Helping hand: Japan pledges $6m for refugees programme

Aid will improve healthcare, education and legal services.

The Government of Japan has announced a grant of $6 million for UNHCR Afghan refugee programmes in the region.

The donation is aimed at bolstering UNHCR’s interventions in the areas of education, healthcare and the provision of legal assistance to some 1.6 million refugees in Pakistan.

A major chunk — $2.3 million — will go to the health sector, benefiting approximately 600,000 refugees in 76 villages through improved healthcare services.

Around $2.2 million of the total donation will be spent on improving the education sector to ensure unhindered access to education for children living in refugee villages.

Strengthening the legal aid services offered to all registered Afghans across Pakistan is a priority, for which a sum of $1.5 million has been allocated. UNHCR aims to prevent refoulement of refugees by monitoring border-crossing points and the capacity-building of border guards and government officials. The amount will also aid in the provision of free legal aid.

Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Inomata emphasised the importance of meeting the basic needs of Afghan refugees. “These people require assistance. Assistance to these refugees will help alleviate the burden of host communities in Pakistan, thereby promoting national stability.” He added that Japan is committed to fulfilling its responsibility as an international promoter of peace and stability in the region.

UNHCR Pakistan Representative Neill Wright expressed gratitude to the Government and the people of Japan, saying, “The Japanese contribution is essential to UNHCR operations in this country. The unstinting generosity and funding from the people of Japan allows UNHCR to continue assisting the most vulnerable refugees to have access to better healthcare and improve the condition of schools, enabling more children to enrol while in Pakistan.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd, 2014.