From a child bride to a rights defender
News story QUETTA, 28 September, 2017: It is a fine evening. A group of Afghan women are enjoying traditional Afghan tea with Roghni (Afghan snacks) and white Afghan sweets. Everybody is happy as they gather to fix the date for an engagement ceremony. Amid the...
Breaking the status quo: A proud refugee father
News Story QUETTA, 31 August 2017: A father takes his daughter to a school where she is the only girl student amongst the boys as there is no school for girls in the village. He faces sarcastic remarks from many people in the community for being odd, but that does not...
‘Rangoona’ festival showcases harmony between communities
News story ISLAMABAD (17 August, 2017): The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) organised a night of entertainment and culture show the cohesion and harmony between Pakistani and Afghan refugee communities. The cultural festival ‘Rangoona’ (unity in diversity) brought together...
UNHCR’s health project to benefit 200,000 patients in Balochistan
Press Release QUETTA, 7 August, 2017: In an effort to improve the health services in public hospitals in Quetta, the UN Refugee Agency Monday handed over a health project worth Rs35.4million (USD350,000) to the provincial health department that will benefit 200,000...
Afghans dream of stepping out of the shadows with Pakistan ID scheme
By: Samad Khan 21 July 2017 PESHAWAR, Pakistan – An Afghan in Pakistan without papers, Mohammad Rehman has lived all his life in fear of arrest by the police and deportation to his conflict-torn homeland. But a new Pakistan government programme to register up to one...
UNHCR, BUITEMS launches Centre for Refugees and Migration Studies in Quetta
Press Release QUETTA: The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR signed a Partnership Agreement with Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS) on 7th June 2017 Wednesday. This collaboration is aimed at establishing a Centre for...
Improving school facilities to improve student experience
News Story New furniture helps keep Afghan refugee and Pakistani children in schools QUETTA, 31 May, 2017: Nine year-old Nadia Abdul Waris attends school with enthusiasm since her school has received new sets furniture for students. “Sitting on the floor was very...
UNHCR delivers shelter material to FDMA as IDPs head back home
Press Release PESHAWAR – The UN Refugee Agency on Wednesday handed over 4,000 tents, 8,000 plastic sheets and 4,000 core relief item kits to FATA Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) aimed at supporting the government’s efforts to facilitate returns to South...
Skills development programme under RAHA concluded
Press Release PESHAWAR, 16 May, 2017: The closing ceremony of training of the first batch of trainees of Skills Development Program (SDP) initiated under the United Nations’ Refugees Affected and Hosting Areas (RAHA) programme was held at Peshawar University on...