75th Anniversary of the United Nations: UN in Pakistan.

As we celebrate 75 years of the United Nations (UN), we look back to reflect on the vision with which it was formed. Created on 24th October 1945, the UN aimed to uphold the principles of freedom, justice and dignity to protect the fundamental rights of all peoples and all nations, without discrimination. Becoming a signatory of the United Nations Charter, on the 30th September 1947, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan officially joined the United Nations a month and a half after its creation. Since then, the United Nations has played a pivotal role in the country, from policy development and implementation of human rights, gender equality and social protections to structural reforms in the key areas of sustainable development, economic growth and governance. In its essential role, the UN has always supported sustainable, inclusive and resilient development for the people of Pakistan.

Today, the UN family (comprising of 23 agencies), works in close collaboration with the Government of Pakistan, local partners and the civil society, towards realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To make this process more streamlined and efficient, the One UN Programme III was implemented to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Framework 2018A2022. The One UN Programme's objectives are to work collectively: by pooling resources together to improve the lives of the people of Pakistan, to eliminate disparate inequalities, to reduce our ecological footprint on the planet and lastly, to leave no one behind.

Overseeing all specialized UN agencies working in different key areas, varying from health and sanitation to rights of women and refugees, the Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO) provides support and assistance to the One UN network.

`Delivering as one', since 2007, the UN in Pakistan has been localizing the context of specific development goals and ensuring relevance of the development objectives of Pakistan, while simultaneously meeting national and international priorities.

In doing so, over the past 73 years, the UN operations have positively impacted millions of lives, providing livelihood and basic human rights to the most vulnerable and marginalized demographics in Pakistan. As a country adversely affected by climate change, it is imperative for Pakistan to develop and implement preparedness, response and recovery strategies to combat natural disasters. Under the One UN Sustainable development framework, we provide a regional...