Press Release: ActionAid responds to Pakistani government’s decision to expel its operations
Press Release: ActionAid responds to Pakistani government’s decision to expel its operations in an attack on civil society and human rights organisations
Adriano Campolina, chief executive of ActionAid International, says:
“Pakistan’s decision to shut down ActionAid and other International NGOs is a worrying escalation of recent attacks on civil society, academics and journalists.”
“The immediate victims will be the thousands of ordinary Pakistani families who ActionAid has been supporting to claim their rights and build a better life. If these trends continue, Pakistan’s hard-won democracy itself will be the ultimate victim.”
“Pakistan has the world’s sixth biggest population, but a fifth of the people are still living in poverty. Women face massive challenges in Pakistani society. Although women make up the majority of the agricultural workforce, men own most of the land. ActionAid has been supporting the people of Pakistan for more than 25 years. We help vulnerable groups including women, street children and people with disabilities. We campaign for women to be able to inherit and control land, so they can have economic independence, and we help them learn to read and write.”
“We are devastated that this life-changing support is now under threat, and we are taking legal advice on potential next steps. In the meantime, we are providing support to our staff and partners on the ground.”
Editors’ notes
ActionAid Pakistan’s head of programmes Abdul Khaliq and Adriano Campolina are available for interview.
https://twitter.com/ActionAid/status/1047780049456390145
For more information, please contact:
Lisa Wilson, Communications, Campaigns and Digital Coordinator
Tel: +353 (1) 878 7911 | Direct Line: +353 (1) 81 47 053
Email: lisa.wilson@actionaid.org
