Switzerland contributes Rs 140m for Earthquake Rehabilitation, Women’s Empowerment Projects

ISLAMABAD: The Government of Switzerland has contributed CHF 3 million (approximately Rs. 140 million) towards two United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) initiatives in Pakistan. This funding will jointly support the Emergency Housing Recovery Programme (CHF 2m) as well as the on-going mainstream development work of the Gender Support Programme (CHF 1m).

These two agreements were signed respectively by Mr Denis Bugnard, SDC Country Director, and by Mr Haoliang Xu, UNDP Country Director on Friday 23rd December, 2006 at SDC premises.

’With temperatures dropping to below freezing in some areas, meeting the immediate shelter needs of communities in the earthquake affected areas is of critical importance." says UNDP Country Director Haoliang Xu. "This project will provide transitional shelter to thousands of people who have lost their homes and livelihoods in the devastating earthquake."

The Emergency Housing Recovery Programme, which is also funded by Germany, New Zealand, the UN foundation and UNDP, is working with communities to remove rubble and to supply reconstruction materials to build emergency shelters. The programme is also providing training, to prepare communities to build back better.

"We are pleased to inform that Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) was able to mobilize these financial resources in addition to what was pledged in the Islamabad Donor Conference. It is significant for SDC to join with UNDP and other donor agencies to give cash money allowing to implement the programme quickly", says Denis Bugnard, SDC Country Director.

The UNDP Gender Support Programme aims to help women find a louder political voice, assist the Government to consider women’s concern when planning projects and preparing budgets, and to establish an alternative dispute mechanism providing women better access to justice.

Through ’political schools’ established under the scheme, thousands of locally elected female representatives will have the opportunity to develop leadership skills, as well as knowledge about how to navigate their way through the government structure.

Under the programme the government will also be supported in the development of budgets that take into consideration women’s concerns. "How the budget is allocated can produce very different outcomes in terms of gender equality. It is important that women’s needs are reflected in the national budget to ensure their access to social services." Says Mr Xu.

’Gender is a crosscutting theme and priority within the SDC Programme in Pakistan. That is why we consider crucial to contribute both to promote Gender Equality and women’s status.’ Adds Mr Bugnard.

Additionally, the programme will assist women to access justice more easily through a non-formal system of mediation where matters of a non-criminal nature can be easily and fairly settled.

The Gender Support Programme is also supported by the Norwegian Government and the Canadian International Development Agency.