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Heading Home: First returns from quake zone in Pakistan
15 Mar 2006 The Pakistani authorities have announced that the temporary camps set up for thousands of survivors from last October's devastating earthquake will start to close. UNHCR is working in support of their voluntary return and to support them as they start to rebuild their homes and their lives. -
First Afghan families leave Pakistan as repatriation season resumes
3 Mar 2006 The UN refugee agency's fifth season of assisted returns to Afghanistan from Pakistan started this week after the winter break. Some 400,000 Afghans are expected to repatriate to Afghanistan this year, the last year of UNHCR-assisted returns under the current tripartite agreement with the two governments. -
For Pakistani quake children, classes under canvas offer room with a view
20 Feb 2006 For the first time in their lives, girls are getting the chance to go to school in the relief camps of quake-hit northern Pakistan. The facilities are basic, often no more than a note pad and a spot on a groundsheet, but the classrooms are full and the students grateful as they take advantage of a learning opportunity that emerged from the rubble of catastrophe. -
Restoring the "high way" home to the Allai Valley, northern Pakistan
15 Feb 2006 The "high way" home is now open for residents of the largest relief camp in northern Pakistan after the UN refugee agency helped to repair a vital cable way linking Meira camp to the Allai Valley across the Indus River. -
Regular check-ups safeguard conditions in Pakistan's quake camps
7 Feb 2006 UNHCR in Pakistan is monitoring the medical condition of survivors of last October's earthquake, including those reluctant to discuss their injuries, knowing that early treatment can prevent more serious problems. -
Two camps of thought on relocation in Pakistan's quake zone
1 Feb 2006 The Kunhar river separates two camps for earthquake survivors in northern Pakistan: one with no water supply, no health care and no electricity; the other with sturdy rows of winterised tents and prefabricated latrines. But persuading people to move to the better facilities is not easy. -
A voice for the vulnerable in Pakistan's relief camps
25 Jan 2006 Women, children and disabled people make up more than half of the population in earthquake relief camps in northern Pakistan, but their special needs are rarely represented. Community services workers are working to make their concerns heard. -
Pakistan government registers quake survivors in camps
18 Jan 2006 Supported by the UN refugee agency, the Pakistan government is registering people in earthquake relief camps to provide a comprehensive profile of camp populations and movements. This information will prove very useful not just for aid distribution but also for reconstruction and rehabilitation. -
UNHCR battles cold front in northern Pakistan
17 Jan 2006 The UN refugee agency is providing heaters and kerosene to earthquake survivors in relief camps to help them stay warm amid the rain and snow. To minimize the risk of tent fires, camp dwellers are receiving information, equipment and training on fire safety and prevention.