Pakistan is facing one of its deadliest monsoon seasons in recent history. Since late June, relentless rains have triggered flash floods, landslides, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK). Over 650 lives have been lost, with 351 deaths reported in KP alone in the past 72 hours. Entire villages have been swept away, infrastructure crippled, and thousands displaced.
The situation is particularly dire in KP’s Buner district, where 204 fatalities have been confirmed and entire communities have been obliterated. In GB, GLOFs have destroyed roads and homes, isolating vulnerable populations and complicating relief efforts.
2,462 homes damaged; mass displacement in KP, GB, and AJK
Infrastructure
152 bridges destroyed; major road closures including Karakoram Highway
Livelihoods
Crop and livestock losses; economic devastation in rural districts
Health
Rising cases of trauma, waterborne diseases, and mental health distress
Protection
Heightened risks of GBV, exploitation, and early marriage in displacement settings
Immediate Humanitarian Needs
Search & Rescue Operations in landslide-prone and inaccessible areas
Emergency Shelter & NFIs including tents, blankets, lighting, and kitchen sets
Safe Drinking Water & Hygiene Kits to prevent disease outbreaks
Mobile Health Services for trauma, maternal care, and psychosocial support
Food Assistance & Cash Support for families cut off from supply routes
Debris Clearance & Road Access Restoration to reopen relief corridors
Protection Services for women, children, elderly, and persons with disabilities
Early Warning Systems & Community Alerts for continued rainfall and GLOF threats
Community World Service Asia (CWSA) Response & Preparedness
Community World Service Asia has launched emergency relief operations in Hunza and Nagar districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, which are among the most remote, and hard to reach areas of Northern Pakistan. Hunza and Nagar are nestled within the Karakoram Range, and are surrounded by some of the highest Karakoram peaks like Rakaposhi, Golden Peak, and Ultar. These districts are most affected by recent climate change impacts, despite zero contribution to emissions. CWSA is distributing Emergency Relief Kits to 150 families in these two districts. These kits include food items, first aid, and hygiene supplies tailored to restore dignity and safety.
CWSA is coordinating closely with NDMA, PDMAs, and local partners and intends to scale its emergency response activities in areas where it already has a strong field presence, while retaining the flexibility to expand operations as the crisis develops. Built on existing local networks and partnerships, the response will remain adaptive, inclusive, and community-driven. Our approach prioritises:
Mobile Health Units for emergency care and psychosocial support
Temporary Shelters for families who have lost their homes
Protection-Focused Spaces for women and children
Gender-Responsive Programming across all sectors
Multipurpose Cash Assistance & In-Kind Support
Community Engagement & Accountability Mechanisms
Call to Action
Community World Service Asia urges humanitarian partners, donors, and media to amplify the voices of affected communities and support a coordinated, dignified response. The scale of devastation demands urgent action to prevent further loss of life and restore hope for thousands.
Contacts:
Shama Mall Deputy Regional Director Programs & Organisational Development Email: shama.mall@communityworldservice.asia Tele: 92-21-34390541-4
PalwashayArbab Head of Communication Email: palwashay.arbab@communityworldservice.asia Tele: 92-21-34390541-4
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Parsan Kohli, a bright and articulate young woman from the village of Cheel Band, stands out for her clarity of thought and speech, particularly in Urdu—a language she proudly says she learned from her schoolteacher father. At twenty-five years old, she has already been married for a decade and is the mother of four children. In a community where having eight to ten children is the norm, her decision to limit the size of her family is notably uncommon.
Smiling, she shares that her husband, Moolchand, is one of fifteen siblings, while gesturing towards her mother-in-law who they live together with. “For all the hard work that woman has done, she looks wonderfully unscarred,” she remarks. With a large family to support, it is unsurprising that Moolchand never had the opportunity to pursue an education and now works as a bricklayer.
What sets Parsan apart is not just her decision to raise a smaller family, but the reasons behind it. As an active member of the Village Management Committee (VMC), established in 2022 under Community World Service Asia (CWSA) and Act for Peace’s(AfP) Health and Education project, Parsan has gained new perspectives on health, personal care, and family well-being. She reflects that, prior to her involvement with the VMC, she had limited understanding of basic hygiene and health issues. Like many others, she once believed that having more children was a way to secure the future. However, she now recognises that larger families often deepen the cycle of poverty. With this knowledge that she gained through the Health and Education Sessions held through the course of this project, she has become a vocal advocate for informed family planning within her village.
“But I had to begin with my own household,” she says. “I had to set an example before encouraging others to follow.” She recalls that it was once common in her village for women with infants as young as six or nine months to be pregnant again. Over the past two years, however, Parsan has played a key role in shifting this norm. She has supported nearly every woman in her para (neighbourhood) in adopting healthier spacing between children. The long-standing tradition of frequent, back-to-back pregnancies is now largely fading.
Her efforts particularly focus on newly married young women, to whom she gently explains the importance of waiting before expanding their families. Though she has not kept exact figures, Parsan believes at least thirty women have embraced her message, with ten of them committing to having smaller families. “They understand now that large families perpetuate poverty,” she says.
During her most recent pregnancy, Parsan experienced unusual discomfort. Remembering the health guidance sessions conducted by CWSA staff through the VMC, she visited the local Health Unit for a check-up. There, she discovered that her haemoglobin level had dropped to eight. She received treatment in time and went on to deliver a healthy baby. “Had I not attended those sessions, I would never have known. Who knows what could have happened,” she reflects.
Parsan sees her most significant achievement as her success in promoting girls’ education. Just two years ago, only twelve girls in her community were enrolled in school; today, that number has risen to thirty-five. Some of these girls are ten years old and only now entering grade one, underscoring how delayed school enrolment had become. She explains that girls’ education was often seen as unnecessary, with daughters expected to assist with domestic tasks. Even boys were sometimes kept home to fetch water while the older men idled. Going door to door, Parsan urged mothers to send their children to school, stressing that government schools do not charge tuition. “Your only expense is a few rupees for notebooks and pencils once every few months,” she told them.
Gradually, the number of enrolled children began to grow. With children now in school, Parsan notes that men have become responsible for fetching water, something that was once seen as children’s work.
The school in her neighbourhood, which serves approximately 200 households, now has four teachers. Two are funded by CWSA & AfP, one by the local community, and one by the government. Previously, families would often cite a lack of teachers as a reason not to send their children to school. That barrier, Parsan says with satisfaction, has now been removed.
Parsan is also deeply committed to preventing early marriage. “Fourteen is the usual age for marriage here, I myself was only fifteen,” she shares. Recently, she managed to delay the wedding of a sixteen-year-old girl through community engagement. The parents have now agreed to wait until their daughter turns eighteen. With so many accomplishments, what lies ahead for Parsan? She simply says she will continue. “Children are being born who need to be educated, and they must not marry until they are of legal age. I have to ensure that the right thing is done, that they stay in school and don’t marry before eighteen.”
Married at the age of 17, Lakshmi assumed the weight of household responsibilities early in life. With her husband, Laalu, working as a labourer in the city to support the family, Lakshmi remained the steady anchor at home. Together, they raised four young children, three sons and a daughter, all between the ages of five and ten. Despite limited resources and daily challenges, Lakshmi nurtured a modest but fulfilling life, grounded in resilience and the warmth of her family.
Five years ago, Lakshmi’s world was turned upside down when her husband, Laalu, tragically passed away after a snake bite. Fate did not give her a chance to fully grieve the loss of her partner. Overnight, she became the sole caregiver and breadwinner for their young children, forced to navigate an uncertain and demanding future entirely on her own.
Now 32, Lakshmi continues to shoulder the full responsibility of raising her family. To survive, she and her children work together as labourers in fields of Village Lakho Kolhi, striving each day to meet their most basic needs.
In 2021, driven by quiet determination, Lakshmi took a bold step to improve her family’s future by breeding two goats, establishing a modest but stable source of income. It was a turning point that promised a path toward self-reliance. However, less than a year later, the catastrophic floods of 2022 swept across Pakistan, displacing thousands and claiming countless lives and livestock.
Lachmi’s village, Lakho Kolhi in Umerkot, was among the hardest hit. The deluge reduced homes to rubble and left the community submerged in devastation, erasing what little security they had built. Lakshmi and her family lost their most treasured possession, their home, and faced a heartbreaking reality. The destruction was so extensive that rebuilding was impossible. With no other option, they were forced to flee and start over, carrying with them only resilience and the will to endure.
With nowhere to go, Lachmi and her children found themselves in her brother-in-law’s house, who himself had relocated to village Anwar Pathan with his family in search of safer grounds. In a time when everyone around them was grappling with uncertainty and hardship, his support was both rare and deeply meaningful. Within that borrowed shelter, Lakshmi tried to rebuild a sense of home for her children, even as daily survival weighed heavily on her mind. The question of how to feed her family was a constant worry, one that echoed the broader struggle shared by countless families, especially single mothers, facing the aftermath of displacement.
Living in someone else’s home brought a host of challenges for Lachmi, from compromised dignity to concerns over safety and protection. She endured mistreatment and a lack of respect from the household members, all while carrying the weight of worry for her children’s well-being.
In the aftermath of the devastating floods, Community World Service Asia (CWSA), in partnership with Presbyterian World Service & Development (PWS&D) and the Canadian Food grains Bank (CFGB), launched a Cash for Food initiative aimed at restoring dignity and choice to families like Lakshmi’s. The program provided unconditional cash assistance of PKR 20,000 per month for three months, March, May, and June 2025, empowering flood-affected households to address their food security based on their specific needs.
With the first installment, Lachmi prioritised her family’s stability. She spent PKR 10,000 (USD 35) to buy wheat flour, to ensure a reliable supply of food in the weeks ahead. Another PKR 6,000 (USD 21) went toward repaying a debt she had incurred just to feed her children, a financial weight she had long carried. The remaining PKR 4,000 ( USD 14), was carefully allocated to purchasing sugar, rice, and vegetables, allowing her to provide balanced nutrition with renewed peace of mind. In a move that reflected both vision and resilience, Lakshmi used the second installment to purchase two young goats, an investment in future sustainability. As the goats grow, she plans to sell their milk locally, establishing a modest yet dependable source of income for her household..
With the third and final cash installment, Lakshmi embraced a moment of joy amidst hardship. She lovingly chose new clothes for her children, spending nearly PKR 5,000 ( USD 18) on new clothes for them to bring smiles and a sense of normalcy to their lives. The remaining PKR 15,000 (USD 53) was set aside to secure their food supply, a deliberate decision rooted in maternal foresight. “Even if we have nothing else,” Lakshmi shared, “we should have wheat in the cabinets, so we never go to bed hungry.”
Lachmi has courageously shared her journey with others, inspiring many through her resilience and determination. “Now we’re finding new ways to support our families,” she said. “Many women in our village have stepped up to help, especially after losing their livelihoods.”
Part of the funds also went toward purchasing medicine for her seven-year-old Gulji, who lives with epilepsy. Reflecting on how she used the assistance, Lachmi said, “The aid is temporary, and the money is meant to end someday. To truly benefit from it, I had to invest it with purpose.”
As climate extremes intensify across Pakistan, vulnerable communities are bearing the brunt of rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and environmental degradation. This short video captures firsthand reflections from local residents and civil society on how climate change is reshaping their lives, livelihoods, and landscapes. Produced by Community World Service Asia & Leigh Larson, Week of Compassion, the film amplifies voices from the frontlines, calling for urgent, inclusive action to build resilience and protect those most at risk.
Nestled in the sun-scorched plains of Thar, the modest home of Dhuri stands as a testament to resilience and familial devotion. Within its humble walls, Dhuri, her husband Mangal, and their three children weave a life rich with love and mutual support. Yet, the unforgiving climate casts a shadow over their days, bringing extreme environmental challenges that severely limit their opportunities for sustenance. With resources scarce, Dhuri and Mangal take turns toiling as daily wage crop farmers.
Dhuri was chosen as a participant in a transformative humanitarian initiative spearheaded by Community World Service Asia and Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH), where she received a comprehensive package of support designed to uplift her family’s prospects. This assistance encompassed cash grants, a hydroponic kit, premium seeds for crop cultivation, nourishing animal fodder for her livestock, and most crucially, expert training to nurture and sustain these vital resources with confidence and skill.
Dhuri, along with a group of women selected under the project, learned a useful new skill through their training: crafting mineral blocks to nourish their cows.
These hand-shaped treats, made with a simple blend of water, salt, jaggery, cement, urea, and wheat chaff, quickly became a favourite among the cows, who eagerly lap them up without hesitation.
Since applying this knowledge, Dhuri has felt a remarkable difference in caring for her cattle. She lovingly creates what she affectionately calls “Sheera blocks,” designed to boost her livestock’s gastrointestinal health.
Dhuri reflects that, before this experience, she had never encountered any training or practice that brought such valuable awareness. Yet, since applying these new insights, she has observed a noticeable and heartening change in her daily efforts. “The cattle used to have many gut problems before, but now we don’t see any of them”, Dhuri recalls. “There is actually substantial improvement. They produce more milk, and it’s much cleaner too”.
Dhuri feels happy about the minimal effort and cost it requires to make the mineral blocks. She says that, as beneficial as they are, they are extremely economical. As a dedicated sharecropper, Dhuriwas overjoyed to harvest PKR 70,000(246 USD) from her cultivated fields, a clear sign of the support’s meaningful impact.
Dhuri’s children are her world. Unlike many parents who pull their children, especially daughters, out of school to ease the family’s workload, Dhuri stands firm with a heartfelt promise. “We’ve decided not to weigh our children down with life’s tough duties just yet. This age is for going to school and we want them to focus on that alone. When the moment is right, they’ll step into their roles with confidence.”
Going forward, Dhuri stated that she did not take this assistance for granted. “We are grateful for all the resources and wisdom shared with us,” she said with heartfelt gratitude. “We’re committed to proving we’re putting it to good use and showing the world how well we have honoured this generous help.”
Pakistan is currently experiencing intensified monsoon rainfall, consistent with forecasts from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and alerts issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Since late June, above-normal precipitation has impacted Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), triggering widespread flooding, landslides, and displacement.
In Gilgit-Baltistan, temperatures have reached an unprecedented 48.5°C, accelerating glacial melt across the Himalayas, Hindu Kush, and Karakoram ranges. This has significantly heightened the risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), particularly in historically stable regions like Shakyote, where agricultural lands and homes have been swept away.
Sindh, in southern Pakistan, is currently experiencing a moderate to high-risk period, with urban flooding impacting major cities and a continued threat of rural flooding. While rainfall in Sindh has not been as intense as in Punjab or KPK, the province remains highly vulnerable due to poor drainage and overstretched infrastructure. Additionally, heavy rains in northern and central Pakistan can increase flood risks in Sindh through rising river levels, hill torrents, snowmelt, and GLOF events, even if Sindh itself receives only light rainfall. Local authorities have issued advisories to all relevant stakeholders to ensure preparedness.
Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Multan, Bahawalpur
Balochistan
Lasbela, Jhal Magsi, Khuzdar, Sibi, Naseerabad
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Swat, Chitral, Dir, Shangla, Kohistan, Mansehra, Dera Ismail Khan
Gilgit-Baltistan & AJK
Hunza, Ghizer, Skardu, Muzaffarabad, Bagh
Urban Centers
Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta
Humanitarian Impact (as of July 16, 2025)
124 fatalities reported across five provinces
264 injuries, primarily due to collapsed structures
522 homes damaged, 126 livestock lost, and multiple roads and bridges destroyed
Thousands displaced, particularly in mountainous and flood-prone zones
Heightened vulnerability among women, children, and marginalised groups
Escalating Risks
Urban Flooding in major cities due to poor drainage
Flash Floods & Landslides in KPK, Punjab, GB, and Balochistan
Rural Inundation threatening food security in Sindh and southern Punjab
Waterborne Disease Outbreaks (cholera, malaria, dengue) due to stagnant water
Protection Concerns for displaced women, girls, and vulnerable communities
Recurring Disaster Zones still recovering from the 2022 super floods
Gendered & Inclusive Impact
Women, girls, and marginalised groups face disproportionate risks due to pre-existing inequalities. Displacement has disrupted access to maternal healthcare, education, and safe shelter. Overcrowded conditions and lack of gender-sensitive facilities increase exposure to gender-based violence and exploitation. Persons with disabilities, the elderly, and ethnic minorities face additional barriers to accessing relief.
Anticipated Needs
Emergency Shelter & Non-Food Items (NFIs)
WASH support (clean water, hygiene kits, sanitation)
Health services via mobile/static units
Food assistance (cash or in-kind)
Livelihood recovery for farmers and labourers
Protection services for vulnerable populations
CWSA Preparedness and Response
Community World Service Asia is actively coordinating with NDMA, PDMAs, and local partners to monitor the evolving crisis. Our response prioritises:
Gender-responsive programming across all sectors
Mobile health units for emergency care and psychosocial support
Protection-focused spaces for women and children
Emergency shelter and NFIs for displaced families
Cash-for-food assistance and in-kind distributions
Humanitarian Quality & Accountability mechanisms to ensure dignity and community engagement
Our multidisciplinary teams are ready to deploy in active field areas, with flexibility to expand operations as needed. CWSA will initiate its emergency operations in regions where we maintain an active presence and will scale up as needed, ensuring that our response is coordinated, adaptive, and rooted in local partnerships.
Rapid Response Fund Appeal
To enable swift, life-saving assistance, CWSA is establishing a Rapid Response Fund (RRF). We call on our partners to support this fund and strengthen our collective ability to respond efficiently and equitably, within 24 hours of the emergency. Together, we can act before the storm becomes catastrophe.
The 2025 monsoon and GLOF crisis underscores the urgent need for climate-resilient, people-centered humanitarian strategies. Without inclusive and sustained efforts, future disasters will continue to deepen inequalities and reverse development gains. CWSA remains committed to protecting lives, restoring dignity, and building resilience across Pakistan’s most vulnerable communities.
We are pleased to launch “QAS in Action: A Smart Guide for Aid Actors”: This Guide aims to support a holistic and contextualised application of Quality, Accountability, and Safeguarding (QAS) from a people-centered perspective, rather than organisational.
The ‘QAS in Action’ Smart Guide is designed for anyone dedicated to supporting communities’ life with dignity in a transparent and safe manner. It will benefit specifically aid actors working locally, in communities’ living areas.
Pakistan is confronting the onset of yet another large-scale climate disaster, as intensified monsoon rains and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) pose an escalating threat to millions across the country. As of June 29, at least 31 people have lost their lives in Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), with flash floods in Swat Valley alone accounting for 11 fatalities, including several children. Search operations are underway to locate missing individuals, underscoring the immediate human cost of the worsening weather conditions.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has forecast severe rainfall and flooding between June 29 and July 5, with alerts covering northeast Punjab, Kashmir, the Potohar plateau, Islamabad, and urban centers in southern Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Badin, and Thatta. Northern regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan, AJK, and Chitral remain at particular risk of GLOFs, landslides, and community isolation due to damaged roads and power outages.
Escalating Climate Risks
Pakistan’s 2025 monsoon season is projected to be particularly aggressive, bringing heightened risks of riverine and urban flooding, flash floods, and GLOFs. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of above-normal rainfall and temperature patterns, an extension of this year’s erratic spring marked by dust storms, hail, and thunderstorms.
With over 13,000 glaciers, many rapidly melting due to global warming, Pakistan’s mountainous north is especially vulnerable to GLOFs. The collapse of unstable moraines (natural ice-and-debris dams) can release torrents of water, mud, and rock, with devastating consequences for downstream communities.
Due to rising temperatures, glaciers in Pakistan’s northern mountain ranges (the Hindu Kush, Himalayas and Karakorum) are melting rapidly and a total of 3,044 glacial lakes have developed in GilgitBaltistan (GB) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Of these, 33 glacial lakes have been assessed to be prone to hazardous glacial lake outburst flooding (GLOF). This can lead to flash floods, threatening lives, livestock, agriculture, and infrastructure, including roads and bridges. Over 7.1 million people in GB and KPK provinces are likely to be affected: in these areas, 26.7 percent and 22 percent of the population, respectively, are below the poverty line.
GLOF are sudden events which can release millions of cubic metres of water and debris, leading to the loss of lives, property & livelihoods among affected communities.
NDMA has mapped GLOF sites in Pakistan with constant monitoring through satellite imagery and data from relevant line departments. Some of the vulnerable Glacier lakes include: Khurdopin Glacier, Badswat Glacier, Shisper Glacier, Chilinji Glacier, Ghulkin Glacier, Darkut Glacier, Reshun Glacier, etc.
NDMA’s latest Situation Analysis (June 29) highlights that more than 3,000 glacial lakes exist in the region, with 36 identified as vulnerable and 4–5 assessed as being at immediate risk of bursting in 2025. These unfolding events reflect not just a meteorological crisis but also a profound climate injustice: Pakistan remains among the countries most affected by climate change while contributing minimally to global emissions.
Widespread Impacts and Growing Vulnerabilities
Riverine Flooding: Swelling rivers such as the Swat, Kabul, and Chenab threaten to overflow, endangering settlements along their banks.
Urban and Flash Flooding: Major cities lack adequate drainage systems, increasing the risk of localized inundation and economic disruption.
Infrastructure Damage: Echoing the devastation of 2022, critical infrastructure, homes, roads, bridges, schools, faces renewed threat.
Health Risks: Stagnant water and displacement contribute to rising cases of cholera, dengue, malaria, and respiratory infections.
Displacement and Socioeconomic Stress: Displacement could climb into the millions, exacerbating inflation, poverty, and mental health strain.
Anticipated Humanitarian Needs
Given the high risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in several vulnerable regions, the need for timely and lifesaving emergency interventions is critical. These sudden and destructive floods can lead to loss of life, displacement, and severe damage to homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods, especially impacting women, children, and the elderly. Immediate response efforts, including access to healthcare, safe shelter, food, and essential non-food items, are essential to reduce suffering and protect the well-being of affected communities.
As the emergency unfolds, a multi-sector response will be vital. Expected needs include:
Emergency Shelter & Non-Food Items: Tents, tarpaulins, bedding, kitchen sets, and lighting for displaced households.
Food Security & Livelihoods: Ready-to-eat meals, dry rations, and livelihood rehabilitation for flood-affected communities.
Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH): Access to safe drinking water, hygiene kits, mobile toilets, and water purification supplies.
Health & Nutrition: Mobile medical units, essential medicines, maternal care, treatment of communicable diseases, and nutrition screening.
Protection Services: Safe spaces for women and children, GBV case management, psychosocial support, and referral systems.
Education in Emergencies: Temporary learning spaces, school supplies, and catch-up support for affected students.
Logistics & Access: Transportation of relief goods, access to remote communities, and coordination support.
Heightened Vulnerabilities Among Women and Children
Women and children in Pakistan face disproportionate risks during flood emergencies due to pre-existing inequalities, limited access to services, and heightened protection concerns. Displacement often disrupts access to maternal healthcare, education, and safe shelter, leaving women, particularly those who are pregnant or lactating, without essential medical support.
In 2022, over 1.6 million women of childbearing age were affected by floods, with many lacking access to reproductive health services. Children, especially girls, are frequently forced out of school, with some never returning to formal education. The destruction of schools and healthcare facilities, combined with overcrowded shelters lacking privacy and sanitation, increases the risk of gender-based violence (GBV), child marriage, and mental health challenges.
Malnutrition and disease further compound these vulnerabilities. UNICEF reported that more than 1 in 9 children in flood-affected areas were suffering from severe acute malnutrition, with over 2 million children in need of urgent treatment. Poor sanitation, unsafe drinking water, and food insecurity exacerbate health risks, particularly for children under five and pregnant women. The lack of gender-sensitive infrastructure in relief camps, such as separate latrines, menstrual hygiene supplies, and safe spaces, leaves women and girls exposed to exploitation and trauma. These intersecting risks underscore the urgent need for a gender-responsive humanitarian response that prioritises protection, health, education, and dignity for women and children.
CWSA Preparedness and Response
Community World Service Asia (CWSA) is actively coordinating with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs), and local stakeholders to monitor the rapidly evolving situation. As part of our preparedness strategy, we are prioritising the needs of the most vulnerable, including women, girls, children and the elderly, who face heightened risks during disasters due to systemic inequalities and limited access to services.
In recognition of these vulnerabilities, CWSA’s flood response plan incorporates gender-responsive programming across all sectors. This includes ensuring safe access to maternal and reproductive healthcare, the distribution of gender-sensitive hygiene kits, and the establishment of protection-focused spaces for women and children. Our mobile health and protection teams are being prepared to provide psychosocial support and referral services, especially in displacement settings where the risk of gender-based violence (GBV), exploitation, and child marriage tends to rise.
Community World Service Asia will launch immediate humanitarian operations in regions where it has an active field presence, with the flexibility to expand as the situation evolves. Grounded in strong local partnerships, the response will be coordinated, adaptive, and people-centered. Priority areas of intervention include:
Delivery of essential Health services through Mobile Health Units
Provision of Emergency shelter to displaced families
Distribution of critical Non-food items (NFIs)
Food assistance through in-kind packages or Cash-for-food modalities
Reinforcement of humanitarian Quality and Accountability mechanisms to ensure dignity and community engagement throughout the response
Rapid Response Fund Appeal
To facilitate immediate, life-saving humanitarian assistance, Community World Service Asia is activating a Rapid Response Fund (RRF). We urge our partners to contribute to this critical mechanism, designed to ensure a swift, coordinated response within the first 24 hours of a crisis.
Our multidisciplinary response team, comprised of trained professionals in emergency health, shelter, food security, protection, and logistics, is prepared to deploy rapidly to crisis-affected areas. With your support, the RRF will strengthen our collective ability to deliver timely, dignified, and effective aid where it’s needed most.
Contacts:
Shama Mall Deputy Regional Director Programs & Organisational Development Email: shama.mall@communityworldservice.asia Tele: 92-21-34390541-4
Palwashay Arbab Head of Communication Email: palwashay.arbab@communityworldservice.asia Tele: 92-21-34390541-4
References
NDMA June 29 Report
The News- https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1325476-ndma-issues-fresh-alert-for-heavy-rains-in-parts-of-country
World Bank Report – https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/10/28/pakistan-flood-damages-and-economic-losses-over-usd-30-billion-and-reconstruction-needs-over-usd-16-billion-new-assessme
Govt. of Pakistan – https://www.finance.gov.pk/survey/chapters_23/Annex_III_Pakistan_Floods_2022.pdf
Humanitarian and development organisations must handle sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment complaints professionally, but they often struggle with understanding complaint protocols and structured investigation processes. The online learning series aims to teach staff about complaints management and investigations, providing clarity on roles, confidentiality, legal risks, and survivor protection, without requiring certification as investigators.
Who Are We?
Community World Service Asia (CWSA) is a humanitarian and development organisation and a member of Sphere and the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) Alliance. We are also the Regional Focal Point for the Asian Disaster Risk Reduction Network’s (ADRRN) Quality & Accountability Hub, Sphere Country Focal Point in Pakistan and the Regional Partner in Asia for Sphere. CWSA is highly committed towards Accountability to Affected People and People Centered Aid. We have offered different webinars and learning series over the last years to raise more awareness on overall accountability as well as its key aspects such as establishing efficient and transparent complaints/feedback systems and protection from and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.
Who Should Apply?
This learning series is ideal for professionals from
NGOs,
INGOs
Who are directly responsible for, or closely engaged in:
Complaints and Feedback Mechanisms
Safeguarding and PSEA initiatives
Accountability, Compliance, and Risk Management
Internal Audits and HR Oversight
Target roles include:
Senior Management
Safeguarding & Complaints Focal Persons
Safeguarding Committee Members
Compliance & Investigation Leads
MEAL Managers
Internal Auditors
HR Managers
Trainer
Ester Dross Quality Assurance, Compliance and Investigations Specialist
Ester brings over 30 years of experience in the humanitarian sector. She has led sensitive investigations across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, and worked extensively on preventing and addressing SEAH. Ester has developed global training content and policies for INGOs and regularly advises organisations on safeguarding strategies and accountability systems.
Learning Outcomes
Session 1:
Understanding Complaints Assessment and Investigations – (21 July 2025) – 2.5 Hours
Review key safeguarding policies and terminology
Understand complaint intake and assessment
Distinguish between preliminary and full investigations
Introduction to investigation steps and principles
