Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik on Thursday witnessed the signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NDMA and Save the Children, International (SCI,UK) organization to extend partnership to enhance emergency preparedness, response, rehabilitation and recovery initiatives in the country.
The agreement was signed by Member Disaster Risk Reduction from NDMA, Idrees Mehsud and Country Director from Save the Children, Muhammad Khuram Gondal, a press release said.
Under the MoU, NDMA and SCI will work on capacity-building programs, joint advocacy efforts, awareness campaigns, and institutional strengthening activities, ensuring that children’s unique needs and vulnerabilities are adequately addressed- ultimately minimizing the impact of disasters on children.
The Chairman NDMA emphasized the significance of local community engagement in order to enable disaster resilience. He highlighted the need for an efficient Early Warning System (EWS) in place to mitigate the adverse impacts of such disasters.
He also emphasised the importance of the region-wise grouping of humanitarian organisations to enhance coordination during emergencies and better disaster preparedness. Country Director Save the Children, Pakistan chapter, Muhammad Khuram Gondal appreciated the envisioned National Emegencies Operation Centre (NEOC) and assured every possible cooperation in the fields of disaster risk reduction.
He reiterated strengthening emergency preparedness and response mechanisms to safeguard the rights and needs of children during disasters through collaboration with NDMA. The signing of the MoU represents a significant milestone in combining the expertise and resources of NDMA and Save the Children, Pakistan to make a tangible difference in protecting the lives and futures of Pakistani children in times of crisis.
