Pakistan Floods Progress Report

A year has passed since the first news reports alerted the world to unnaturally heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan’s north-western province of Kyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), a region already ravaged by conflict and only just recovering from the devastating earthquake of 2005. The floods that followed were of a size and scale that are difficult to conceive. Floodwaters inundated up to one-fifth of the country and affected 20 million people, destroying 1.6 million homes and leaving over 14 million people acutely vulnerable (www.pakresponse.org).

Oxfam launched a fundraising appeal on 3 August 2010, asking supporters to give generously to save lives. Over $75 million (PKR 6,400 million, €57 million, £48 million) was raised by Oxfam for the relief effort in Pakistan through a range of donors: the public, donor governments, and other institutions and organizations. Together all Oxfam affiliates directly raised $21 million (PKR 1,805 million, €14 million, £13 million), much of this was from public sources. This was a good result given difficult economic times, and the money entrusted to Oxfam directly helped to improve the lives of over 2.4 million people.

This Report is intended as a tool to account to the individuals, governments, and other institutions who have given generously to Oxfam’s humanitarian fund, and to partners, allies, staff and volunteers. A finance section at the end of the Report provides an overview of how funds were raised and spent. And the final section focuses on ‘The Future’ and identifies Oxfam’s plans for helping during the reconstruction phase of this emergency.

Key recommendations

• It is important that the momentum achieved in the initial stages of the humanitarian response in this first year is maintained and carried forward into new phases of development and preparedness for the future.
• Transformative measures are needed now to address some of the inequalities in society and to ensure that the people of Pakistan are able to become more resilient to shocks.
• Oxfam urges the Government of Pakistan, and federal and provincial authorities, to develop a nationally led reconstruction plan that puts the needs of people at its core – with resources provided for the building of disaster-resistant housing and forward-looking, significantly pro-poor land and agriculture reforms.
• Oxfam’s vision over the next three years is that its continuing work with partners will make a significant contribution to the reconstruction efforts of authorities and institutions in Pakistan, with support and investment from the international community.
• As Oxfam and its partners implement recovery and reconstruction programs in areas affected by the floods, it will also continue to advocate for a just and sustainable future for the people of Pakistan.