ISLAMABAD, May 08 (ABC): More than 5.46 million pregnant women and children under the age of two have received assistance through a climate resilience project launched in 87 flood-affected districts of Pakistan, according to official documents reviewed by Wealth Pakistan. The programme combines social protection support with health and nutrition assistance for communities affected by climate-related disasters.
The initiative is being implemented through Benazir Income Support Programme and funded by the German Development Bank KfW under a €27 million grant agreement signed in June 2023.
What is the project?
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Wealth PakistanThe Social Protection for Health and Climate Resilience project was launched to strengthen Pakistan’s social safety systems in areas affected by flooding.
The programme focuses on supporting climate-vulnerable households, particularly pregnant women and young children who may face increased health and nutrition risks after natural disasters.
A major portion of the funding, amounting to €18 million, was allocated for nutrition-related conditional cash transfers. Under this component, eligible beneficiaries received Rs1,000 every quarter to help meet essential nutritional needs.
Why does the project matter?
Pakistan has experienced repeated climate-related disasters in recent years, including large-scale floods that disrupted healthcare access, food supplies, and household incomes in many districts.
Social protection programmes are designed to provide direct financial assistance to vulnerable groups during emergencies. In this case, the project also aimed to improve preparedness for future climate shocks.
Officials say the initiative combines immediate financial relief with longer-term planning for disaster response and climate adaptation.
Who benefited from the programme?
The programme targeted pregnant women and children younger than two years old in 87 flood-affected districts across Pakistan.
According to project documents, more than 5.46 million beneficiaries received support through the initiative.
Flood-affected families also received financial assistance under a shock-responsive social protection mechanism designed to provide support for up to two years after climate-related emergencies.
What is a shock-responsive social protection system?
A shock-responsive social protection system is a framework that allows governments to quickly provide financial or welfare support during emergencies such as floods, droughts, or other disasters.
In this project, the mechanism was intended to help vulnerable households manage the economic impact of flooding and recover more effectively.
The initiative also included feasibility studies and planning work related to early warning systems and anticipatory action strategies. These measures are intended to improve preparedness before future climate emergencies occur.
What happens next?
The project reflects Pakistan’s broader effort to integrate climate resilience into existing social welfare programmes.
Officials say future work may focus on strengthening adaptive social protection systems that can respond more quickly to climate-related disasters while supporting long-term recovery and public health needs.
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