Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Syed Imran Ahmed Shah, met today with the Country Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP), Ms. Coco Ushiyama, to discuss expanding joint initiatives related to nutrition, education, and poverty alleviation across Pakistan.
Both sides reviewed the positive impact of the UNWFP’s School Meals Programme, noting significant improvements in school attendance, attention spans, and enrollment rates—up to 45% increase in some areas. The Federal Minister called the program a vital tool for the human development of underprivileged children.
The meeting also highlighted the success of the BISP Nashonuma Programme, the Ministry’s flagship initiative to combat stunting, malnutrition, and poor cognitive development among children. Ms. Ushiyama reiterated UNWFP’s commitment to this cause, referencing global research that shows how malnourished children suffer impaired cognitive growth, directly affecting their learning capacity—highlighting the urgent need for nutrition-focused interventions.
Ms. Ushiyama expressed interest in expanding the School Meals Programme at both federal and provincial levels in collaboration with the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and the Ministry of Education, and also proposed enhancing research partnerships with provincial universities.
Federal Minister Syed Imran Ahmed Shah praised Ms. Ushiyama’s leadership and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening its collaboration with the UNWFP. He also outlined a vision to bring federal, provincial, and local institutions on the same page for the development of remote and underprivileged areas of Balochistan.
Last week, the Minister announced 500 scholarships for youth in Balochistan, including 400 designated for women—with 200 scholarships for the province’s only Women’s University, and 200 for other women's degree colleges, while 100 scholarships are reserved for male students.
The Minister emphasized the importance of skills development and employment generation for youth. Ms. Ushiyama supported this approach and announced the launch of a new initiative in Pakistan—the "Innovation Fund"—which will support climate-resilient innovation projects led by young entrepreneurs and startups.
Ms. Ushiyama also referenced UNWFP’s emergency response efforts during the devastating 2022 floods, affirming the organization’s readiness to respond to any future emergencies. She appreciated the Ministry’s efforts to promote community resilience.
Continuing his national outreach, the Federal Minister announced that he will soon visit Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan, following successful visits to Peshawar and Balochistan. These visits aim to monitor poverty alleviation efforts on the ground and promote inter-provincial coordination.
In conclusion, the Minister stated that the Ministry would fully support any initiative that aims to empower and uplift the most marginalized segments of Pakistan’s population.
