ISLAMABAD: The Economic Survey 2024-25 has highlighted a strong shift toward women empowerment, revealing that nearly 3,000 young girls have enrolled in sports training under the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme.
This includes 250 girls registered for boxing and 2,731 for cricket.
Women are also being encouraged to participate in other disciplines such as handball and judo, representing a push toward broader inclusion in sports.
The move is part of a wider strategy to uplift women across multiple sectors through targeted government programmes.
Boost in Financial Inclusion and Mobility
According to the survey, Pakistan has exceeded the target of 20 million active bank accounts held by women under the National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2023.
The government’s Women Empowerment Package 2024 is also making strides with interest-free loans, day-care facilities for working women, and safe transportation options like the Pink Bus Service and Women on Wheels.
The IT Ministry and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority have introduced the first-ever Digital Gender Inclusion Strategy, addressing digital access barriers for women.
Meanwhile, over 12,000 female entrepreneurs have been supported through National Incubation Centres across the country.
Health, Skills and Social Safety Expansion
The Family Planning and Primary Healthcare Programme has recruited over 3,000 lady health workers in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, reaching 67% of the population with maternal and child healthcare.
In the vocational training sector, 650 women have been skilled in various trades under the ‘She Fixes’ initiative by NAVTTC.
The Benazir Nashonuma Programme continues to provide cash assistance and nutrition to pregnant and lactating women, while the Benazir Income Support Programme disbursed Rs385.64 billion to 9.87 million women by March 2025.
Women Empowerment Centres have trained more than 26,700 disadvantaged women and girls in fields such as tailoring, computer literacy, and embroidery.
