Balochistan Lacks Grassroots Level DRR Infrastructure, Needs Inclusive Policy Interventions: Speakers

Policymakers, researchers, and development experts gathered in Quetta on Thursday at a high-level consultative dialogue titled “Towards Inclusive and Integrated Disaster Responses in Balochistan”, jointly organized by P&D Department of Balochistan, UNFPA and facilitated by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI)

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Sep, 2025) Policymakers, researchers, and development experts gathered in Quetta on Thursday at a high-level consultative dialogue titled “Towards Inclusive and Integrated Disaster Responses in Balochistan”, jointly organized by P&D Department of Balochistan, UNFPA and facilitated by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

The dialogue focused on building gender-responsive and equitable disaster management systems for one of Pakistan’s most climate-vulnerable provinces, said a press release.

Delivering the opening remarks, Chief Economist, Planning and Development, Balochistan, Aminullah Khan said that although Pakistan contributes negligibly to global greenhouse gas emissions, it ranks among the ten most affected countries by climate change.

“Balochistan is not only struggling with floods but also with recurring droughts, including the devastating 1998–2002 spell that ravaged agriculture and livestock,” he noted. Khan recalled the province’s repeated devastation from floods in 2011, 2013, 2015, and most recently in 2022, which severely damaged lives and infrastructure.

He emphasized that financial constraints prevent provincial institutions from ensuring robust preparedness and response, leaving women, children, and specially abled individuals particularly vulnerable. He thanked UNFPA and SDPI for leading the dialogue to strengthen disaster management policies.

Presenting his findings, Dr S.M. Nabeel ul Haque, Director, Population Research Centre (PRC), BUITEMS, said Balochistan faces frequent and overlapping climate shocks, particularly floods and droughts, that disproportionately affect marginalized groups such as women, refugees, and persons with disabilities.

He noted that while Pakistan has developed several frameworks like the National Climate Change Policy and National Adaptation Plan, these rarely account for Balochistan’s geographic challenges, limited capacity, and slow recovery mechanisms.

He stressed the need for stronger inter-sectoral coordination, gender-responsive budgeting, and localized, data-driven interventions. “The dialogue is an effort to align provincial PDMA, health, gender, and social protection policies with national frameworks including the Climate Change Gender Action Plan and social safety nets such as BISP and Sehat Sahulat Program,” Dr. Nabeel added.

Contributing to the discussion, Dr. Shafqat Munir Ahmed, Deputy Executive Director (Policy) and Head of Sustainability and Resilience Programme, SDPI, highlighted that UNFPA’s Data for Development initiative provides an important platform for integrating population welfare, reproductive health, and disaster management into inclusive planning. “The humanitarian architecture of the country must prioritize district-level implementation, which is the global best practice for effective disaster response,” he said. He stressed that the absence of empowered and effective local governments undermines disaster preparedness, anticipatory actions, and contingency planning. “We need to enhance local-level disaster risk reduction capacities and ensure no vulnerable population is left behind,” he concluded.

The panel discussions focused on key themes, including integrating gender in disaster policies, restoring health services and infrastructure with a women-centered approach, and reviving livelihoods for displaced populations and refugees. Experts emphasized the need for stronger inter-sectoral coordination, evidence-based planning, and mainstreaming of reproductive health and family planning services into disaster response frameworks.