An advocacy session on "Building Partnerships for Disaster Risk Reduction" was organised in Islamabad by Focus Humanitarian Assistance (Focus) Pakistan, an affiliate of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
"By understanding the approaches adopted by the AKDN in Pakistan, I have learned about the strong impact of communities' involvement in the development process. My interactions with and observation of Focus' work has helped me understand how we can build resilient communities, in the wake of frequently occurring natural disasters," said Lieutenant General Nadeem Ahmed (Retd), Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Pakistan, while addressing the audience in Islamabad.
The NDMA Chairman further said that the Focus draws strength from the support base provided by specialised AKDN agencies, such as the Aga Khan Planning and Building Services, Aga Khan Health Services, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme and the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development. General Nadeem also paid rich tributes to the thousands of volunteers supporting the various AKDN agencies and extended all out support to the Focus and AKDN agencies for future collaborations in terms of disaster risk reduction and response initiatives.
While stating that remarkable progress had been made in the field of disaster response, General Nadeem noted that a 'lot of ground' needed to be covered in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and preparedness. He stressed on the need for broader and meaningful engagement between the state agencies, NGOs and civil society organisations for creating disaster resilient communities.
Nusrat Nasab, Acting Executive Officer - Focus Pakistan gave an overview of the programmes and interventions of the Focus. She appreciated the leading role played by NDMA for helping mainstream DRR activities in Pakistan. She said that with the support of NDMA and other national and international organisations, the Focus had been able to reach out to thousands of disaster affectees in the region.
Director General - Ministry of Environment, Jawed Ali Khan, also addressed the gathering and explained the climate change trends emphasising on the need for adaptation of DRR strategies to reduce human suffering. Representatives from Nespak, NRSP and field offices of the Focus in Chitral and Gilgit also made presentations about their DRR related activities. They also highlighted the need for greater participation of the government, NGOs and civil society organisations for reducing vulnerabilities of the communities through better management of natural resources and capacity development through awareness raising and resource sharing.-PR