UN agencies face funding shortfall

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan chapter of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is in need of $55.73 million to support its operations.

During the current fiscal year, it received only $14.08 million, 17 per cent of the required money, to extend humanitarian support, documents suggest.

Some additional funds have been received from Japan to provide health services but a gap of $46.34 million still persists hurting the timely provision of critical emergency services, says the document.

“UNICEF expresses its sincere gratitude to Japan, Austrian Committee for UNICEF, Asian Development Bank, CERF Secretariat, CDC, World Bank, ECHO, Global Partnership for Education, Gavi-The Vaccine Alliance, Solidarity Fund, Standard Chartered, United Kingdom, the United States along with all its public and private donors for their contributions,” the document says.

UNHCR FACES FUNDING GAPS:

Meanwhile, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking $924 million for the response to Covid-19 especially in developing countries hosting forcibly displaced persons.

A document released by the agency said: “$455 million is sought through the Covid-19 Supplementary Appeal, for activities in 2021 related to the exceptional socio-economic and protection impacts of Covid-19.”

Of $924 million, $469 million have been mainstreamed into the 2021 Global Appeal while the remaining amount is required for supplementary needs included in this appeal.

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