Tag Archive for: Poverty In Pakistan

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The Loss of Language in Pakistan

Language in PakistanThe loss of language in Pakistan is not a new issue. Although Urdu is the national language, Dawn reports that the government has delegated it to the middle and lower classes — effectively leaving a whole generation out of policymaking. This creates a social divide and fosters a sense of alienation among people of the same country. This alienation increases when locals cannot read English signs or names, with literacy rates at only 63%. This loss not only creates problems for the future but also erases years of knowledge within local languages. Balochi, spoken in the largest province of Pakistan, remains endangered despite government efforts such as hosting television shows like PTV Bolan. Balochi has a long history and has shaped the province’s culture immensely. According to Baloch commentators, the province’s neglect stems in part from this erasure, with the government largely overlooking infrastructure and education.

Underrepresentation of the Endangered Languages

This lack of representation separates the province from the rest of the country and leads to increased poverty for locals excluded from lawmaking — a process that remains mostly in English and Urdu at higher levels. Some Baloch commentators describe this as a deliberate erasure of Balochi identity that makes it difficult for people to embrace their Pakistani identity.

Global growth drives language loss in Pakistan for the same reasons languages go extinct worldwide, though the effect is more damaging in a developing country than in most wealthier ones. Roughly 51% of the population cannot speak English, and those who do often do not excel in Urdu, which the education system teaches “like a foreign language.” Balochistan has a multidimensional poverty rate of about 71%, higher than any other province, and has the fewest English speakers, alongside a literacy rate of only 49%. Infrastructure development lags as locals remain largely absent from the governmental system.

Missed Opportunities for the Underprivileged

According to a case study of English and career opportunities at Jazz Digital House Multan, employers consider English an important asset during hiring. However, English is primarily a language of high society, leaving 51% of the underprivileged population at a disadvantage. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has around 24 minority languages, and when they are ignored, students cannot receive proper education. Call centers have increased their exports by 19% year over year, according to State Bank of Pakistan data, and have become an important job source. Most call centers communicate in English, creating a barrier for those seeking jobs that do not require advanced degrees. Other workplaces also use English as the recognized professional language, limiting native speakers to minimal job options. The Diplomat argues that in a poorly governed country with high illiteracy, expecting people to communicate in “a dissimilar language” is an extreme burden.

Loss of Culture and Identity

Much as Persian gave way to English during the British colonial era, there has been a similar loss of culture and identity among young Pakistanis today. Dawn emphasizes the importance of diversity, arguing that even amid global efforts to build a unified culture and language, preserving local vernaculars remains essential. Such preservation could help counter the country’s stunted growth and the loss of community identity and richness.

Future Prospects

Some efforts have been made to conserve local languages. The previous prime minister directed officials to deliver their speeches in Urdu at national and international forums. Institutes such as Idara-e-Taaleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) have collaborated with the People’s Action for Learning (PAL) Network to preserve local languages and document cultural artifacts, balancing preservation with global growth. Together, they have established 60 libraries with 200 publications, often in seven different languages, and research on Wakhi, Khowar, Saraiki and Dhatki found that each has its own script. Although Pakistan is undergoing a language tragedy, the government and native people may be able to minimize this loss through collaboration. Many artisans and local businesses rely on their mother tongue; if policymakers safeguard the rights of these languages and integrate them into modern society, many people may move from marginal jobs into a more secure market, eventually helping reduce global poverty.

– Eshal Fatima

Eshal is based in Lahore, Pakistan and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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How Telemedicine Expands Healthcare in Rural Pakistan

Healthcare in Rural PakistanFor a patient living in a remote Pakistani community, seeing a doctor can require more than making an appointment. Long distances, transportation costs and limited access to specialists can make healthcare difficult to reach, especially for lower-income families. Telemedicine in Pakistan offers one solution by connecting patients with healthcare professionals through digital platforms and remote consultations.

Pakistan has begun moving telemedicine beyond individual online consultations and into local health facilities. Recent government initiatives show how digital health can connect rural communities with doctors while allowing nurses and other health workers to provide support on the ground. Here is more information about how telemedicine is expanding healthcare access in rural Pakistan.

Why Rural Communities Need Better Healthcare Access

Healthcare access in rural Pakistan is challenging due to significant barriers. The World Bank estimates that about 60.5% of Pakistan’s population lived in rural areas in 2025. Rural communities also experience higher poverty rates than urban communities, which makes the cost and accessibility of health services especially important.

For some rural patients, reaching a hospital or specialist requires a long journey. Transportation costs can add another burden for families with limited incomes. For people living in poverty, the cost of traveling to a distant hospital can also mean sacrificing money needed for food or other household necessities. Workers who depend on daily wages may also lose income when they have to spend a day traveling for medical care. These barriers can discourage people from seeking care or cause them to delay treatment.

Healthcare costs can create an additional burden for low-income families. According to the World Bank, poverty remains significantly higher in rural areas than in urban areas of Pakistan. Improving access to healthcare is therefore important not only for people’s health but also for protecting vulnerable families from additional financial pressure.

Telemedicine can address part of this problem. A 2024 study in “Frontiers in Public Health” found that telehealth can reduce travel-related costs and time while improving access to healthcare for people in rural and isolated areas.

How Telemedicine Brings Doctors Closer

Telemedicine allows patients to communicate with doctors without traveling to a distant hospital for every consultation. Depending on the service, patients can discuss symptoms, receive medical advice and access follow-up care through video calls or other digital platforms.

Sehat Kahani, a Pakistani digital health organization, uses a nurse-assisted e-clinic model to connect patients in underserved communities with doctors remotely. Nurses can assist patients at local clinics while doctors provide consultations through digital platforms.

The model also creates opportunities for doctors to serve patients from a distance. Sehat Kahani’s network includes thousands of doctors and its digital platform has delivered about 1 million consultations, according to 100X Impact Accelerator. The organization reports that women make up a majority of its trained doctors, including women who have returned to medical practice through flexible telehealth work.

This approach can address two problems at once: communities gain access to doctors while qualified medical professionals can provide care without working from a traditional hospital or clinic.

Pakistan Expands Digital Healthcare

Pakistan’s government has recently taken steps to integrate telemedicine into primary healthcare.

On Jan. 6, 2026, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination worked with Sehat Kahani to launch a paperless, telemedicine-enabled Basic Health Unit in Gokina, Islamabad. The center uses secure video consultations, electronic medical records, digital prescriptions and pharmacy management systems. Nurses at the facility help patients through consultations and follow-up care.

The government expanded this effort on Jan. 14, 2026, when the Federal Health Minister inaugurated another digitalized telemedicine center at Bhambar Tarar near Islamabad. The Ministry of Health reported that the area had a Basic Health Unit but lacked a posted doctor. Residents previously needed more than an hour to reach major hospitals in Islamabad.

The new center allows residents to receive medical consultations locally. Health workers can also refer patients who need more advanced treatment to tertiary hospitals.

The government also announced an agreement with Sehat Kahani under which 5,000 online doctors will provide remote consultations. The government has described telemedicine as a permanent part of Pakistan’s national healthcare system and plans to establish 10 telemedicine centers.

A Solution With Room To Grow

Telemedicine cannot replace every form of medical care. Doctors still need to examine some patients in person and communities need reliable internet access, digital devices and trained health workers to use telemedicine effectively.

However, Pakistan’s recent initiatives show how the country can combine digital services with local health facilities. Instead of requiring every patient to travel to a major city, a local health center can connect patients with doctors elsewhere while nurses provide in-person support.

Telemedicine in Pakistan can also help reduce some of the financial burden associated with traveling long distances for healthcare. For low-income families, avoiding unnecessary transportation expenses and reducing time away from work can make medical consultations more accessible.

Sehat Kahani’s experience also shows that telemedicine can operate at scale. Its platform has already delivered about 1 million consultations while its network of doctors continues to connect patients with medical professionals across Pakistan.

Looking Ahead

As Pakistan expands its digital health infrastructure, telemedicine in Pakistan can help reduce some of the geographic and financial barriers that affect underserved communities. By bringing qualified doctors closer to patients through technology, Pakistan can move toward a healthcare system where access depends less on a person’s location or ability to travel and improve healthcare access in rural Pakistan.

– Afia Atif

Afia is based in Chenab Nagar, Pakistan and focuses on Technology and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Vocational Education Training Centers in Pakistan

Vocational Education Training in PakistanAccording to historical developments and the current situation of technical and vocational education in Pakistan, there has been a significant increase in vocational education training centers in Pakistan over the last few decades, while they previously existed only on paper. The public technical and vocational education and training sector has focused on providing informal education to the “two to three million” youth entering the job market without any prior education.

The program not only accommodates youth who have not received formal education but also serves as a bridge between classrooms and the real world. It ensures an efficient transition into the job market by equipping one with the necessary skills. The official government site states that as of now, the country has 322 vocational centers and 41 technical colleges to go along with it.

Further Development of the Ideology

The vocational institutes offer options in multiple fields like computer applications, web design and professional cooking alongside many others. Online registrations and portals have led to an increase in enrollment up to 14,000 as statistics on the official government site showed.

The TVET sector receives additional funding from the European Union, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has created a separate website for TVET to store its documents and research. Pakistan has a large capability for development due to its very young population, mostly under 30, which allows for an excellent opportunity to create a skilled labor force.

Relation and Connection of the Overseas Departments

The vocational education training centers in Pakistan also correspond with the Overseas Employment Corporation to provide maximum benefit to the country’s population. Their motive is “To be Pakistan’s most trusted gateway for safe and dignified overseas employment” alongside offering vocational opportunities, allowing for an interesting blend of skills and output, letting Pakistanis earn a living globally.

The Overseas Pakistan Foundation has also been actively working on launching vocational training programs since 1980 in several locations throughout the country. It has managed to train 60,000 students in multiple technical fields. However, the program closed until 2013, when it reopened it with a newfound purpose. It then offered training in two skills: Electricity and Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning.

Opportunities for Women

Vocational education training centers in Pakistan also serve as a route for underprivileged women to take when formal education is not available. Grow Foundation offers free courses for women while providing state-of-the-art facilities and tools. Multiple fields ranging from traditional handicraft making to computer training form the basis of the courses. This offers women a fair chance to learn skills which will allow them to earn high salaries like their male counterparts.

The Women Development Department Punjab oversaw a project to create more chances for women to learn skills through vocational centers and aimed to develop diverse skills in aspects of housekeeping so that they could earn their own keep and uplift themselves. It also placed a special emphasis on the rights and on raising the socio-economic importance of women in society.

Effect on Poverty

Vocational education has allowed many people to grow out of poverty by ending the repetitive cycle of education and then economic inactivity by providing valuable skills which lead directly to higher economic stability. These informal centers also act as a release from poverty for many due to their higher accessibility and flexible hours. Pakistan Children Relief mentions the uprising of vocational education training centers in the most remote province of Pakistan where education is mostly scarce.

As SOS Children’s Villages Pakistan states that Pakistani youth require these institutes to provide a guided platform and mentorship to steer them away from falling down the path of poverty. It also aids them in their outlook by providing highly sought after certifications in the technical sector. These programs also allow them to create important connections allowing for a helping hand out of poverty.

Future Outlook

Although Pakistan still largely faces unemployment and a lack of opportunities, these centers can be the future of the nation to provide accessibility to skills without formal education, which may be difficult to afford for many. Through future investment plans and the implementation of technology in these institutes, these institutes may achieve a new phase of development.

– Eshal Fatima

Eshal is based in Lahore, Pakistan and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Shielding Mothers and Children From Malnutrition in Pakistan

Malnutrition in PakistanPakistan’s Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) announced a three-year extension of the Benazir Nashonuma Programme on July 9, 2026. The extension, backed by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), will protect an additional 3.3 million children and women from malnutrition. Combined with prior enrollment, the program’s total reach will grow to 8 million people since its 2020 launch.

What the Program Does

The Nashonuma Programme delivers nutrition and health services to pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under 2. It operates through 578 facilitation centers and 224 nutrition stabilization centers across Pakistan. Rather than standing alone, the program is built directly into BISP, Pakistan’s national social protection system.

Pakistan faces a steep malnutrition burden: four in every 10 children under 5 suffer from stunting, amounting to 10 million children nationwide. Wasting affects 17.7% of children under 5, or 5 million children, and contributes to an estimated $17 billion in annual economic losses. The Nashonuma Programme targets these numbers directly by treating nutrition as a core function of the social safety net rather than a separate emergency response.

The Results So Far

Children enrolled in the program were 22% less likely to be stunted by 6 months of age, a result officials describe as among the strongest ever recorded for a nutrition program globally. The program also improved maternal nutrition, increased antenatal care visits and led to healthier pregnancy weight gain and birth outcomes.

The program also carries a track record of sustained government investment. A prior extension agreement, running from September 2024 through June 2026, represented a $194 million contribution from the Government of Pakistan to WFP, bringing total government investment to nearly $500 million since 2020. Officials have described it as the largest government-funded program in WFP’s global history.

In Their Words

“The Government of Pakistan is proud to strengthen this vital partnership,” said Sen. Rubina Khalid, BISP chairperson. She described the program as a foundation for a brighter, more prosperous future for Pakistani children.

WFP Representative and Country Director in Pakistan Anita Hirsch said the program’s results are “extremely promising” for preventing child malnutrition and that the extension will let WFP keep expanding access to nutrition services alongside the government.

UNICEF Representative in Pakistan Pernille Ironside praised the government’s leadership and framed the program as a long-term investment, describing spending on nutrition as ultimately an investment in Pakistan’s future.

Luo Dapeng, WHO Representative in Pakistan, called the whole-of-government model the program’s central strength, spanning sectors including health, nutrition, social protection, water and sanitation, food systems and education. He said WHO remains ready to help Pakistan extend that model to every mother and child, “regardless of economic and social status.”

A Systemic Approach

The program’s design reflects a broader shift in how Pakistan approaches malnutrition. Nashonuma integrates prevention into existing family income support infrastructure, rather than treating hunger and stunting as one-off crises to manage. This allows the program to reach mothers and children early, before malnutrition takes hold.

The three-year extension positions Nashonuma to keep building on its early success. With the program’s reach nearly doubling from 4.7 million to 8 million people, it will protect a larger share of Pakistan’s next generation from the long-term health effects of childhood malnutrition. By pairing UN agencies’ technical resources and funding with government infrastructure already in place, Pakistan has built a program that is easier to implement and faster to scale than either side could manage alone. Other countries facing similar malnutrition burdens may look to replicate that partnership. Above all, the program treats malnutrition as something to prevent, not just something to treat after it takes hold.

– Gonzalo Rodriguez Da Fonte Martins

Gonzalo is based in London, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Poverty and the Rising Drug Use in Pakistan

drug use in PakistanLost and alone, many fall into a spiral of drug abuse in which recovery seems impossible. The Pakistani government, in tandem with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), is working to ensure that citizens have the support needed to combat their addictions.

From Despair to Hope

Pakistan faces one of the most severe and widespread drug crises in the world today. Roughly 7 million individuals experience drug-related dependencies. Economic inequality, poor education initiatives and lack of border regulation all contribute significantly to the issue. The government is collaborating with professionals and international outlets to address the problem with varying degrees of success.

Pakistan has seen a rise in poverty over the past six years. Nearly 30% of citizens live below the poverty line, with most households in rural areas. This increase is attributed to national and global emergencies, such as economic effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, growing inflation and prolonged macroeconomic adjustment. Rising poverty has led to increased levels of depression and poorer mental health, fueling drug use as a coping mechanism.

Reports

A drug use report launched by the United Nations (U.N.) in 2022 found that 9% of the adult male population and 2.9% of the adult female population had used a substance other than tobacco and alcohol in the previous year — together equivalent to about 6.7 million people, or roughly 6% of the population overall. The survey notes changing drug patterns in the region; methamphetamines and heroin have become more popular and accessible, and the illegal drug trade in Pakistan is estimated to generate roughly $2 billion a year. The report, launched jointly by the Ministry of Narcotics Control, the government of Pakistan, the United States (U.S.) Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and the UNODC, aims to establish effective prevention, treatment and rehab programs through information generated from household surveys and high-risk drug studies.

The drug market in Pakistan is readily available to youth, filled with cheap, accessible and potent drugs. The country borders Afghanistan, the world’s largest producer of opium, responsible for 75% of the world’s heroin. The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has seen little regulation and poor law enforcement, allowing for an established drug market. Educational efforts regarding the negative impacts of drugs have not been successfully implemented in schools or universities, as drug addiction, poverty and mental health issues are heavily stigmatized.

Government and International Response

Pakistan has instituted several enforcement protocols and regulations to control the growing crisis. The Anti-Narcotics Force, established in 1995 and formalized under the Anti-Narcotics Force Act of 1997, is a government agency and paramilitary organization founded to investigate crimes involving narcotics, control borders and manage regulation and arrests. Since its inception, the government has worked to increase its effectiveness and further challenge the drug market. The policy focuses on supply and demand reduction by curbing inflow and establishing treatment and rehab facilities. It also stresses international cooperation with U.N. multilateral conventions and resolutions.

Internationally, the U.S. INL works closely with the Pakistani government and other international organizations to establish drug prevention and awareness programming. Aspects of the project include strengthening community resilience, generating education efforts, promoting awareness and utilizing research to combat addiction more effectively.

– Ella Goulet

Ella is based in Alexandria, VA, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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Education in the Urban Slums of Pakistan

Education in the urban slums of PakistanIn the extensive informal settlements on the borders of Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Taxila, children wake up not to go to school but to work. They gather recyclable materials such as plastic, glass and metal from waste sites to sell to local recyclers. They sell snacks and flowers on the roadside corner. Some of them beg, and some take care of their siblings while their parents are at work. For these children, education is a privilege rather than a right.

The Borgen Project spoke with Anoosha Malik, a social activist who works with these communities, about the barriers and challenges to education in the urban slums of Pakistan. Malik frequently visits these communities to teach the children and shared deep insights.

A Crisis by the Numbers

Pakistan is ranked second-highest in the number of out-of-school children in the world. Approximately 25.1 million children, ages 5 to 16, are out of school. In 2023, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics census revealed the figure of 25.37 million. Among these out-of-school children, 53% are girls. Seventy-nine percent of these children never enroll in any educational institution or school.

Mostly, children do not attend school due to poverty. Pakistan’s urban slums, also known as Katchi Abadis, are considered among the poorest communities. In the urban slums of Pakistan, this problem is more concentrated. The Ministry of Human Rights report highlighted that 70% of slum children in Islamabad are out of school, totaling 2,174.

The View from the Ground

Malik, as a social activist who regularly visits the slums of Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Taxila to teach the students, witnesses the human reality behind the data. Families in these Katchi Abadis are caught in a loop; parents who never attended school find it challenging to navigate the enrollment process for their children. Many do not have birth certificates for their kids, which public schools demand at the time of admissions.

Malik said that most households in the Katchi Abadis live in chronic poverty. Families are forced to choose between food and education. The problem is not only poverty. These settlements lack trust in the government and other institutions; they have a rigid mindset that accepts they will never be included in society. Some parents even said that their children will never get a job, even if they learn. However, the consistent efforts of grassroots non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are working to change this picture.

The Citizens Foundation

The Citizens Foundation (TCF) was established in 1995. Its founders identified a lack of education as a cause of poverty. TCF started by establishing five schools in Karachi’s slums. Currently, TCF runs 2,261 school units nationwide, serving 320,000 students.

TCF has a unique faculty model, staffed entirely by women. Some 16,500 female teachers and principals make up TCF’s workforce, and TCF is one of the largest employers of women in Pakistan in this sector. This was an innovative approach and a strategic response to particular cultural barriers.

In the conservative communities of Pakistan, the concept of purdah prevails, which forbids women from associating or interacting with men to whom they are not related. Families often refuse to send their daughters to schools staffed by male teachers. TCF’s all-female faculty eliminates this objection. According to Malik, community members show trust in TCF schools because of the female-only staff.

The results of using these models show success, as TCF maintains around 50% female enrollment (p. 4). In Pakistan, only 60% of students pass the secondary threshold, compared with 96% of TCF students (p. 6). Around 70% of TCF graduates continue on to college studies (p. 6).

TCF charges a $1 fee for primary school and $1.25 for secondary school, and some students receive a fully funded scholarship. It also provides books and school uniforms. TCF students have outperformed peers in several provincial-level assessments and competitions, reflecting a structure built specifically to address the barriers to education in Pakistan’s urban slums.

Pehli Kiran Schools

Pehli Kiran Schools is dedicated to providing quality education to out-of-school children across Pakistan. It was founded in 1995 on a very small scale, with one teacher and 10 students. Development professional Sabira Qureshi started the initiative by teaching young snack sellers in the slums of Islamabad. The name of the organization, which means “the first ray of light,” reflects its aim and vision.

Pehli Kiran Schools are not conventional schools. They can move along with the residents of the slums they serve. Most Pehli Kiran Schools use mobile infrastructure that can be easily disassembled, transported and reassembled at a new site. As the organization puts it, “if children cannot come to school, the school must go to them.”

The academic model is also flexible, using a Montessori-based approach, since many of the children have never attended school before. For children who are far behind grade level, accelerated learning programs bring students to a grade 5 level within 24 months. Evening and morning shifts are both available to accommodate more children.

Currently, the organization serves roughly 3,000 students and operates eight schools. Fees range from $1 to $1.75 per month, with waivers provided to families who cannot afford them. Pehli Kiran Schools are yielding results by helping overcome barriers to education in Pakistan’s urban slums.

Looking Ahead

TCF and Pehli Kiran are effective in overcoming the challenges to education in the urban slums of Pakistan. Both organizations are innovative and address distinct dimensions of the same crisis. TCF, with its all-female teaching faculty, addresses the cultural and social barriers that prevent girls from accessing education. Its fee structure is also designed to encourage marginalized communities living in the slums to send their children to school.

Pehli Kiran Schools serve communities that are unreachable through permanent institutions. Its mobile infrastructure ensures that a child’s education continues even if the community moves. Its Montessori-based syllabus and accelerated learning programs make it more effective.

Both organizations work at different scales but share the same commitment. As Malik highlighted, grassroots NGOs treat these communities as potential partners, while other institutions treat them as problem zones. Local NGOs are successfully combating challenges to education in the urban slums of Pakistan.

– Noor Ul Ain Ameer

Noor is based in Islamabad, Pakistan and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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HPV Vaccination in Pakistan Reaches 9 Million Girls

HPV Vaccination in PakistanIn its first phase in 2025, Pakistan carried out the largest single human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign any country has ever conducted, reaching more than 9 million girls aged 9 to 14. The drive targets cervical cancer, a disease that kills eight women every day in Pakistan and falls hardest on the poor. HPV vaccination in Pakistan now stands as one of the most ambitious women’s health interventions in the country’s history, and a rare example of prevention reaching girls before a disease ever takes hold.

A Cancer of Inequality

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet it remains one of the deadliest for women in low-income settings. Globally, cervical cancer caused about 350,000 deaths in 2022, and roughly 94% of those deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries, a gap that reflects unequal access to vaccination, screening and treatment. The disease is driven by the human papillomavirus, and a vaccine given in early adolescence prevents most cases.

In Pakistan, the burden is heavy. Cervical cancer affects more than 5,000 women each year and kills around 3,200 of them. Screening and treatment remain concentrated in cities and private clinics, which places them out of reach for many rural and low-income women. For families living close to the poverty line, a late cervical cancer diagnosis can mean both the loss of a mother and catastrophic medical costs. Vaccinating girls early offers a way to interrupt that cycle before it begins.

The Largest Campaign of Its Kind

Pakistan launched the campaign on Sept. 15, 2025, through the Federal Directorate of Immunization, in partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The first phase covered Punjab, Sindh, Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Islamabad Capital Territory, with a goal of vaccinating at least 90% of 13 million eligible girls aged 9 to 14.

More than 49,000 health workers, most of them women trained with WHO support, delivered the vaccine in schools and communities. By early 2026, WHO reported that HPV vaccination in Pakistan had reached more than 9.6 million girls, although the agency notes that official coverage figures will not be confirmed until later in 2026. A single dose of the vaccine prevents most cases of cervical cancer, making the intervention one of the most cost-effective in global health.

Reaching the Hardest Places

Delivering the vaccine at this scale was not simple. Officials at the Federal Directorate of Immunization noted that severe flooding and displacement complicated the rollout, yet the campaign still reached close to 70% of its target. Vaccine hesitancy posed another barrier. To counter misinformation, Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal had his own daughter vaccinated publicly, after which refusal rates fell and acceptance climbed in many districts.

The phased design reflects where the need is greatest. The poorest and most remote regions are scheduled for later rounds, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due in 2026 and Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan in 2027. Balochistan is Pakistan’s poorest province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also ranks well above the national average on poverty, and both carry limited health infrastructure. With about 22.5% of Pakistanis living below the national poverty line in fiscal year 2025, it is the households in these hardest-to-reach provinces that the later phases must serve.

What Comes After Vaccination

Vaccination is only the first of the WHO’s three targets for eliminating cervical cancer, known as the 90-70-90 goals: vaccinating 90% of girls, screening 70% of women and treating 90% of those who need it. Screening is where the gap is widest. In low- and middle-income countries, only about 19% of eligible women undergo screening, compared with far higher rates in wealthy nations. Pakistan has made a strong start on vaccination, but screening and treatment for the millions of women already past vaccination age remain limited, and sustaining the gains will require investment well beyond a single campaign.

Looking Ahead

HPV vaccination in Pakistan will not, on its own, eliminate cervical cancer. The country still needs accessible screening and affordable treatment, especially for poor and rural women who have the least access to both. Even so, protecting more than 9 million girls in a single campaign is a concrete step toward breaking a cycle in which a preventable cancer and household poverty reinforce each other. If the later phases reach the girls in Pakistan’s poorest regions, a disease that has long tracked inequality could begin to lose its grip.

– Amna Al Harrazi

Amna is based in Dubai, UAE and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Lady Health Workers Treat Postpartum Depression in Pakistan

Postpartum Depression in PakistanAs many as one in four new mothers in low- and middle-income countries experience perinatal depression, which includes depression during and after pregnancy and rates in South Asia are among the highest in the world. Yet most affected women will never see a mental health professional. Pakistan has fewer than one psychiatrist per 100,000 people, far below the global average. Postpartum depression in Pakistan is one of the most under-treated drivers of household poverty and a program built around community health workers, rather than specialists, is helping to close that gap.

The Weight of Poverty for Pakistani Women

Poverty shapes everyday life for a large share of Pakistan’s population. The World Bank estimates that about 22.5% of Pakistanis lived below the national poverty line in fiscal year 2025, down from 25.3% the year before, with the September 2025 Pakistan Poverty, Equity and Resilience Assessment warning that earlier gains have been eroded by COVID-19, inflation, the 2022 floods and macroeconomic stress. Roughly 61% of the population lives in rural areas where formal mental health services are almost entirely absent. Poverty affects women differently than men.

In many low-income households, women carry the majority of unpaid caregiving and domestic work, have less independent income and less decision-making power over health spending and are more likely to be excluded from formal employment. Pakistan’s female labor force participation rate stood at around 24% in 2024, one of the lowest in South Asia. For a new mother struggling with untreated depression, the consequences ripple outward: lost wages, weaker bonds with a newborn, poorer infant nutrition and a tighter intergenerational cycle of disadvantage.

Postpartum Depression in Pakistan

Depression during and after pregnancy is one of the most common complications of childbirth and its effects reach beyond the mother. Research has linked maternal depression to pre-term birth, child under-nutrition and stunting, creating consequences that pass from one generation to the next. For families already living in poverty, the burden compounds. A mother struggling silently may find it harder to care for her infant, maintain household income or seek health services.

The stigma around mental illness deepens the problem. In a country where mental health care is concentrated in cities and where talking about depression often carries shame, rural and low-income women are the least likely to receive support and the most likely to be told their symptoms are simply part of motherhood.

Therapy Without Therapists

The response is the Thinking Healthy Program, a structured psychological intervention based on cognitive behavioral therapy and designed specifically for delivery by nonspecialists. It was developed in Pakistan by Professor Atif Rahman and colleagues and tested in a landmark cluster randomized controlled trial published in The Lancet in 2008. That trial, conducted with community health workers in rural Rawalpindi, roughly halved the risk of perinatal depression among mothers and improved infant health outcomes. The results drew international attention.

In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the Thinking Healthy manual and recommended the approach for treating perinatal depression in low-resource settings worldwide. The model has since been adapted across South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The program works because it does not depend on scarce specialists. Community health workers are trained to help mothers recognize negative thinking patterns, build supportive routines and strengthen family support, during the same home visits they already make for maternal and child health.

Building on the Lady Health Worker Network

In Pakistan, that delivery network already exists. The Lady Health Worker Program, launched in 1994, employs more than 100,000 women who provide primary health care to communities across the country, with a focus on maternal and child health in rural areas. Each worker is recruited from the community she serves, which helps build the trust that mental health support requires. A 2025 study in the Journal of Global Health confirmed that contact with Lady Health Workers during pregnancy and after birth is associated with stronger uptake of maternal and child health services. That existing relationship makes the workforce a natural vehicle for the Thinking Healthy Program.

Researchers have also tested versions delivered by trained peer volunteers from the community rather than government health workers. Indeed, a 2025 trial published in Nature Medicine, conducted in rural Rawalpindi, found that technology-assisted peer-delivered Thinking Healthy was as effective as the standard WHO version in sustaining remission of perinatal depression, offering a way to extend care where health workers are stretched thin. The work is led by the Human Development Research Foundation, an Islamabad-based research organization. Challenges remain. A 2024 analysis found that Lady Health Worker coverage in Sindh province reached only 43% of the population, with wide district-level gaps. Expanding mental health care depends on first strengthening and sustaining the network that delivers it.

Looking Ahead

Postpartum depression in Pakistan remains widespread and under-treated and no single program will resolve it. Yet the Thinking Healthy Program shows that effective care does not require a psychiatrist in every village. By training community health workers and peers to deliver evidence-based therapy, Pakistan has built a model that is both affordable and proven. With sustained investment in the Lady Health Worker network, treatment for postpartum depression can become a route out of a hidden cycle of poverty for the rural and low-income mothers who need it most.

– Amna Al Harrazi

Amna is based in Dubai, UAE and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The Rise of Digital Literacy in Pakistan

Digital literacy in Pakistan Education is a constitutional right of every citizen of Pakistan; however, women’s education faces numerous challenges. Digital literacy is emerging as adult education for women. The female literacy rate is about 52.8%, which is significantly lower than the male literacy rate. Social norms, lack of resources and poverty restrict access to quality education. In recent years, girls’ enrollment in primary schools increased to 64% with 21 million enrollments, while boys’ enrollment is about 25 million. However, dropouts occur at the secondary level due to safety concerns, lack of infrastructure and resources, social barriers and poverty.

Background

Rural areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are areas with more structural barriers. Around 70% of girls drop out before 10th grade. Families prioritize sons’ education due to poverty. Society considers men the breadwinners, and families consider investment in women’s education as a waste of money. Shortage of female teachers in rural and remote areas further contributes to the low enrollment rate. Women’s enrollment rate in universities and degree-awarding institutions, technical and vocational training is also less than that of men.

For adult women, barriers are more strangling. Structural challenges restrict adult women from reentering “brick and mortar” school. Poverty, domestic responsibility, and cultural mobility restrictions make it impossible for women to physically attend school. However, the rise of digital literacy is serving as a solution to these long-standing challenges. Women use smartphones beyond their communication purpose; smartphones are becoming a means of adult education. Digital Literacy is essential for economic empowerment, bridging the gender gap in education.

Digital Literacy Initiatives

The government funds the digital literacy initiatives, such as Digiskills.pk, TCF, and HEC programs, specifically designed for adults to provide basic training on the basics of computer, AI, freelancing, E-commerce and foreign languages (English, Chinese, German) accessible for free. All these programs contributed to adult women’s education and awareness and also helped them become financially independent. The success of these programs inspired more detailed programs. The educational crisis and gender gap became the reason for starting gender-specific initiatives.  One of the major shifts is the “E-Learn, She Earn” 2026 model.

The 2026 Paradigm: “E-Learn, She Earn”

“E-Learn, She Earn” 2026 model is the cornerstone for digital literacy efforts in Pakistan. The model does not require women to physically attend a vocational center, which makes it easy to access. Women can easily access learning materials and lessons via video modules on platforms like YouTube or dedicated LMS apps. Women can access lessons at any time, which makes it easy to manage learning between household chores. Laptops are not easily available in rural areas, and the curriculum is optimized for smartphones and low-bandwidth areas. Lessons and the offered training are not just theoretical learning, but it focuses on digital skills, including Social Media Marketing, Virtual Assistance and Data Entry to make women financially empowered and combat poverty.

Digital literacy in Pakistan has overcome triple barriers. The first barrier is mobility, where traditional solutions require travel, which safety concerns and cultural norms often discourage. Digital literacy crushes this barrier with access everywhere without the need to travel. Time is the second barrier, which also ends with access 24/7, which allows women to learn at their own convenience. Poverty is a major factor that restricts women’s education. Tuition fees and transportation costs are no longer a problem due to the rise of digital literacy in Pakistan. Even digital literacy is contributing to rapid monetization by making women learn skills and earn.

The Future is Decentralized

Emergence of digital literacy is the primary driver of adult education in Pakistan. It indicates a new beginning where the supremacy of one-size-fits-all school models comes to an end. The success of digital literacy initiatives shows how digital solutions can address educational challenges. “E-Learn, She Earn” further solidifies the foundation of digital literacy in Pakistan by removing the mobility, time and financial obstacles.

– Noor Ul Ain Ameer

Noor is based in Islamabad, Pakistan and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Pakistan and Mozambique Hit Hardest by UK Cuts to Foreign Aid

U.K. Cuts to Foreign AidPakistan and Mozambique will suffer the steepest cuts to U.K. foreign aid. Ministers have set out where the deepest reductions will fall after the government confirmed cuts of more than $6 billion, taking development spending from 0.5% of GNI to 0.3% by 2027. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the share of foreign aid spending stood at 0.7%. Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, told parliament that “hard choices and unavoidable trade-offs” were necessary to shift funding toward defense budgets following the war in Ukraine and other global threats.

UK Shifts Focus to Defense and Investment Partnerships 

Bilateral aid arrangements will face the largest reductions, Cooper said, with Pakistan and Mozambique hit hardest by U.K. foreign aid cuts. The two countries will see their direct grant funding reduced significantly, while Yemen, Somalia and Afghanistan will also face cuts. At the same time, she said the government plans to expand “partnerships for investment” to help raise private funds or bring in expertise to help countries raise funds themselves.

In response to concerns about combating infectious diseases such as polio, Cooper said organizations such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, a multilateral vaccine program partly funded by the U.K., would need to take on more of this work. She added in a statement in March, “National security is the first duty of government and this country faces the most serious security situation for a generation. For too long under previous governments, our defense investment was cut back, so last year this government took the necessary decision to deliver the biggest increase in defense spending since the Cold War.”

“Allocating a reduced [aid] budget inevitably leads to hard choices and unavoidable trade-offs, so we are focusing aid on the people and places that need it most and we will still be a major player. We expect to be the fifth-biggest funder in the world. We will still use international leadership, such as our 2027 G20 Summit presidency, to shape the global agenda for development,” she added.

The cuts, alongside reductions by the U.S. and other wealthy nations, could threaten multiple aid programs and leave developing countries increasingly reliant on other sources of funding.

Remittances Fill Some of the Aid Gaps in Pakistan

In Pakistan, the share of aid funding generated by remittances from more than eight million Pakistanis living abroad has risen significantly, now reaching around $30 billion. Naseer Memon, an Islamabad-based social sector expert, said last year this funding helped charities and NGOs absorb some of the earlier aid reductions and sustain much of their work.

He added, “Pakistan’s decades-old development sector, particularly the big NGOs, is deeply rooted and increasingly pursuing a multi-sectoral, multi-donor approach to avoid dependence on one or a few donors.” However, that resilience will be tested further over the next year as U.K. cuts take effect.

Mozambique Relies on UN Agencies

Mozambique has far less capacity to raise donations from its diaspora, so it will rely more heavily on multilateral organizations, including the U.N. The country suffered devastating floods in January that displaced hundreds of thousands of people, particularly in Gaza Province.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has provided emergency assistance, including health care, water and sanitation, accommodation centers and coordination support. However, tens of millions of dollars are still needed to restore livelihoods.

– Lawrence Dunhill

Lawrence is based in London, UK and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project. 

Photo: Wikimedia Commons