Save the Children has been working in Pakistan since 1979, supporting children and families in some of the most vulnerable and underserved communities. Our mission is to ensure that every child survives, learns, and is protected.

Over the past four decades, we have reached more than 14 million people across the country through integrated programmes in health and nutrition, education, child protection, livelihoods, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and humanitarian response. We work closely with government institutions, local partners, and communities to deliver both emergency relief and long-term development solutions, particularly in areas affected by poverty, climate shocks, and crises.

Save the Children Pakistan also plays a leading role in advocacy and coordination. We actively engage with national and provincial disaster management authorities, co-lead key education sector platforms, and contribute to national and global forums on child rights, climate resilience, and humanitarian action. As Chair of the Pakistan Humanitarian Forum, we help amplify collective advocacy efforts across the development sector.

Our ambition is aligned with Save the Children’s global vision for 2030: a world where every child survives, learns, and is protected.

At Save the Children, our mission is simple: to ensure that every child survives, learns, and thrives. In Pakistan, this has guided our work since 1979. While progress has been made, far too many children are still being left behind.

In Pakistan, millions of children continue to face multiple and interconnected challenges that affect their survival, learning, and protection. Around 26 million children are out of school, limiting their opportunities for a better future, while over 2.7 million children under the age of five are affected by acute malnutrition, which continues to undermine their growth and development.

At the same time, serious protection concerns persist, including child labour and early marriage, with girls disproportionately affected. These are long-standing issues, but they remain urgent and require sustained, collective action to ensure every child has the oppurtunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

This is where Save the Children continues to focus its efforts. Across Pakistan, we deliver integrated programmes in education, health and nutrition, child protection, livelihoods, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). From helping children access quality education and early learning, to addressing malnutrition and strengthening protection systems, our work is centred on giving every child a fair start in life.

We also continue to respond to emergencies, including climate-related shocks such as the 2025 floods, ensuring that children and families receive timely support while maintaining access to essential services. During the floods, we provided lifesaving assistance, safe spaces for children, and continued learning opportunities through Temporary Learning Centres and Child Friendly Spaces.

At the same time, we are investing in resilience—strengthening systems, promoting climate-smart approaches, and empowering children to shape their future. To enhance preparedness for climate risks, we also supported COP-style simulations that strengthened children’s climate literacy and leadership. Over 500 children participated directly, while our digital engagement reached nearly 1.46 million people, amplifying awareness and dialogue on climate change across Pakistan. 

As we look ahead, our commitment remains clear: to work alongside partners and communities to build a Pakistan where every child is safe, healthy, learning, and able to reach their full potential.

Education: We advance children’s right to learn through evidence-based education programming across development and humanitarian contexts. Guided by our 2030 Breakthrough Goal that all children learn and grounded in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, we support equitable access, stronger education systems, and improved learning outcomes for the most marginalized girls and boys.

Child Protection: We strengthen formal and informal child protection mechanisms to keep children safe from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. We work with parents and caregivers to help them care for their children without violence and we ensure that vulnerable children receive the support and protection services they need.

Child Rights Governance: Through our interventions, we advocate for child-responsive laws, budgets, accountability, and meaningful child participation in decision-making in Pakistan, strengthening child rights governance systems.

Health and Nutrition: We work with the government and partners to reduce maternal and newborn mortality and child malnutrition by scaling up high-impact interventions, including service delivery humanitarian and emergency response, and behaviour change communication.

Adolescents & Youth: We work with adolescents and youth to ensure they realise their rights by giving them a voice and a platform to engage with their leaders.

Humanitarian Response: We ensure communities are prepared for disasters, and support emergency relief efforts through the provision of supplies and on-the-ground support.