2022 will be remembered as a critical, trying year for Pakistan, with growing macroeconomic and fiscal concerns, a cost of living crisis impacting the most vulnerable, and cataclysmic floods whose threats were multiplied by climate change. Taken together, and with the country still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan faced a multidimensional crisis that risked rolling back hard-won development gains.

As the floodwaters slowly receded, UNDP remained a close partner of Pakistan's government, along with our sister agencies in the United Nations, the Asian Development Bank, European Union and the World Bank. I am proud that the UNDP team in Pakistan and globally came together to meet the immediate needs and ensure equitable mid-to-long-term recovery. We provided technical support to the Pakistan Post-Disaster Needs Assessment and Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Framework, which is guiding holistic efforts to rebuild devastated communities, infrastructure and economies sustainably. With an estimated US$30 billion in loss and damage, and 8 million Pakistanis pushed below the poverty line, the work of rebuilding is necessary, and must be done with care to reach the most marginalized, especially women.

Aligned with the 4RF, UNDP's US$90 million Flood Recovery Programme will help impoverished women and men in Sindh and Balochistan restore their housing and community infrastructure, rebuild livelihoods and essential social services, while strengthening disaster resilience and environmental protections in the face of future inevitable climate and other disasters.

Gender-sensitive recovery is an important principle in this process. Our consultations held in partnership with the National Commission on the Status of Women in developing the Climate Equity: Women as Agents of Change1 report will be crucial for a sustainable recovery in which women are at the fore. Our support for the revision of Pakistan's nationally determined contributions (NDCs) contributed to new commitments to limiting emissions, an inclusive green transition, and adaptation measures that recognise the country's extreme vulnerability to climate change.

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