Islamabad: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has said it, in partnership with the government of Japan, is strengthening community resilience and disaster preparedness in Pakistan, particularly for vulnerable communities in Punjab province, through a project supported by a generous contribution of $400,000 from the government of Japan.
The statement comes as Pakistan faces increasing risks from climate-induced disasters, including recurrent flooding, which have affected millions of people and caused significant damage to livelihoods, infrastructure and essential services.
These impacts further compound existing vulnerabilities, particularly among communities already facing socio-economic challenges. According to the UNDP, the initiative will strengthen community-based disaster preparedness and resilience in flood affected areas of South Punjab.
Over a 12-month period, it is expected to directly benefit 3,000 people, particularly youth and women, by increasing their capacity to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to climate-related risks. Key activities will include training community members in early warning dissemination, preparedness planning and first response coordination, among others.
UNDP Pakistan Resident Representative Dr Samuel Rizk said building resilience was not only about responding to disasters but it was also about strengthening the systems and capacities that helped communities anticipate and withstand shocks and recover from them over the long term. "Through this partnership, we are supporting locally driven solutions that improve disaster preparedness in these communities, solutions that make recovery pathways more sustainable and inclusive."
He said the initiative would be implemented as part of UNDP’s broader support to recovery and resilience efforts in Pakistan, in collaboration with national and provincial partners. Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan Akamatsu Shuichi said his country remained committed to supporting Pakistan in building resilience against natural disasters.
"Through this initiative, we aim to promote a human security approach that empowers communities and strengthens preparedness for future risks." The envoy said building on the longstanding partnership between Japan and UNDP, the initiative adopted a people-centered, scalable approach to advancing human security and disaster risk reduction by strengthening local capacities to support sustainable recovery and stronger social cohesion.
