First Lady Calls for Equal Application of International Law, Climate Justice and Greater Investment in Children First Lady Bibi Asifa Bhutto Zardari said that international humanitarian law must be upheld and civilian lives protected, stressing that the principles of the United Nations must apply equally to every human life, irrespective of geography, nationality or political circumstance. Addressing the United Nations Day 2026 celebrations in Karachi, the First Lady highlighted Pakistan’s longstanding partnership with the organisation in development, education, humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping. She said international cooperation remained essential to addressing challenges that no country could overcome alone. Referring to the suffering of innocent people in Gaza, she emphasised that the principles of the United Nations must apply equally to every human life, irrespective of geography, nationality or political circumstances. The First Lady also highlighted the devastating impact of the 2022 floods in Pakistan, noting that the support extended by the United Nations and international partners had demonstrated the value of cooperation during a crisis. She called for climate justice, pointing out that countries and communities contributing least to climate change often bear its greatest consequences. Highlighting her commitment to polio eradication, Bibi Asifa Bhutto Zardari said every child deserves protection from preventable disease, regardless of where they were born or their family circumstances. She acknowledged the work of frontline health workers, supported by the World Health Organization, UNICEF and other partners, in advancing the shared goal of a polio-free Pakistan. The First Lady also underscored the importance of children’s nutrition and education. She expressed support for the World Food Programme’s ShareTheMeal campaign, which aims to provide 150,000 nutritious school meals to children across Pakistan. She said school meals can improve attendance and learning while helping children build healthier futures. Reflecting on the values that shaped her commitment to public service, she recalled the belief of her mother, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, in international cooperation, dialogue, education for every child and opportunities for women to determine their own futures. The First Lady said the strength of the United Nations lay not only in international agreements but also in the tangible difference its work makes in people’s lives. She called for continued collective efforts to build a more peaceful and compassionate world. The United Nations Day celebration was organised by the United Nations in Pakistan in collaboration with the Government of Pakistan and in partnership with the Government of Sindh and other partners. The event marked more than eight decades of partnership between Pakistan and the United Nations and featured an exhibition on Pakistan’s contributions to the UN, including peacekeeping, alongside information and careers booths and cultural performances. The event was attended by MNA Shazia Atta Marri, Sindh Minister for Labour Saeed Ghani, Sindh Education Minister Sardar Shah, MPA Qasim Soomro, MPA Jam Shabbir, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and Sukkur Mayor Arsalan Shaikh, among other participants. The First Lady thanked the United Nations team in Pakistan for bringing the celebration to Karachi and providing the public with an opportunity to learn more about the organisation’s work. ——

First Lady Asifa Bhutto Zardari Reaffirms Support for WFP’s Efforts to Advance Zero Hunger in Pakistan A delegation of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), led by Ms. Anita Hirsch, Representative and Country Director, WFP Pakistan, called on the Honourable First Lady of Pakistan, H.E. Asifa Bhutto Zardari, in Karachi today. The meeting was also attended by Senator Sherry Rehman; Sindh Minister for Education Syed Sardar Ali Shah; Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab; and Mr. Irfan Soomro, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The First Lady was briefed on WFP’s work in nutrition, food security, school meals and climate resilience, particularly its collaboration under the Benazir Nashonuma Programme (BNP). Since its inception, BNP has reached over three million women and children nationwide, including more than 1.7 million beneficiaries across Sindh. The delegation also highlighted WFP’s US$40 million School Meals Programme, targeting 100,000 children in 614 government schools in Malir and Keamari, as well as interventions addressing acute malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, WASH and climate resilience. The First Lady underscored the importance of the Benazir Nashonuma Programme and its complementarity with the mandates of UN agencies working in Pakistan, particularly towards achieving SDG 2: Zero Hunger. She stressed the need for an integrated approach to maternal and child health, breastfeeding, immunisation, nutrition, early childhood development and the reduction of infant mortality and stunting. She also highlighted the importance of accessible paediatric healthcare, including the work of the ChildLife Foundation, and called for greater national attention to population growth and its implications for health, education and development. Welcoming WFP’s School Meals Programme, the First Lady expressed particular interest in centralised kitchen models and proposed greater emphasis on school-based agriculture and kitchen gardens, allowing children to learn about nutrition, agriculture and healthy food through practical experience. Referring to the devastating floods of 2022, the First Lady emphasised Pakistan’s climate vulnerability and the importance of moving from disaster response towards early warning, anticipatory action and community resilience. She highlighted Sindh’s programme to construct around 2.1 million flood-resilient homes, with ownership provided to women of beneficiary households, and the leadership of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in advancing the initiative. She also highlighted the Government of Sindh’s development and social-sector interventions, particularly in Thar. The WFP delegation briefed the First Lady on anticipatory action, disaster-risk financing, early-warning systems, climate-resilient agriculture and measures to protect livelihoods and livestock from natural disasters. WFP’s programmes also support kitchen gardening, community food security and women-led livelihoods in flood-affected areas. The First Lady reaffirmed her strong support for WFP’s efforts towards achieving Zero Hunger in Pakistan and assured the delegation that she would lend her voice to advocacy and public-awareness initiatives supporting nutrition and food security nationwide. She also expressed her continued support for WFP’s ShareTheMeal initiative, to which she has personally contributed, and stressed the importance of sustained cooperation between the Government, the United Nations and development partners to ensure that Pakistan’s most vulnerable women and children have access to adequate nutrition, healthcare and education. ⸻