A highly populated country, Pakistan is also host to one of the largest refugee populations in the world (1.4 million). In addition to the struggle to overcome widespread poverty, vulnerable communities are regularly forced to contend with the effects of earthquakes and droughts. Reconstruction costs in the aftermath have placed additional stresses on Pakistan’s fragile economy and on local families. Those in rural areas especially suffer from deprivation – many live in some of the most challenging terrains in the world, making it almost impossible for them to access clean water and healthcare.
- 45% of workers earn less than $2/day
- Life expectancy is just 66 years (World Bank, 2015)
- 44% of children under the age of 5 suffer from stunting (UN World Food Programme, 2017)
- Over half of the population are illiterate (UNESCO, 2014)
