Pakistan

Pakistan is prone to natural disasters and extreme climatic variations that adversely affect the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable people. The global acute malnutrition rate is 17.7%, well above the emergency threshold of 15% set by the World Health Organization. Pakistan is among the top 10 countries where more than half of children under five are stunted or wasted. 

Access to safe drinking water remains a problem. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities, with containment measures limiting the ability of people to move and work. The food supply chain has also been strained by restricted access to markets, and both on-farm and off-farm employment.

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In 2020, Action Against Hunger's team in Pakistan scaled up to address the combined effects of natural disasters and COVID-19, providing food security, livelihoods, water, sanitation, and hygiene support in the most affected districts. We promoted sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural mechanization to improve agricultural production, and supported incomes and job creation by training farmers and youth. Working through local organizations, we invested in building the capacity of our implementing partners to help develop local partnerships and pursue localization goals. We also helped to strengthen the health system to provide healthcare and nutrition services. 

Despite COVID-19 restrictions, we continued to provide vital support to affected communities by rapidly adapting our delivery model and to increase access to clean water, safe sanitation, and good hygiene to help contain the spread of the virus.