‘Safe Spaces’ inaugurated for Afghan refugees

PESHAWAR:

Commissioner for Afghan Refugees (CAR) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Abbas Khan, First Secretary, Development Cooperation,German Embassy in Islamabad, Antonia Peters and Head of Social Support for vulnerable Afghan refugees and Host communities (SSARC) project, Heidi Hermann inaugurated Safe Spaces in Naguman Peshawar and in Hajizai Charsadda.

Commissioner Afghan Refugees, Abbas Khan in his opening remarks appreciated the efforts of the German government and praised German – Pakistan development cooperation. He said that the establishment of the Safe Spaces is another step forward in the German – Pakistan development cooperation and it will provide a platform to the members of the Afghan refugees and host communities to have an open communication and dialogue, discuss ideas, attend trainings, awareness session, sports, and cultural events with an aim to exchange and learn as well as to have a peaceful existence thus strengthening social cohesion between both the communities.

Abbas Khan further that Germany and Pakistan have a long-standing relationship when it comes to the development of the vulnerable communities such as Afghan refugees and host communities and it has been very successful and sustainable because of the inclusion of the government agencies and communities in the planning as well as in the implementation of the activities.

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Antonia Peters while sharing her views about the inauguration of the Safe Spaces said that German and Pakistani cooperation can look back over a long period of seven decades to work jointly together with CAR K-P. She further added that the Safe Spaces are very important for women, children, and the youth to have platform for sharing information and knowledge, meeting, and exchanging in a protected environment, organizing different kinds of events, and doing some relaxing activities.

All the activities shall support the communities in finding new ideas and solutions apart from developing skills.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2021.