase efforts to reach zero-dose and under-vaccinated children
- Invest in frontline health workers, including community health workers and community members who influence vaccine uptake behaviours
- Bridge the gaps in measles coverage
- Reinforce surveillance systems for vaccine-preventable diseases
The strides made in immunisation across South Asia demonstrate that collaborative effort can lead to remarkable achievements for children. Governments must now sustain this momentum to ensure every child has a healthy start in life.
Multimedia:
- Download photos and broll here.
Media Inquiries
- Pravaran Mahat, UNICEF South Asia, pma...@unicef.org / +977 9802048256
- Shamila Sharma, WHO SEARO, shar...@who.int
About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.
UNICEF’s Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA) works with UNICEF Country Offices in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to help to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfil their potential. For more information about UNICEF’s work for children in South Asia, visit www.unicef.org/rosa and follow UNICEF ROSA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
About WHO
Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance to live a healthy life. Working with 194 Member States across six regions and on the ground in 150+ locations, the WHO team works to improve everyone’s ability to enjoy good health and well-being.
One of the six WHO Regions, WHO South-East Asia is home to a quarter of the world’s population. Committed to building a better, healthier future for the nearly two billion people in the Region, WHO is working with the 10 Member States to address persisting and emerging epidemiological and demographic challenges.
