Improving the living standard of the common people in Pakistan is the core agenda of UN, said UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan Neil Buhne. Talking at the closing ceremony of a UN project of UN Women, FAO and ILO entitled ‘Livelihood Restoration, Protection and Sustainable Empowerment of Vulnerable Peasant Communities in Sindh Province’ funded by UN Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS), he said this project is unique in structure and has improved the lives of the people by giving them a choice.
Neil Buhne said that multidimensional poverty is a pain to the society. Quoting from the recent UN statistics, he revealed that poverty in Sindh touched the fearful figure of 75.5 per cent. He proposed enforcing “human security” on the principle of reaching first to the most secluded people. He said that the project improved people’s life and choice and succeeded in devising principles to connect people. He described the project as unique in the sense that it gave the people a voice.
Addressing the occasion, International Labour Organisation Country Director Ingrid Christensen said that the ILO closely cooperate with other organisations at regional and global levels and achieving convergence and coherence on the orientation of major policies that impact on the world. The ILO is recognised for its key contributions in making the work effective and efficient with local partners. In this particular project, ILO team closely worked with youth in achieving sustainable livelihood for the people, she said.
She also spoke about the 2010 and 2011 floods in Pakistan and its adverse impact on Sindh, particularly Mirpurkhas and Dadu districts, highlighting the relief operations by FAO and ILO. Now, however, UN WOMEN combined with ILO and FAO set out to complete the project that lasted for three years. She commended the unity of UN agencies and said she was inspired by the transformation in the life of the beneficiaries of the project.
FAO Representative in Pakistan Patrick T Evans highlighted FAO’s on farm activities during the project. His team worked hard with the local community to improve agriculture production, irrigation systems and soil management. Though it was government’s responsibility, but we preferred to choose the flood affected areas and helped the peasants to improve the agricultural management, he added.