The Gates Foundation plans to support around 620,000 women and children in Pakistan this year through programs focused on cash assistance, nutrition, livelihoods training, and access to citizen facilitation centers.
The plan was discussed during a meeting between Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and a high-level delegation from the Gates Foundation led by Dr Anita Zaidi, President of the Gender Equality Division, at the Finance Division.
Under a program in south Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, about 170,000 women and 450,000 children are expected to benefit from a combination of cash transfers, nutritional support, livelihoods training and access to citizen facilitation centers.
The Gates Foundation said its work in Pakistan was expanding across several areas, including child health, nutrition, maternal healthcare, women’s economic participation and human capital development.
The foundation also highlighted nationwide nutrition efforts through UNICEF’s “Livelihood 2.0” facility, which aims to improve access to nutrition commodities and address childhood stunting.
Dr Zaidi briefed the finance minister on initiatives aimed at improving maternal health, including the use of artificial intelligence to improve health outcomes.
The LUMS AI Hub is working with provincial governments on personalized solutions for women and families during pregnancy and childbirth.
The foundation is also exploring AI tools that can operate in areas with limited internet connectivity and on basic Android phones, including systems capable of working in local languages.
The meeting also covered population growth and its impact on maternal and child health, nutrition, poverty and girls’ education.
Muhammad Aurangzeb briefed the delegation on the National Population Council, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and stressed the importance of stronger coordination between federal and provincial governments. He also highlighted women’s education and economic empowerment, increased workforce participation, and birth spacing.
The meeting also covered Pakistan’s economic reform program, including privatization, government expenditure reforms, rightsizing, and greater use of digital technology.
The Gates Foundation expressed interest in supporting greater access to finance for SMEs by improving information flows, digital footprints and cash-flow-based lending.
The two sides also discussed agriculture, the digital economy and private-sector investment. Aurangzeb highlighted growing interest in private equity and government efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s private equity ecosystem and attract long-term domestic and international investment.
Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in human capital, health, financial inclusion and digital innovation.
