© Helvetas Pakistan / Owais Khan Khattak

Pakistan

Pakistan is one of the countries most severely impacted by the effects of climate change. Almost every year, flood disasters and landslides destroy the livelihoods of thousands of people in Pakistan. Helvetas supports the efforts of the population to build resilience to natural disasters and improve livelihoods through sustainable water management and conflict-free coexistence.
© Helvetas Pakistan / Owais Khan Khattak
  • Capital
    Islamabad
  • Area
    796,095 km²
  • Poverty rate*
    6% of the population live under the poverty line of $1.90 per day
  • UN DEVELOPMENT INDEX*
    Rank: 161 out of 191
  • Population
    192,827,000
  • People supported per year
    587,095
  • Thematic focus
    Climate & Disaster Resilience
    WASH & Water Governance
    Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion
* Source: UN Data

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

Safe drinking water, better flood control

Helvetas focuses its efforts on improving the livelihood of communities in the poorest areas of the country, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in northern Pakistan. Helvetas advocates for sustainable water management and careful use of water in agriculture to decrease the pressure on catchment areas. The authorities and farmers work together to ensure that local water requirements are taken into account. We also promote public-private partnerships to achieve better results.

Education for women and girls

Young men and women from conflict-ridden areas are getting an education that helps them find steady work and improves their prospects in life. This, in turn, contributes to stability and peace in the region. We work directly with communities to improve their resilience to disaster risk reduction. They acquire the required set of skills to make disaster preparedness plans and take swift action to minimize losses. They learn to use early warning signs, carry out search and rescue missions and apply first aid in case of an emergency.

Better support for schoolchildren

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

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

Visit the website of Helvetas Pakistan.

The country programme in Pakistan is co-funded by the SDC programme contribution.

Our Projects in Pakistan

 If you would like to know more about our work in Pakistan, click on each project for details.

© Helvetas
Pakistan Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Economic Prospects for Peace and Stability

© Helvetas Pakistan
Pakistan Humanitarian Response

Covid 19 Rapid Recovery

Pakistan Humanitarian Response

Flood emergency response in Pakistan

Pakistan Food & Nutrition

Re-Food Pakistan

Climate & Disaster Resilience

Every year, we support over 1,000,000 people in adapting to climate change, reducing the risks of disasters, sustainably managing natural resources, and conserving nature.

WASH & Water Governance

The most vulnerable communities suffer from dirty and scarce water. Annually we help up to 500,000 people get new access to drinking water and basic sanitation.

Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

In many countries where we work, men and women are unable to claim their rights and participate actively in decision-making processes.

Contact

HELVETAS PAKISTAN

E-Mail: info.pk@helvetas.org