Aid after the flood disaster

Pakistan has witnessed a significant reduction in poverty levels over the past 20 years, from more than 50% in 2006 to close to 24% in 2018. Then came the catastrophic floods of 2022, destroying the progress. According to the estimates by the World Bank, the poverty rate is expected to rise again by 7%. The state-run Benazir Income Support Programme, which provides impoverished households with financial support, has recorded approximately 35 million addresses in its database. The World Bank estimates that the consequences of the flood will put another 10 to 15 million people in poverty. Pakistan is one of the ten countries in the world with the highest prevalence of malnourished children. Chronic malnutrition is widespread.

The catastrophic flooding was triggered by unusually heavy rainfall and the melting of glaciers. Precipitation levels were almost three times the average. More than 15% of the country was submerged, more than 1,700 people died and millions of hectares of agricultural land were flooded. This resulted in the devastation of large parts of the harvest and the destruction of houses and roads. Approximately 33 million people have been affected by the flooding. The disaster has demonstrated the extent to which Pakistan is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The country is not prepared for such events as it lacks early warning mechanisms and crisis prevention measures.

The Benazir Income Support Programme increases the existing payments made to mothers and their children from PKR 2,000 to 3,000 (approximately 10 euros) for mothers, for example. For young girls in selected villages affected by the floods, new payments to the mothers of the girls are being set up. The first 8,000 days of life (until the age of 22) are the critical window for combating inherited malnutrition. By providing targeted support to mothers and young girls, the objective is to break the cycle of malnourished mothers giving birth to malnourished children.

The disbursements are subject to the condition that the beneficiaries receive preventative health care and advice on nutrition and health. The aim is for pregnant women to be able to meet their specific nutritional needs. The young girls are given supplements such as folic acid and iron. These measures are designed to prevent chronic malnutrition. Educational campaigns that provide information about family planning are also being implemented for mothers and girls. Pregnant women attend medical check-ups.

A feasibility study is being financed with the aim of drafting a long-term social protection programme. Its objective is to identify the strategies and mechanisms that are required to protect people against the consequences of climate crises and to slow climate change. The study will analyse the financing requirements of the Benazir Income Support Programme in order to implement adaptive social protection in the long term.

KfW is providing EUR 27 million to support this project on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).