This working paper synthesises and assesses evidence from the existing literature on poverty and livelihoods, access to basic services and social protection, and aid and its governance in conflict-affected areas of Pakistan, particularly the north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the Federally Administrative Tribal Areas (FATA). More specifically, it focuses on a number of important questions, including:
- How have crises affected the livelihoods, well-being and access to services of people in KP and FATA?
- What has the formal institutional response looked like (of both domestic and external actors), and how effective has it been in supporting and rebuilding damaged livelihoods?
- What is the role of markets in shaping people’s livelihoods, and how have crises affected local economic activity?
Where appropriate, special attention is also paid to the question of evidence: in addition to its extent, what is the quality of the evidence base? How robust are studies and are they ‘good enough’ to inform decision-making?
