July 29, 2019, Dr. Sania Nishtar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation, was a keynote speaker at the inaugural session of the 4-day training program, ‘accelerating progress towards health related SDGs in Pakistan under the 2030 Agenda’, organized by WHO in collaboration with Imperial College London and Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Pakistan. Dr. Nausheen Hamid, Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Dr. Shabnam Sarfraz, Member- Social Sector and Devolution were also present at the occasion along with WHO representatives. In her keynote address, Dr. Nishtar stated that Ehsaas is the most widely ranging, multisectoral -the whole of government program with multiple end points centered at equality and equity. It has four pillars and currently embodies 115 policy actions. Under the Ehsaas framework, multisectoral collaboration is a policy priority which is one of the unique illustrations of how multisectoral objectives can holistically drive the program towards equality.

July 25, 2019, Under the framework of the Ehsaas, the Labour Expert Group was constituted in May 2019 to develop recommendations to bring informal workers in social safety nets. Since its constitution, the group has met eight times and has put together an unprecedented effort. At the recent meeting, the phase of presentations by experts of Labour Expert Group has been concluded. At the conclusion, Dr. Sania Nisht constituted a writing committee to furnish a report on urgent basis so that practical steps can be taken to commence registration of informal workers.

July 24, 2019, Dr. Sania Nishtar chaired a research meeting at the Marriott today where findings of research conducted by Oxford Policy Management Group (OPM) were presented. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Sani Nishtar said that “BISP was undergoing a multi-pronged process of reform and that the process was heavily being guided by evidence. She said that the reforms embodied creation of a new payment system, a new national census level Socio-Economic Survey, a new communications strategy and new program windows, especially configuring BISP’s operations around Kifalat and Tahafuz”.

July 23, 2019, Dr. Sania Nishtar today chaired the first meeting of the Ehsaas Implementation Group. Representatives from all ancillary organizations of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division (PASSD) agreed a future road map with a special focus ongovernance and cross-organizational collaboration. Dr. Nishtar stressed the importance of efficiency, stating that “To avoid duplication among the implementing organizations, an online portal would be set up to provide one comprehensiveplatform of all social safety and poverty alleviation interventions being carried out under Ehsaas.”BISP is being mandated to run cash transfers, Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal’s role is to be responsible for demand side social protection whereas the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation has the responsibility for poverty graduation.

July 19, 2019, As the present government’s fight against poverty picks pace, Dr. Sania Nishtar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation had detailed deliberations with the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund’s senior team at the latter’s offices to discuss its plan of action in reducing poverty under the Government of Pakistan’s flagship Ehsaas Programme. The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) is the lead implementing agency for the government’s National Poverty Graduation Initiative – NPGI, launched two weeks earlier by the Prime Minister, under “Ehsaas Programme; and NPGI is an important component of Pillar II of Ehsaas. The programme aims to provide the vulnerable segments of society livelihoods and social protection.

July 17, 2019,  At a meeting with a high-powered delegation of the U.S.-Pakistan Business Council, Dr. Sania Nishtar today briefed delegates on the importance of public-private partnerships in the Ehsaas Program. Dr Mehmood Khan, Chairman of the Council, led the delegation of over a dozen leading businesspeople.

July 17, 2019, Today, Gilead Sciences announced that it had partnered with 12 companies in Pakistan as part of the Corporate Coalition for Viral Hepatitis Elimination in Pakistan (CCVHEP). The announcement was made at a press conference attended by Dr. Sania Nishtar and senior officials from the Ministry of National Health Services. The coalition is led by a partnership between Gilead Sciences and Pakistani partner Ferozsons, with the founding members.In her keynote address, Dr. Nishtar stated that within the government system, Ehsaas is Prime Minister’s flagship program on social protection and poverty alleviation. This is first whole of government program in which implementation of 115 policy actions will be the responsibility of 28 federal ministries, agencies and divisions.

July 14, 2019, The Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division (PASSD) of the Ehsaas Program has today adopted a comprehensive set of policy parameters aimed at ensuring that money reaches those in need by promoting transparency and accountability across all its projects. Commenting on the announcement, Dr Sania Nishtar said, “The primary goal of the new set of policies is to limit opportunities for corruption, while promoting efficiency, transparency and accountability for results.” It has been made mandatory for all ancillary organizations of PASSD to convene board meetings and board committee meetings regularly. Read More:

July 11, 2019, On a visit to Pakistan, President of the World Economic Forum (WEF) BørgeBrende said that Pakistan overcame problems of power blackouts and security, and should now focus on skill acceleration, required to cater to the needs of young people, who make up 60 percent of the population. Dr. Sania Nishtar was a keynote speaker at the meeting and praised the role that WEF was playing to connect thought leaders in Pakistan. She appreciated Mr. Brende for visiting Pakistan at a very opportune time when Pakistan is moving forward with transformative development agenda as the Prime Minister’s top priority. She elaborated on Ehsaas, as one such transformative agenda.

July 11, World Population Day was marked today at an event in Islamabad. Speakers included Dr. Sania Nishtar, State Minister of Health, Dr. Zafar Mirza and UNFPA representatives. Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Mirza said the governmentis striving hard to make reproductive health and family planning services available to every household in the country under the broad-based approach. Dr. Nishtar said the Prime Minister has strongly hinged the entire agenda of the Ehsaas Program on women’s economic empowerment, which is critical for better population outcomes.

July 10, 2019, The President of Pakistan and Dr. Sania Nishtar were both special guests at a seminar today held by the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad. The day-long event was titled ‘Poverty Alleviation in Pakistan: Learning from Success Stories’ and brought together intellectual and academic leaders from across the country.Dr. Nishtar said that knowledge and thought partnerships’ are very crucial for results-based implementation of Ehsaas framework and that there is no need to reinvent the wheel when the capacity already exists within the government and state system. Hence, Ehsaas wishes to draw on these prevailing knowledge competences, she said.