Pakistan has registered an average annual growth rate of GDP over six percent in recent years, yet it ranks 136 out of 177 countries with an HDI of 0.551. Since 2008, the economy has been affected by a serious financial crisis with a deteriorating exchange rate, dwindling foreign exchange reserves and a highly negative balance of payment compounded by law and order situation, high food prices and an energy crisis. The country is classified as low-income with 84.6 percent of its population earning less than US$2 per day. This has contributed to poor human development, especially among women and children.
Between mid-2008 and April 2009, at least 550,000 people fled their homes in FATA and NWFP due to increased insecurity. Since early May 2009, armed conflict further intensified, leading to the mass displacement of over three million people. The majority of these Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are residing with host communities, while less than 20 percent live in camps. WFP responded by setting up over 25 humanitarian hubs, as well as food distribution points in camps, to provide food assistance to the millions of displaced people.
WFP’s assistance in Pakistan is focused on the most food-insecure people: the poorest-of-the-poor living in marginal, remote areas where socio-economic indicators are far worse than in the rest of the country. One WFP operation is specially focused on addressing food insecurity in the tribal FATA region. A WFP emergency operation in response to high food prices complements government efforts in 20 districts identified as most affected and vulnerable. Additional priority districts in Balochistan, North-West Frontier Province and parts of Sindh are covered under WFP’s Country Programme.
WFP aims to improve access to food in ways that enable vulnerable households, especially women and girls, to take advantage of development opportunities. Operations include school feeding, mother and child nutrition and socio-economic development programmes. Goals include increased enrolment rates for girls, increased access to health services and increased ability of rural women to create and preserve physical assets.
Since 1968, WFP has invested more than US$1.5 billion assisting successive generations of Pakistan’s poorest citizens and the refugees who sought its support.
PROGRAMMES
Emergency Operation (EMOP): “Food Assistance to Internally Displaced and Conflict Affected Persons in FATA and NWFP” April 2009 to December 2009
Fighting between government forces and the armed opposition in FATA and NWFP has triggered significant displacement since August 2008. Analysis of the situation indicates that there is a strong likelihood of continued military offensives throughout 2009. A previous caseload of 211,000 IDPs was accommodated up to February 2009 under a budget revision of FATA programme. In view of the substantial increase in the number of IDPs, a separate emergency operation has been prepared with the aim to reach IDPs and locally affected persons whose food and nutrition security has been adversely affected by the conflict. The emergency operation also aims to reduce malnutrition caused by the displacement. During June, WFP reached almost two million registered IDPs, the majority of whom live in host communities, and provided over 26,000 tons of monthly food rations. WFP has developed the capacity to provide food to 100,000 people on daily basis.
Emergency Operation (EMOP): “Food assistance for the vulnerable populations affected by high food prices in Pakistan” October 2008 to September 2009
WFP is assisting the Government of Pakistan to mitigate the negative impact on households in the areas most affected by high food prices. WFP’s assistance is aimed at reducing the gap between most basic food consumption needs and what the government of Pakistan and others can provide, by reaching half a million households through schools and food-for-work activities in 20 most food insecure districts.
Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO): “Assistance to food insecure households: Balochistan and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)” September 2007 to August 2009
The FATA PRRO contributes to improving the household food security, access to primary and health status of women and children in the conflict affected tribal areas along the Afghan border. It is being jointly implemented with the Government of Pakistan (FATA Directorate of Education & Health and Forest Department) and other UN agencies such as FAO, UNICEF and IFAD. Government of Pakistan has contributed the wheat portion to this project. Growing security concerns in FATA and some districts in NWFP affect WFP’s ability to implement its operations although it has been possible to continue most of the programme activities.
Country Programme (CP): January 2005 to December 2010
The CP has following three components:
“Assistance to Girls’ Primary Education”
During the nine-month school year, girls receive one-4 litre tin of oil every month, provided they attend school for a minimum of 20 days. The activity has helped to increase attendance and promotion rates in government-run girls’ primary schools.
"Promoting Safe Motherhood”
Pregnant and nursing mothers who attend health centres receive a 4-litre tin of oil. The results have shown that more women attend WFP assisted health centres compared to the non-assisted. Overall promoting safe motherhood activity has been successful in bringing a positive change in the behaviour of health seeking mothers.
“Creating Assets for Rural Women"
Food stamps are used for asset creation activities such as nursery raising, plantations, development of drinking water and sanitation facilities, rehabilitation of water harvesting infrastructures and skill enhancement trainings. Women receive assistance through women's organizations as they participate in work to improve community and family assets.
