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IOM Vision
IOM Pakistan strives to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity in Pakistan by supporting safe and dignified living conditions for people in situations of displacement due to disasters and conflict while supporting progress toward durable solutions and recovery by focusing on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation measures. IOM will continue to respond to crises when assistance is requested by the Government and will work with civil society actors to create conditions for economic recovery, stabilization, social cohesion, peacebuilding, and preparedness for large-scale natural hazards.
CONTEXT ANALYSIS
Pakistan is the eighth most vulnerable country to climate change in the world (Global Climate Risk Index, 2021). The country is prone to multiple disasters, including floods and earthquakes. Related to climate change, hydro-meteorological disasters are becoming more frequent and intense with huge losses to life and property and bearing a significant socio-economic cost. Such hazards have badly impacted the life and livelihoods of millions of people and exacerbated their vulnerability, especially women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. According to OCHA, the 2022 floods have affected 33 million people in 84 districts in five of Pakistan’s six provinces and resulted in more than 1,700 deaths and 12,900 injuries. More than 1.2 million livestock have been killed and 3 million acres of crops destroyed. Over 14 million people have either lost their homes or had their houses damaged, forcing many to seek shelter on the roads and in makeshift camps. As of October 2022, over 7.9 million people are temporarily displaced and 589,000 people live in relief camps managed by the Government of Pakistan (GoP) (OCHA Situation Report N.9, 14 October 2022).
In addition to the needs and displacement caused by disasters, Pakistan continues to host one of the largest displaced populations in the world. Instability in Afghanistan during the past few decades has led to a substantial influx of Afghans into Pakistan and more so since the change of the regime in August 2021. Per current estimates, there are over three million Afghans living in Pakistan (Refugee Response Plan 2022). Of these, approximately 1.4 million are refugees holding a Proof of Registration (PoR) card issued by the Government of Pakistan, about 840,000 hold an Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) and an estimated 780,000 are unregistered (Office of the Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees. According to the type of documentation or non-documentation that Afghans hold, Afghan nationals have different statuses and thus different sets of rights, privileges, and access to services in Pakistan. Afghan nationals who hold a PoR card delivered by the Government in cooperation with UNHCR have prima facie refugee status which grants them access to some employment, education and schools, health services, access to bank accounts, and SIM cards. Afghan nationals who hold an ACC delivered by the Government in cooperation with IOM have some protection, however, they only have access to employment, housing, banking, education, and health informally based on the goodwill of service providers. Unregistered Afghan nationals do not have any protection status and cannot access services. In addition, the difference also remains in the fact that PoR holders are able to stay in Pakistan and do not face deportation, whereas ACC does not permit ACC holders to remain in Pakistan without a valid visa and passport and thus can face deportation, similarly to unregistered Afghan nationals. At least 50 per cent of more than 1.5 million ACC holders and unregistered Afghans can be categorized as highly to extremely vulnerable to poverty and protection risks and are in particular need of integrated support. At least 65 per cent of the households are dependent on unsustainable livelihood strategies (daily wage employment), while the remaining 35 per cent depend on unsustainable sources of income (Pakistan's 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan). In addition, ACC holders and unregistered Afghan nationals face multiple challenges in ensuring their freedom of movement and accessing markets and services such as employment, education, housing, telecommunication, banking services, and health care among others.
Economic conditions, in general, remain challenging in Pakistan and have been further impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and disasters, including massive destruction and loss of crops during the 2022 flooding, one of the main sources of economic activity in the country. This has a direct impact on displacement, sustainability of returns, and social cohesion in areas that are affected by the conflict in Afghanistan and/or by the 2022 floods.