[Pak-Media] PR-UNICEF Regional Director arriving in Pakistan on Sunday

PRESS RELEASE

UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia Arriving in Pakistan

Islamabad, June 30 2012 - UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia, Karin Hulshof, will be arriving in Islamabad tomorrow on a six-day visit to witness the situation of children in Pakistan and to discuss with the Government and other partners the salient features of UNICEF's next five-year country programme which is an integral part of the Delivering As One UN Programme II for the same period.

During her first visit to Pakistan as UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia, Ms. Hulshof will hold meetings with government counterparts and key development partners as well as see UNICEF field operation in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh which focuses on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.

Her visit to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa includes a visit to the Jalozai camp in Nowshera district to witness UNICEF's ongoing humanitarian support to people displaced from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) due to insecurity.

In Sindh, Ms. Hulshof will visit rural areas as well as seeing urban programmes in Karachi. All demonstrating the essence of UNICEF's programmes going forward towards 2017.

"The Regional Director's visit to Pakistan provides an excellent opportunity to benchmark our work in relation to children and women and to further strengthen the bond with the Government and partners. The new country programme is part of the 'Delivering As One' and with a joint programming approach that will deliver evidence-based programmes at scale and with a focus on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged," said Dan Rohrmann, the UNICEF Country Representative.

"As UNICEF is about to embark on a new five-year country programme, the time is opportune to invest in children for the future of Pakistan. Ms. Hulshof's vast programmatic experience in the South Asian context will helps us make this strategic investment and forever change the lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children," he added.

Ms. Hulshof took her assignment as the UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia in April this year. She is based in Kathmandu and is responsible for oversight, ensuring overall policy and programme coherence and regional as well as global advocacy for UNICEF in eight countries of South Asia.

About UNICEF
UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org

For further information, please contact:
A. Sami Malik, Communication Specialist, UNICEF Pakistan
Phone: +92 300 855 6654, Email: asmalik@unicef.org

(See attached file: June 30 RD's arrival.doc)

_______________________________
A. Sami Malik
Communication Specialist
UNICEF Pakistan Country Office
90 Margalla Road, F8/2
Islamabad
Telephone: +92 51 2097811
Facsimile: +92 51 2097799
E mail: asmalik@unicef.org
www.unicef.org/pakistan