Daily Times

A delegation of senior officials from Nigeria was briefed on Ehsaas at the meeting hosted by Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division. The delegation comprised of of over 30 civilian and military officers enrolled in Senior Executive Course of the ‘National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies’ in Nigeria. Dr. Sania Nishtar welcomed the delegation and briefed them on the multicomponent social protection strategy and widespread operations of Ehsaas.

Mainly, the meeting discussed significance of social protection at both the country and global levels in the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic and explored multilateral collaborative options to foster social protection experience sharing between Nigeria and Pakistan. From Ehsaas, Secretary Ismat Tahira and Additional Secretary Capt. Saeed Ahmad Nawaz also briefed the delegation.

Briefing the Nigerian officials, Dr. Sania highlighted Pakistan’s social protection programmes particularly Ehsaas Emergency Cash, Ehsaas Kafaalat, Ehsaas Nashonuma and Ehsaas education stipends and how the government of Pakistan showed commitment to recast social protection amid COVID-19. “Social protection centered on transparency is the top priority of the present government”, stated Dr. Sania.

Mentioning the success of high-level side event on social protection led by Pakistan in New York at UN’s high-level political forum on sustainable development last week, Dr. Sania reflected on the importance of social protection knowledge sharing at global level.

She also invited Nigerian government to join a high-level global community of practice on social protection being led by Permanent Mission of Pakistan to United Nations in New York in collaboration with the governments of Costa Rica and Finland, and the World Bank. “The COVID-19 crises has induced the need for interconnected solutions”, said Dr. Sania.

The delegation showed full willingness and interest to contribute to the global knowledge base to promote experience?sharing and learning around social protection. They also lauded coherent social protection and poverty graduation approaches being followed under Ehsaas.