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Sania Nishtar urges world to invest more in technology, data
October 20, 2021

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation Senator Dr Sania Nishtar has urged the world to invest more in technology and data to improve delivery of human capital services.

She was addressing the World Bank Group's Human Capital Ministerial Conclave during the 2021 IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings today (Wednesday).

The SAPM highlighted the experience of Pakistan in scaling up the Ehsaas Emergency Cash (EEC) programme using data and digital technology during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Sania Nishtar said EEC demonstrated how cash transfer programmes can be deployed to counter the socio-economic fallout such as the COVID-19. She said digital capabilities established in year 2019 as part of Ehsaas to deliver cash to 15 million families amid COVID-19.

The Conclave is focusing on how countries can make most of the digital age, making smart investment decisions around technology and innovations for services that better protect, build and utilize human capital.

According to the World Bank, Pakistan's Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme was also ranked fourth globally in terms of the number of people covered and 3rd globally in terms of percentage of population covered amongst those that covered over 100 million people.