‘We must be accountable for women in disasters’

Arakaki interacted with women and girls from Afghan refugee and hosting communities

PESHAWAR:

We must be accountable for women and girls who suffer most during disasters and emergencies. Rights and health of women and girls are at the heart of The United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) work.

This was said by Director UNFPA Humanitarian Office in Geneva, Shoko Arakaki who is visiting Pakistan to view UNFPA’s humanitarian interventions, especially for Afghan refugees, around reproductive health and responses to gender-based violence (GBV).

On Thursday she visited the UNFPA-supported government Basic Health Unit (BHU), Phandu in Peshawar district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and interacted with women and girls from Afghan refugee and hosting communities to hear from them on the quality of services provided, the challenges in accessing reproductive health and protection services and solutions they propose.

She also met midwives, psychologists and social mobilizers who are attending deliveries, providing psycho-social support and referrals to GBV survivors and at risk groups, are raising awareness among communities about the available services.

Arakaki appreciated their commitment to serve women and girls in need in the remote areas.

BHU Phandu is one of the eight government health facilities in K-P province, where UNFPA is providing comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2022.