Unicef allocates $1m for quake victims
By Mona Khan

ISLAMABAD—The United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (Unicef) France chapter has allocated US$ one million dollars (Rs 61 million) for Unicef Pakistan to protecting vulnerable children and their families in the quake-affected areas.
Unicef France, also known as French National Committee for Unicef had contributed nearly US$ 6 million after earthquake in northern region of Pakistan, Unicef Pakistan representative Martin Mogwanja said on Thursday.
“This additional contribution of US$ 1 million will be used to fund our child protection programme which supports the local governments to assist 34,000 vulnerable girls and boys and their families in six quake-affected districts of NWFP and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK),” the representative added.
Mogwanja said Unicef and its partners would continue identifying and linking vulnerable children and their families to appropriate and improved government, non-government organization and community-based protective services through utilization of the funds. In addition, the fund would also contribute for strengthening of social welfare policies specifically designed for the children in these areas.
Some two years after the tragedy, Unicef and its partners have referred more than 19,000 vulnerable girls and boys to protective services including legal support, organizations for handicapped, grant schemes and vocational training, he said.
More than 42,000 children lost one of both their parents due to the earthquake and thousands more were separated from their families. In addition, thousands of children were injured physically and affected psychologically and around 23,000 acquired long term or permanent disabilities, Mogwanja said.
Unicef, in collaboration with the relevant authorities, has supported the registration and assisted in the reintegration of 2,600 separated, unaccompanied and orphaned children into their communities.
Similarly, more than 17,000 traumatized children were provided psychological support and safe play environments through 133 recreational spaces, “ he said adding, “the birth registration of over 85,000 children under the age of five was completed.”