F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Minister of State and Chairperson Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) Ms. Marvi Memon on Monday highlighted Pakistan’s efforts in social safety net programs.
According to press release received here, Marvi Memon at a conference held in Frankfurt, Germany, said that Pakistan was among the top 10 countries which were more vulnerable to climate change and had seen several earthquakes, floods and droughts.
Delegates from 70 countries attended the Conference on Social Protection and Emergency Safety Net Response that was arranged by World Bank and shared her experiences on social protection.
She added that due to militancy crises in FATA, Pakistan also has a large number of Temporarily Displaced Persons who were being supported by the government. In case of disasters, BISP had already facilitated around 5.4 Million families living below the poverty line, through this social protection program, she added.
“BISP had complete beneficiary database, the Socio Economic Registry that included beneficiary biometrics, a financial instrument used in BISP cash transfers and more than 450 functional offices in the country with 2500 experienced staff members that aimed to respond to beneficiary’s needs more efficiently.” She said that BISP with updated Socio Economic Registry of the citizens of Pakistan had ability to exclude well-off and embrace vulnerable families including poor, female headed households and families with disable members.
She informed that through BISP, government has empowered females in the country by providing direct support to the female head of families and adding that this had also been appreciated by government of United Kingdom and BISP was awarded with Democracy Award.
She further informed the participants that a National Disaster Response Action Plan (NDRAP) was developed by government of Pakistan to address the natural and man-made catastrophic events.
It would also augment Pakistan’s response to any disaster and address the problems of the affected population.
In future both BISP and NADRA would enter into partnership for effective shock responsiveness,she added.
The Chairperson also highlighted the efforts of the government in addressing the emergency needs of Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDPs) of FATA with the help of World Bank through a transparent mechanism. She also highlighted the steps taken by the Government for the rehabilitation of TDPs by providing houses’ damage compensation to affected families.
Vice President World Bank, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Germany and Minister for Social Protection Egypt and Member from Government of Pakistan also addressed the forum. The conference would be concluded on 22nd February 2018.
