UNICEF Funds Social Work Education Reform in Pakistan

University of Bradford academic to lead major project

A University of Bradford academic has secured nearly £500,000 in funding from UNICEF to support the enhancement of social work education in Pakistan. The two-year project aims to improve the quality and effectiveness of social work training, with a focus on strengthening child protection services across several provinces.

Project overview

Dr Samina Karim, Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work at the University of Bradford, will lead the initiative titled the Strengthening Social Work Education (SSWE) Project. The work will involve collaboration between UK-based experts and a satellite team in Pakistan to review existing social work education frameworks, conduct consultations with stakeholders, and develop a tailored social work curriculum.

The project will focus on redesigning undergraduate social work programmes in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab. It also aims to promote the professional accreditation of social work degrees within Pakistan.

Previous work and expertise

Dr Karim has prior experience working with UNICEF in Pakistan, including training over 80 child protection officers in Sindh following the floods in June 2022. In 2025, she organised community engagement events in districts with high rates of reported child sexual abuse (CSA), focusing on empowering children.

Her earlier research involved more than 110 interviews with victims and survivors of CSA, highlighting how societal power imbalances contribute to children’s vulnerability.

About Dr Samina Karim

• Former social work practitioner specialising in child protection
• Author of Child Abuse and Social Work Practice (2026)
• Recipient of a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowship in 2022
• Conducting a four-year study into child sexual abuse with funding of around £1 million

Dr Karim’s work reflects ongoing efforts to address child protection challenges both within the UK and internationally. The project with UNICEF aligns with broader goals to improve social inclusion, foster global partnerships, and apply research to real-world issues.

This initiative highlights the role of academic expertise in supporting social work education reform and child protection services in Pakistan, contributing to efforts to safeguard children and strengthen communities.