16.10.2019
Providing skilled support – as a refugee expert in Pakistan
International cooperation offers a wide range of employment opportunities. Judit Demjén has been working as a refugee expert in Islamabad since 2018.
As a neighbouring country to Afghanistan, Pakistan is the world’s main host for forcibly displaced people from Afghanistan. Around 1.4 million refugees are currently living in Pakistan. Judit Demjén works for the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and supports on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development the Pakistan Government in matters relating to refugees. Demjén acquired her expertise in displacement in a range of posts with international organisations. Prior to her role in Pakistan, Demjén was based in Egypt, where her work included looking after unaccompanied displaced children. She is currently expanding her expertise by studying refugee protection on a part-time distance learning course. Read her first-hand report in our client magazine akzente.
Jobs and careers
Working for GIZ
At present, 330 staff are working for GIZ in Pakistan, most of them Pakistani nationals. GIZ’s work in the country focuses on sustainable economic development, good governance and an efficient energy supply. For example, GIZ is advising Pakistan on a more efficient, transparent and citizen-oriented approach to governance. This also involves shaping the way that refugees and host communities live together – a subject that Judit Demjén and her team are working on in specific regions of the country.
Achieving lasting improvements in the living conditions of people in developing countries is a key priority for GIZ’s workforce of around 20,000. Whether this be through matters relating to refugees, as an advisor on developing financial and credit systems in Mozambique or through coordinating environmentally friendly waste systems in Thailand. In addition to specialist skills, working in international cooperation requires a high level of mobility and flexibility. A sense of curiosity about new situations and cultures is also important. The ‘Jobs and careers’ page on our website provides detailed information about employment opportunities in the company.