Introduction

In August 2025, as floods devastated several regions of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Baithak – Challenging Taboos launched the BehnChara Fund, an emergency fundraising campaign to provide menstrual health and safe delivery kits to women and girls in the most affected areas.

The initiative aimed to address the immediate health and dignity needs of women who often remain invisible in disaster response plans. With the support of our community of donors, allies, and volunteers, the BehnChara Fund enabled the distribution of essential supplies to ensure that women’s menstrual and maternal health needs were not overlooked during the crisis.

The flood response was designed and is being implemented in three phases:

• Phase I: Immediate response through the distribution of menstrual and safe delivery kits in coordination with local partners and onground volunteers including BehnChara Collective members.
• Phase II: Monitoring and follow-up through community visits to assess on-ground impact and remaining needs. (Completed)
• Phase III: Planned interventions shaped by insights gathered during Phase II, focusing on strengthening community-based responses and expanding reach in underserved areas.

Rather than relying on a single standardized assessment, Baithak adopted a context-responsive approach, allowing local partners to flag urgent needs based on their proximity to and trust within communities.

The distribution process followed a decentralized, partner-led model, designed to adapt to varying ground realities across regions:

1. Logistics and Transport: Due to disrupted road access and remote locations, transportation relied on a combination of Pakistan post, organizational logistics support, local transport arrangements, and volunteer-led delivery.
2. Packaging: Kits were packaged with the support of partner organizations and volunteers in Islamabad.
3. Logistics and Transport: Due to disrupted road access and remote locations, transportation relied on a combination of Pakistan post, organizational logistics support, local transport arrangements, and volunteer-led delivery.
4. On-ground Distribution: Kits were distributed directly to girls and women through local mobilizers and community volunteers, often at temporary shelters, tents, or host households. In many locations, distributions were accompanied by informal guidance on kit use.

Alongside the distributions, four medical camps were organized: two in Swat, reaching around 150 women patients, and two in Buner; one at Bishnoi serving 200+ patients, and one at Gokand serving approximately 150 women patients.

Based on consolidated records from our flood response efforts approximately 11,000 menstrual health kits and 500 safe delivery kits were distributed across the targeted regions

Areas Reached

Gilgit-Baltistan – Kharpitu (Skardu), Jaffarabad (Kondus Valley, Ghanche), Talidas (Gupis, Ghizer), Thangi (Gupis-Yasin), Thui/Thoi (Yasin Valley), Daein (Ishkoman Valley), Gahkuch (Ghizer), Aliabad (Hunza).

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Makan Bagh (Mingora, Swat), Shagai (Saidu Sharif, Swat), Pir Baba (Buner), Bajaur.

Punjab – Lahore, Sialkot, Multan.

Community and on-ground support

Phase I of the flood response was implemented through a combination of in-kind contributions, operational support, and community based mobilization. Different organizations and individuals supported distinct stages of the response, ranging from material provision to last-mile distribution.

On-ground Distribution and Community Mobilization (Individuals)

Local women leaders, mobilizers, and volunteers including Muheen Zaman, Sajida, Fareena Batool, Atia Hussain, Rubina Batool, Surraiya, Noreena Shams, Syeda Kashmala Susan, Kousar Bano, Hina, Heera Akbar, Nisar Subhani, Najma, Marium, Mehwish Wali, Noman, Abbas Yaseen, Fakhre Alam, Aleena Zara Malik, Asma Tariq, and many others.

Phase II: Evaluation Summary

Timeline: October 2025

In the second phase of the BehnChara Fund response, the Baithak team traveled to GB and KP to meet communities who had received menstrual and delivery kits during Phase I. This visit aimed to verify distribution, assess ongoing needs, and continue providing essential support to flood-affected women and families.

Alongside distributing additional menstrual and delivery kits, the team engaged directly with women to understand the challenges they faced during and after the floods, including barriers to menstrual hygiene, maternal health, and access to relief.

Approach

• Direct visits by the Baithak team to affected households and women-led groups.
• Coordination with local volunteers and mobilizers who had facilitated earlier distributions.
• Informal discussions and small group conversations to identify health, hygiene, and safety concerns.

Phase III: Planning and Next Steps

Status: Ongoing

Based on findings from on-ground visits and partner feedback during Phase II, this phase has been designed to respond more strategically to the evolving needs of women and girls in flood-affected regions.

Rather than detailing all activities here, we have prepared a separate Assessment Report that captures:

• In-depth qualitative findings from the field
• Community perspectives and recommendations
• Strategic plans for the next 2-3 years for Baithak

To access the full Assessment Report, please drop an email at baithak.pak@gmail.com.

Phase III will continue the spirit of solidarity that shaped BehnChara Fund, ensuring that the support remains responsive, localized, and informed by the voices of women most affected by the floods.

Closing Note

The BehnChara Funds were born out of solidarity, a collective effort to stand with women and girls whose lives were disrupted by the floods of 2025. Together, we’ve reached hundreds of families across GB and KP, ensuring that menstrual and maternal health needs are not forgotten in times of crisis.

As we move forward from the immediate response phase, we aim to strengthen our ability to respond quickly and effectively to future emergencies affecting women and girls. Building on the learnings from this response, the BehnChara Emergency Response Fund will remain open as a continuous preparedness and response mechanism. Funds collected will allow rapid mobilization of support for women and girls during future disasters and crisis situations.

In addition to menstrual health and safe delivery kits, funds will support distribution of essential dignity and protection items, including:

• Seasonal essentials (winter and summer protection items)
• Supportive underclothing and personal hygiene items
• Maternal and newborn care essentials
• Basic personal care and grooming supplies

Maintaining a standing emergency fund will enable us to respond without delays, ensuring that women and girls are not left waiting for critical health, hygiene, and protection support during crisis situations.

We invite individuals and partners to support this ongoing effort to build community-led, gender-responsive emergency response systems. Contributions to the BehnChara Emergency Response Fund will directly support preparedness, rapid response, and recovery support for women and girls in future disasters.

Account Title: Baithak
Bank: Allied Bank Limited
Account number: 0010120565580013
IBAN: PK06ABPA0010120565580013

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