The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has awarded the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) with the prestigious Gender Award in Asia and the Pacific Region for 2014. PPAF’s Program for Increasing Sustainable Microfinance (PRISM) funded by IFAD has been recognized for addressing gender inequalities, empowering women and providing them visibility in the best possible manner throughout IFAD and across its network of partners in Pakistan. Qazi Azmat Isa, CEO of PPAF, said, “We are honored that IFAD has recognized the work PPAF has done in promoting gender equity and empowerment. Under PRISM, the ratio of women borrowers increased to 73 per cent as compared to the ratio of 50 per cent set as target. Under the program, PPAF facilitated lending to 137,751 women and 45,488 men.”
