Location: Quetta
Summary: Afghan refugees living in Pakistan constitute one of the largest and most protracted refugee situations in the world. Currently there are 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees residing in different parts of Pakistan including Balochistan, which hosts 27% of whole refugees. Of the total Afghan refugees in Balochistan, 57% reside in different areas of Quetta urban and the rest 43% in refugee villages (Source UNHCR). According to the UNHCR factsheet 0.3 million registered Afghan refugees living in Quetta urban and they face different problems and challenges, including, poor livelihood, lack of education, health facilities, social issues, arrest and detention, lack of job opportunities and general protection conditions. Children and elderly are mostly vulnerable sections of the society and they are exposed to protection and acceptance issues. Also, there are less chances for youth particularly females to further realize their potential in different spheres of life, which gravely affects them psychologically. Refugee children on the other hand are also facing protection issues in workplaces, especially, street working children who are garbage pickers and work in hazardous places.
To address the above issues WESS and GIZ started this project in November 2019 to establish an urban cohesion hub to promote social cohesion between Afghan Refugees and Host population of Quetta. Union Councils for the project are Geo, Kechi Baig, Satellite Town, Lore Karez and the targeted Clusters include Qadir-Abad, Buhsa Mundi, Bashir Chok, Ghosabad, Satellite Town, Mugal abad. The main components are Education, Protection, Livelihood and CIF (Community Initiative Fund).
Under the education component, the program includes literacy classes, computer courses, English language classes, child friendly environment through ECE, and learning resource center. Livelihood component includes vocational and technical training courses for the target unemployed population with provision of small grants for business establishment. The protection component provides a conducive environment for working street children, legal services for the target population, psycho social support and health interventions among others.
Objective
- Target population in Quetta District has optimal access to basic education and literacy by 2021
- To improve the livelihood of host and refugee communities through skill development programmes by 2021
- Improved practices towards protection in target area of Quetta by 2021
Impact
- Afghan refugee and host communities living in Quetta District have improved capacities and skills at individual and community level
- Afghan refugee and host communities living in Quetta District are able to run small livelihood initiatives and can support urban hubs
- The Urban Cohesion Hub provides quality services that are harmonized with public institutions and are in coordination with UNHCR regular activities
- The services offered by the UCH in Quetta have been used in each case by 12,000 Afghan refugees and 8,000 residents of host communities (5% of them especially vulnerable individuals, i.e., persons with disabilities or street children)
- The CIF has supported 12 small socio-economic projects in the region around the centers, reaching 7078 beneficiaries
- The project significantly contributed to one of the main social aspects i.e., reduction in conflicts between Afghan refugees and Pakistan residents of the host communities. As an evident proof the community structures are working jointly and smoothly and all the completed interventions went on without any conflict. Both the communities are sending their children to education facilities of UCH which is a vital source of proof justification of social cohesion
- 60% of the individuals (both from Afghan refugees and host community residents) participating in sports activities confirm with an average of at least 4 on a scale of 1 to 5 that they have developed a greater willingness to interact with each other through sport events
PROTECTION SERVICES
Legal Aid
We provide legal counseling, community sessions on legal protection and referral of beneficiaries to the implementing partner of UNHCR.
Psycho-Social Support
We provide psycho-social support that includes individual counseling, community sessions on mental health, gender-based violence, referral of clinical clients to partner organizations.
Health
We provide health services that include general OPD, ultrasound, first aid, sessions on health and hygiene, free medical camps and referral to partner organizations.
EDUCATION COURSES
TECHNICAL SKILL CENTER
Urban Cohesion Hub believes in empowering and equipping Afghan refugees and host people with livelihood skills. We provide trade courses of dress making, fashion designing, motor winding, and automobile repair.
Community Initiative Funds
These small community grants encourage and stimulate a wide scope of project ideas to improve the provision of services, with an aim to promote social cohesion, women empowerment, education, community development etc. of vulnerable populations of target areas of Quetta.
