The UN refugee agency has formally transferred the protection cluster lead and coordination to the FATA Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) in Pakistan.
A FDMA-led protection working group will now further strengthen coordination, information management and the provision of protection services, including the referral of displaced people and returnees requiring legal aid in FATA.
A “Letter of Understanding” between UNHCR and the government was signed at a ceremony at the FDMA office in Peshawar. FDMA will be supported in this work by the Regional Directorate of Human Rights.
UNHCR previously led and coordinated these efforts under the UN’s humanitarian cluster system.
Regional director of the Ministry of Human Rights for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA, Ghulam Ali, Director-General FDMA, Siraj Ul Haq, UNHCR Representative, Ruvendrini Menikdiwela and UNHCR’s head of office in Peshawar, Oscar Mundia attended the signing ceremony.