Government of Canada Provides Additional Support to Displaced Civilians in Pakistan

Wednesday, August 12 2009

Islamabad, Pakistan - The Government of Canada will provide an additional $25 million to support current humanitarian efforts in the North West Frontier Province and Federally Administered Tribal Areas, the Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister for International Cooperation and Vice-Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Afghanistan, announced today after visiting the Jalozai Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp in Pakistan.

"I have witnessed the impact of the conflict on the displaced families and their struggle to meet their basic needs and am pleased that Canada is increasing its humanitarian assistance," said Minister Oda. "Canada's support will help alleviate the harsh conditions by providing the immediate goods and services needed by affected populations."

Canada's additional humanitarian support will help provide humanitarian food assistance, emergency shelter, water and sanitation facilities, as well as basic health care for affected populations. The additional $25 million will bring Canada's total humanitarian assistance to Pakistan since October 2008 to $33 million.

Pakistan has experienced one of the largest and fastest displacements of people that the world has seen over the past 15 years. The United Nations estimates that more than 2 million people have been displaced into camps and host communities by the conflict between government forces and armed groups in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province. At least 80 percent of the displaced population is housed outside camps with host families, placing an enormous strain on local resources.

For more information on CIDA programming in Pakistan, please visit our website.

Information:

Media Relations Office
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Telephone: 819-953-6534
E-mail: media@acdi-cida.gc.ca

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Backgrounder

Wednesday, August 12 2009

Pakistan has experienced one of the largest and fastest displacements of people that the world has seen in the past 15 years. In late April 2009, fighting between government forces and armed groups intensified in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), leading to further mass forced displacement of the civilian population. In early May 2009, following the Taliban's breaking of a peace deal, the Pakistani army launched a new series of attacks on Taliban positions in Swat District, NWFP. As of July 2009, the United Nations estimates that more than 2 million people have been displaced by the conflict.

Today's funding announcement of an additional $25 million brings Canada's total humanitarian assistance to Pakistan to $33 million since October 2008. The new assistance will respond to the humanitarian needs of those who have been displaced by the conflict.

This new assistance will help meet critical needs such as food assistance, clean water and sanitation services, shelter, and basic health care. Through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Government of Canada will initially disburse these funds to the following humanitarian organizations:

• World Food Programme: will receive $8 million to help save lives and avert hunger of internally displaced persons (IDPs) both inside and outside camps and prevent malnutrition among infants, young children and pregnant and nursing mothers affected by armed conflict. Beneficiaries will be reached through general food distribution and supplementary food distributions to children.
• International Committee of the Red Cross: will receive $5 million to help provide essential household items, water and sanitation, protection services, and adequate medical and surgical treatment for conflict-affected populations.
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): will receive $4.5 million to help provide adequate shelter and relief items - essential for the thousands of people who left their villages without any additional clothing or belongings. UNHCR will also help weatherize the shelters - making them comfortable and breathable in the stifling summer temperatures, particularly for women who must remain indoors according to cultural purdah restrictions.
• United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): will use its $2.5 million disbursement to help provide up to 2 million IDPs with adequate drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services, nutritional supplements, vaccinations, emergency education opportunities and protection. With a displaced population of this size, these activities are essential in order to maintain public health and prevent illness and disease.
• Save the Children Canada: will improve the health and reduce the vulnerability of IDPs and host families by providing basic health care services through 3 mobile clinics and 3 health care units. They will receive $1 million for this project.
• Oxfam Canada, with their expertise in water, sanitation and hygiene operations, will receive $500,000 to provide water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies, as well as promote public health and hygiene practices and provide emergency financial support to the most vulnerable IDPs.
• World Vision Canada: will receive $500,000 to provide essential non-food relief items such as bedding, household and hygiene kits.
• CARE Canada: will receive $500,000 to provide basic health services to returning and resident households. This will include mobile health clinics to meet the immediate needs of the displaced populations in remote areas and promotion of hygiene practices to reduce the risk of an outbreak of water borne diseases, which is critical with the approaching monsoon season.
• United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: will help coordinate the humanitarian response by providing timely and essential interagency coordination, humanitarian mapping and information-sharing among all humanitarian partners to ensure efficient and appropriate aid to the conflict-affected population. They will receive $200,000.

Pakistan, one of CIDA's 20 countries of focus, has a population of approximately 170 million, 29 percent of whom live in absolute poverty. Canadian assistance to Pakistan is focused on strengthening democracy, improving women's rights, supporting economic growth and the education system. In addition, Canada supports economic and social development in key border districts adjacent to southern Afghanistan, as well as recovery activities in parts of northern Pakistan that were devastated by a major earthquake in October 2005.

For more information on Canada's humanitarian assistance and development efforts in Pakistan, please visit our website.