BISP empowering women socially, financially: Marvi

KARACHI: Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) through its beneficiary committees is bringing real women empowerment in the country, said State Minister and BISP Chairperson Marvi Memon.

She expressed these views during a meeting held in Lyari on Saturday.

Investing in women is vital for the country’s development and BISP has done a remarkable job by making vulnerable women socially, politically and financially inclusive and empowered, said the programme chairperson.

The BISP beneficiary committees (BBC) are a cluster of 25-30 local beneficiary women that meet regularly to discuss routine issues.

The beneficiary committees are BISP’s empowerment tool through which women are trained by women leaders and social mobilizers on nutrition, health, women rights, cash withdrawal and education.

There are 50,000 BBCs across the country, which are mobilizing women so that they are able to contribute towards the development of the country.

The BISP chairperson said that societies can only be empowered through education and awareness. BISP Waseela-e-Taleem is playing an exemplary role in empowering the future of the country by educating its children.

So far 1.7 million children across the country have been enrolled in primary schools under the programme, out of which 711,709 are the enrolled children from Sindh.

As much as Rs 4.69 billion have been disbursed to beneficiary mothers on the compliance of 70 per cent school attendance till date, she added.

Addressing the gathering, Marvi said that women should realize their potential so that they could become useful members of the society.

BISP is undertaking partnerships with various national and international organisations to strengthen BBCs so that its impact can be amplified.

Nutrition training is being provided to BBCs with the collaboration of WFP so that malnutrition and stunting rates can be curbed.

BISP also plans to provide mentorship to its beneficiaries through BBCs and sessions on mentorship and women rights would start soon.

The BISP chairperson heard the problems of women and directed the Lyari director to resolve them at the earliest.