While headlines of international struggles for democracy and natural disasters in developed countries currently dominate the world media, it is important for the international community not to forget the ongoing plight of the flood-affected people of Pakistan, 12 months after the disaster that affected 20 million people. This underexposed crisis topped the impact of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. It is considered as the worst humanitarian crisis in the last decades.

Initial responses to the United Nation’s unprecedentedly large appeal for relief funds of USD 2 billion were strong. This emergency support was essential for immediate relief efforts such as providing food, sanitation, emergency shelters and clean water for hundreds of thousands of stranded people.

But international aid has slowed down, while needs of flood-affected communities remain. Continued support for humanitarian aid is essential to provide longer term security for the people of Pakistan. USD 603 million are still needed for early recovery, to help communities rebuild their lives and increase their resilience to future potential disasters, to enable people to return to their normal lives, with an emphasis on sustainable shelter solutions, livelihoods and community restoration.

In the situation report entitled “PAKISTAN 1 year on. A combined humanitarian commitment: what next?”, released on 26 July 2011, ACTED calls for sustainable commitment towards livelihoods recovery projects and disaster risk reduction interventions, to help the country withstand future hazards that threaten to befall it: the monsoon season has arrived and has already hit some of the 2010 affected areas.

This report also aims to present the importance of sustained efforts and effective partnerships in humanitarian responses. Specifically it outlines that needs of the Pakistani people are still high one year on from the floods and continued attention is needed to maximize prospects over the coming months and years.

 

Click here to download the report.

ACTED is positioned to react, should repeat of last year’s terrible destruction occur.