Pakistan, UNFPA sign annual work plans for 2007

Pakistan and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) formalized the Annual Work plans for 2007 Wednesday.

The Work plans are part of UNFPA's 7th Country Program of Assistance to Pakistan, which was approved by the Pakistani government in early 2004, according to a UNFPA press release.

In 2007, UNFPA will provide up to 9 million U.S. dollars, including emergency funds, to support activities in 11 districts of Pakistan.

UNFPA assistance is aimed at strengthening maternal and reproductive health and includes provision of family planning services, reproductive health commodities and supporting specific interventions such as the treatment of fistula, a complication of child-birth.

Assistance to the Ministry of Women Development of Pakistan includes support for developing and advocating for gender sensitive legislation, supporting woman victims of violence, strengthening women's crisis centers and engaging men in ending violence against women.

In 2007, UNFPA will support the Population Census Organization (PCO) of Pakistan to engender the national census, thus ensuring women's concerns are addressed in this national exercise that takes place every 10 years in Pakistan.

As part of its multi-sectoral approach, UNFPA will continue to work on policy and advocacy for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - a set of eight development goals that the Pakistan government committed to at the UN Millennium Summit in 2000.

And more than a year after the devastating earthquake of Oct. 8, 2005, UNFPA will continue to provide emergency maternal health services for women in earthquake affected areas through provision of temporary health facilities and mobile service units in remote areas.

Source: Xinhua