ISLAMABAD: The government plans to enrol seven million deserving women for financial assistance under its Ehsaas Kafaalat programme by June to financially empower them, especially disadvantaged women and girls.

The Ehsaas Kafaalat programme provides a monthly stipend of Rs2,000 along with saving bank account to the most destitute women, regardless of religion, race or ethnicity. In 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Ehsaas delivered 54 per cent emergency cash to women, said Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Dr Sania Nishtar.

She said: “A country cannot thrive when half of its population is not educated and enabled to fulfil their potentials. Therefore, at its core, Ehsaas aims to lift seven million poorest women in Pakistan out of poverty and help them to achieve their potential.”

Ehsaas encompasses several programmes and initiatives, including Ehsaas Kafaalat, Ehsaas Waseela-i-Taleem Digital, Ehsaas Nashonuma, Ehsaas Interest-Free Loan, Ehsaas Amdan and Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarship targeted towards women, across a plethora of domains, including financial empowerment, poverty graduation, education, healthcare, policy and digital inclusion.

“Ehsaas is a pioneering anti-poverty programme in the country that aims to change this reality and ensure that all women no matter their background have the opportunity to succeed. There are currently over 250 policies under the umbrella of Ehsaas, many of which are designed to specifically target women,” the SAPM said.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2021