ISLAMABAD: The government’s social safety net ‘Ehsaas’ on Monday approved to include all transgender people in the country in its financial assistance under the Ehsaas Kafalat programme.

A board meeting of the social welfare programme gave approval to the move according to which all transgender people holding valid CNICs will be brought into the fold of Ehsaas Kafalat. The programme will provide stipend of Rs2,000 per month along with savings bank account. Transgender people usually live as a separate community; all transgender people in a household will be declared as Kafalat beneficiaries.

The board also approved establishment of 154 district-level Ehsaas centres throughout the country modelled on the recently-opened One Window Ehsaas Centre in Sitara Market in Islamabad.

This will enable all services to be accessed under one roof, greatly facilitating beneficiaries. Work on this will commence immediately.

The board also ratified enhancement of Ehsaas’ education stipends to secondary and higher secondary levels. The programme will commence next month in all districts of the country.

In an effort to encourage girls enrolment in secondary and higher secondary education, Ehsaas stipends for girls will be Rs4,000 per quarter as compared to boys who will get Rs3,500 per quarter. Programme design allows all payments to be made biometrically to mothers of enrolled children.

“According to Ehsaas post Covid-19 strategy, the secondary and higher education stipends will empower low-income households with improved access to education till 12th grade,” said Dr Sania Nishtar.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2021