Celebration of World Habitat Day 2022

Celebration of World Habitat Day 2022Mind the Gap, leaving no one and no place behind

UN-Habitat Pakistan organized a seminar to kick start celebration of  Urban October activities– World Habitat Day on 3rd October 2022 – on the theme‘ Mind the Gap. Leave No One and No Place Behind’ – putting spotlight on widening inequalities with respect to climate change impacts and sharing cost effective technologies for provision of clean water for every segment of the society and addressing  growing  inequalities exacerbated by the 2022 floods crises in Pakistan. The event was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change, Pakistan Council for Research on Water Resources, Water and Sanitation Agency, Shehersaaz, National Disaster Risk Management Authority, Shehersaaz and TMA Nowshera.

The event commenced with a message from Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General in which it was highlighted that we need more urgent action and greater investments for innovative solutions to address inequalities to tackle the climate crisis and drive a green and inclusive pandemic recovery. Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director, UN Habitat in her video message emphasized on raising awareness about innovations that inspire all of us to push for immediate action.

Speaking on the seminar, Dr Muhammad Ashraf Chairman PCRWR remarked that habitat is the right of all living beings. If we leave any segment of life behind there will be an aftermath for all in the form of urban flooding and heatwaves. Therefore there is a need to bridge the gap through ecosystem preservation.

Mr. Jawed Ali Khan, UN-Habitat Programme Manager, Pakistan reiterated the need on bridging the widening gap for leaving no place and no one behind. The worth mentioning UN Habitat interventions include the Adaptation Fund project on urban flooding and drought management in Nowshera and Rawalpindi; development of the project for the protection of coastal communities from the impact of sea level rise in Karachi, Sindh as well as an ongoing project in 76 Katchi Abadis in Karachi for uplifting the poor and vulnerable communities through climate-friendly intervention and provision of basic urban services like safe and clean drinking water and sanitation etc. Ms. Almas Shakoor, Executive Director on the event emphasized that community engagement for bridging the gap is mandatory. Mr. Sadoon Basra, Director PCRWR explained the adaptation measures taken to reduce the flood impact on the community. The discussions in the seminar were centered on the actions which needs to be taken for improving the quality of life every citizen. There is a need for transformative change which starts with the individual, with us as a community and with cities to scale things up. Local action is the best way to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. We need to act now and make our cities truly inclusive places so that no one and no place is left behind.