Ehsaas initiative earns UN’s praise

Pakistan’s Ehsaas programme has been featured as an international best practice in the recently released edition of the UN Principles for Responsible Digital Payments 2021 report.

According to the UN’s report, Ehsaas simplified the know-your-customer procedure for users by collecting simple data fields and issuing accounts after basic verification. Incentivised 500,000 branchless banking agents to work with the programme by reducing taxes on commission earned from beneficiaries, thereby increasing doorstep banking services to the elderly, persons with disabilities and women.

“Glad to see Pakistan’s Ehsaas continue to be lauded as international best practice by the UN as it looks to accelerate Responsible Digital Payments to advance developmental progress,” Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Sania Nishtar said in a tweet.

Ehsaas programme emerged as the largest social protection programme in the history of the country in times of the Covid-19 pandemic last year by benefiting almost half of the country’s population.