Laraib Nisar
Despite the utter criticism and condemnation of the PTI Government, the general populace praises the PTI government’s poverty alleviation and social security programs. Some of the initiatives undertaken by the current government haven’t only improved the quality of life of citizens but has also helped improve Pakistan’s standing in the international community.
The EHSAAS program is one such feather in PTI Government’s cap. Launched in 2019, the program aimed to reduce inequality, invest in people, and lift the districts socially that were lagging behind compared to the developed ones. EHSAAS is the first tangible step towards the establishment of a welfare state- as envisaged by Prime Minister Imran Khan- and is commended by all and sundry across the country.
A striking feature of the EHSAAS program is its 50%+ policy which focuses on inclusion of females in the financial security programs hence acknowledging that the fair half of the population has also the right to be socially uplifted.
By pursuing this policy, the program works for poverty alleviation in the country along with assisting the noble cause of women empowerment hence helping in the achievement of UN’s SDG-5 of gender equality. The sensitivity shown by the EHSAAS program towards gender equality and women empowerment doesn’t only show the current government’s commitment towards the significant cause, but also depicts that Pakistan has understood the fact that the way to poverty alleviation is including women’s economic inclusion in poverty alleviation.
Different initiatives under the umbrella of EHSAAS program have specified around 49-51 percent of quota for females only, which helps in empowering them economically either directly or indirectly. E.g., The Ehsaas Kifalat Program has around 7 million women beneficiaries, who are provided a monthly stipend so that the kitchen keeps running despite the fluctuations in the bread earner’s labor patterns. This program doesn’t only serve the cause of poverty alleviation but also helps in tackling issues like malnourished younger generations, along with reducing psychological issues like stress and hypertension which come with financial crises.
Also, under the Ehsaas Interest Free Loans Program, women are provided with interest free loans hence encouraging the culture of women entrepreneurship, as entrepreneurship is extremely important for the sustenance of economy. This program has been primarily helpful for the economic empowerment of rural women, as they are being provided with the capital they need to use their skills for financial benefit.
Female education is also promoted through the Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships for students with the lower-middle economic class background, so they can join the economic domain after the completion of their education.
Ehsaas Aamdan Program is another excellent initiative undertaken under the Ehsaas program, which provides assets e.g. sewing machines, shops, livestock, vehicles etc. to individuals so that they can earn through them for a longer run.
Moreover, Ehsaas Nashonuma Program provides financial aid to families for the nutritional expenses for children below the age of two. The program offers Rupees 2000 for a girl child, whereas Rupees 1500 for a male child, hence creating an atmosphere where parents with female children are more privileged. This incentive is expected to lead towards a decline in the culture of pre-birth killing of female fetus (female feticide) , and change people’s attitudes towards female children.
The key feature of this women empowerment program is that the integrity of the beneficiaries remains intact, and it focuses on enabling people especially women through substantive measures instead of providing them financial aid. Such capacity building not only helps in developing the economy, but also assists in improving the quality of human capital, hence playing a critical role in nation building and societal reforms. If we closely observe the economic development models of the developed countries, we come to see that all of them recognized and utilized the potential of their female population to achieve such height of development. Pakistan’s realization of the need for gender equality and women empowerment isn’t only helping Pakistan in the achievement of SDG-5, but is also helping in projecting a softer image of Pakistan as a gender sensitive country. This step will surely prove to be the first rung in the ladder of Pakistan’s economic, social, political and national development.
The author Laraib Nisar is a Defense and Strategic Studies’ graduate, working as a Research Associate at Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) Islamabad.
