ISLAMABAD, May 14, 2024: South Korea on Tuesday made a $1 million contribution aimed at strengthening UNHCR’s response in supporting Afghan refugees and host communities in Pakistan.
The year-long project focuses on livelihood support, gender-based violence prevention and response, community-based protection, and vital identity renewal, benefiting more than 125,000 people across the country.
The announcement was made at a ceremony held at the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), a center of excellence in Islamabad, which was attended by Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Pakistan, His Excellency Park Ki-joon, and UNHCR representative Mr. Missouri. Philippa Candler signed the contract. NAVTTC Chairman Ms. Gurmina Bilal was also present on the occasion.
At the ceremony, Ambassador Park expressed his gratitude for the cooperative efforts of the Government of Pakistan and UNHCR in supporting Afghan refugees. He said, “The refugee issue is not just a concern for one country, but a global issue that the international community must come together to tackle.”
UNHCR representatives welcomed South Korea’s generous assistance, which will help enroll 1,000 Afghan and Pakistani students in the NAVTTC training program this year, in gender-based violence prevention and response, child protection and legal aid. He emphasized that the provision of services has been strengthened and is already changing lives. And documentation.
During the ceremony, Ms. Gurmina Bilal, Chairperson of NAVTTC, emphasized the importance of South Korea’s contribution and partnership with UNHCR in continuing to provide skills development training for young people and expanding their social and economic opportunities. .
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Ms. Mursal, an Afghan refugee who participated in NAVTTC training and currently serves as a project coordinator, expressed her opinion on the importance of empowering young people, including women. “When I first learned about the opportunity to join this program, I knew this was my chance to make my dreams come true,” she said. “Like many others, I seized this opportunity knowing that it held the key to a brighter future not only for myself, but also for those I love.”
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