Islamabad, Pakistan, 1 September 2026 — In Pakistan's Balochistan province, where decades-displaced vulnerable communities and the communities hosting them face mounting pressure from large-scale returns and deportations, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is delivering integrated protection, health and education support to some of the region's most vulnerable people.
Thanks to a project funded by the European Union's humanitarian aid arm from July 2024 to August 2026, the IRC and its partners have worked across the districts of Chaman, Killa Abdullah and Pishin to keep families safe, healthy and learning.
Fahad Abbasi, IRC Pakistan Director, said, “With the European Union's support, IRC Pakistan has been able to reach communities across Chaman, Killa Abdullah and Pishin with essential health care, education and protection services when they needed it most.
This isn't just about meeting immediate needs, it's about strengthening the systems that host communities and displaced families rely on long after this project ends: functioning clinics, schools that keep children learning, and referral pathways that connect people to protection services. That kind of resilience takes sustained investment. As humanitarian funding for Pakistan shrinks, we urge the international community to sustain its commitment, so these gains aren't lost and communities can continue building toward self-reliance.”
Over the life of the project to date, the response has delivered:
- more than 450,000 primary healthcare consultations, including antenatal and postnatal care, and over 4,000 safe deliveries supported by trained female health workers across five supported health facilities;
- protection services reaching tens of thousands of people, including gender-based violence case management, legal counselling and paralegal support for almost 8,000 vulnerable and host community members, and information and referral assistance through help desks for over 25,000 people; and
- education for out-of-school children, with 7,500 children enrolled in formal government schools and more than 3,500 in accelerated learning programmes across 50 functioning learning centres, more than half of them girls.
- To promote sustainable access to quality education and healthcare services, 33 schools benefited from School Improvement Plans that enhanced water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities, upgraded infrastructure, and introduced solar energy systems. Additionally, 7 health facilities were upgraded and equipped with solar power solutions, improving service continuity and operational efficiency.
The International Rescue Committee partners with the European Union to provide life-saving support to people caught in conflict and disasters around the world. Our work funded by the EU enables people to survive, recover and rebuild their lives.
