ACROSS Asia, women are driving economic change. In Bangladesh, India and Thailand, millions of women work in factories, offices and service industries, contributing directly to national productivity.

In Pakistan, however, many women remain outside the workforce, relying on the Benazir Income Support Programme, which receives an annual budget of approximately Rs 716 billion. Images shared online show women waiting in long queues for cash, highlighting both the importance of welfare and the untapped potential that exists if women are given opportunities to work.

Welfare programs like BISP are essential for survival. They provide families with basic security, put food on the table and prevent extreme poverty. Fatima, a young mother in a small town, depends on BISP to feed her children while her husband’s irregular income struggles to cover household expenses. Without this support, daily life would be a struggle. Yet she dreams of learning sewing and joining a local........

© Pakistan Observer