Post-disaster recovery

The earthquake of 8 October 2005 in the northern regions of Pakistan left 2.8 million people homeless, more than 80,000 dead and an equal number injured. As part of the UNDP Early Recovery Framework, UNDP and the European Commission launched the Community Based Livelihoods Recovery Programme for Earthquake Affected Areas of North-West Frontier Province and Azad Jammu & Kashmir to support immediate and mid-term livelihood recovery of vulnerable populations in those areas.

UNOPS implements various aspects of the programme, including recruitment of the chief technical adviser and other personnel, sub-contracting and procurement of necessary goods and services.

Gender and human rights

Deeply structured, unequal power relations impede Pakistan’s development and underpin gender inequality, the most virulent form of which is violence against women. Pervasive across classes, religions and ethnicities in Pakistan, violence against women exacts a high social and economic cost on society.

In the context of its Gender Support Programme, UNDP launched the Gender Justice and Protection project to bring about a sustainable reduction in violence against women in accordance with the government’s policy commitments. The $4.5 million project, financed by the Government of the United Kingdom, commenced in 2007 and will last for five years.

As the project implementing partner, UNOPS has established and now runs the Project Management Unit, employing a national project manager and consultants to undertake baseline studies of violence against women. The unit’s responsibilities include project monitoring and management, exploring funding opportunities with potential partners and managing a resource pool to support innovative and strategic activities that target violence against women.

Poverty mitigation and gender

In Pakistan as in most developing countries women suffer disproportionately from poverty. The gender dimensions of poverty are evident in the differential entitlements, capabilities and rights of women and men.

To help address this situation UNDP launched the Gender Support Programme in mid-2003, with financial backing from the Governments of Canada, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The Programme, which runs until end-2012, aims "to reduce poverty through gender-responsive governance and a rights-based approach to sustainable human development".

As an implementing partner UNOPS established and now runs the Programme Management Support Unit, providing a substantive resource pool for advocacy, policy coordination, gender advisory services and a gender knowledge base.

UNOPS is also making results-based management and financial reports to donors on the implementation of the $78 million Programme. UNOPS provides advisory services on policy and strategic interventions, and supports capacity development and the researching and developing of tools and methodologies for several Programme components.