Promoting peaceful coexistence in the provinces Baluchistan, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan

Context

After more than four decades of protracted displacement, Pakistan currently hosts approximately 1.3 million registered Afghan refugees with Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, as well as Afghan Citizen Card holders and undocumented persons, totalling more than three million displaced Afghans.

To address this issue, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), developed the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) in 2012. The adoption of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) in 2019 further supported this strategy. In addition, the Support Platform for the SSAR, launched at the 2019 Global Refugee Forum, focuses on securing enhanced international political and financial commitments to meet the needs of Afghan refugees, in accordance with the objectives of the GCR. The Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), particularly through the Chief Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees (CCAR) and its provincial branches, actively implements the SSAR.

Objective

The Government of Pakistan has successfully promoted social cohesion between forced displaced Afghans and host communities in Pakistan.

Approach

The project aims to promote stability, peaceful coexistence, and social cohesion in the provinces of Baluchistan, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. It implements the following measures:

• Community integration: The project implements psychosocial support measures, organises peer-support groups, and establishes networks and platforms.
• Urban Cohesion Hubs: It ensures the ability and local integration of existing Urban Cohesion Hubs to enhance their role in fostering community cohesion and support between displaced Afghans and local populations.
• Skills development: The project supports key actors in political processes through trainings to enhance their abilities in managing forced displacement.
• Service provision: The project delivers a range of services in urban areas, including providing psychosocial support, legal assistance, and basic healthcare. It also offers advanced entrepreneurship training, organises sports and cultural activities; and creates a joyful learning environment with literacy, numeracy, and computer classes.

Last update: August 2024