His Majesty The King met with representatives of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) last week, a collective of charities including Action Against Hunger, that coordinate and launch appeals in response to disasters. The DEC’s representatives spoke about the impact of UK donations to the Pakistan Floods Appeal which helped hundreds of people in the first six months of the response. The floods have had devastating consequences in Pakistan, impacting 33 million people and resulting in 1,700 lives lost, while an estimated 20.6 million people remain in need of humanitarian assistance.
The meeting comes as the DEC releases a report detailing the impact of donations to the Pakistan Floods Appeal, which have enabled the provision of healthcare, clean water, shelter, food and more.
Since the flooding began in June 2022, Action Against Hunger has coordinated response teams in the Balochistan and Sindh provinces to meet the basic livelihood and lifesaving needs of people most affected by the floods. In the village of Farazabad, for example, a water channel was reconstructed which allowed water to be distributed to the agricultural fields, providing relief and much needed income to the farmers of the village.
Pakistan is now facing the onset of another monsoon season which last year culminated in widespread flooding and devastation over the summer, killing at least 1,700 people and affecting a total of 33 million. More than 2 million houses were destroyed or badly damaged and 20 million people were estimated to need humanitarian assistance.
The meeting with The King was attended by Action Against Hunger’s Executive Director, Jean-Michel Grand who said: “Amid the devastating flooding in Pakistan, a country disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change, Action Against Hunger has worked tirelessly alongside other agencies to protect vulnerable families by providing vital water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance. Our dedicated teams have taken swift action, ensuring that lifesaving support reaches those in desperate need. Nearly a year after the floods, millions are still grappling with the long-term effects of the devastation. We must not forget the long-term needs of the population.”
The DEC’s appeal has raised £47.3 million, including £5 million matched by the UK Government as part of the Aid Match scheme. His Majesty The King and Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II were among those who donated to the appeal.
Minister of State for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell, who also attended the meeting, said: “The devastating Pakistan flood last year was clear evidence of the catastrophe that climate change can cause and how it impacts the most vulnerable. The UK worked immediately to provide humanitarian funding and the UK public responded generously to help those in need.
“Pakistan’s recovery, and building back to a stronger, more resilient position must be a priority. Long-term recovery has to have adaptation and climate resilience at the core to prevent a repeat of the scale of devastation. By supporting new farming techniques, flood-resistant house building and innovative new climate finance models, we are helping to prepare affected communities for future crises.”
The DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal Six Month Report includes full details of how donations have been spent in the first six months of the response. Hundreds of thousands of people have been reached with aid, including:
- 158,000 people who accessed basic health services such as treatment for illnesses, immunisations and maternity services;
- 123,000 people who were provided with access to safe drinking water;
- 66,400 people who were provided with temporary shelter such as tents, tarpaulins and shelter tool kits;
- 50,400 people who received food assistance such as wheat, rice, sugar and cooking oil;
- 25,100 families who were provided with hygiene kits containing items such as shampoo, soap, toothpaste and water purification tablets;
- 20,000 women or girls who received dignity kits containing sanitary pads, underwear, and soap;
- 18,700 families who were provided with essential household items such as winter clothes, blankets and kitchen kits;
- 16,200 families who were provided with cash assistance to allow them to meet their urgent needs.
Donations continue to help people recover, with an increasing focus on rebuilding livelihoods and building resilience to future climate disasters through projects such as teaching new farming techniques, tree-planting, swimming lessons and flood-resistant house building. Many families still face a difficult situation as the monsoon rains begin again. A study by the World Weather Attribution group found that climate change likely increased the extreme rainfall that played a major role in the flooding.
*Name changed to protect identity
Notes to editors
- For more information or commentary please contact David or Jack press@actionagainsthunger.org.uk or 0208293 6130
- A collection including images of the meeting at the palace and recent images and footage of aid work is available here.
- Action Against Hunger is the world’s leading charity stopping life-threatening hunger in its tracks. By training parents and healthcare workers to spot the signs, we get life-saving care to people who need it. Action Against Hunger’s research drives forward understanding of how to predict, prevent and treat life-threatening hunger. With unbeatable knowledge and unstoppable determination, the charity supported more than 26 million people across 51 countries in 2021.
- For more information, please visit Action Against Hunger UK’s website or follow Action Against Hunger UK on Twitter and Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram