Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan met with Mr Jamshed Kazi, Country Representative of UN Women Pakistan, at the Prime Minister’s Office to discuss opportunities for collaboration aimed at advancing youth development and women’s empowerment in Pakistan.
The meeting was chaired by Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan. It was attended by Mr Jamshed Kazi, Country Representative of UN Women Pakistan; Ms. Fahmida Iqbal Khan, Deputy Country Representative, UN Women Pakistan; Ms. Saman Ahsan, Programme Manager, UN Women Pakistan; and Mr. Zeeshan Hussain, Programme Officer, UN Women Pakistan, along with senior officials and representatives from the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme.
During the meeting, Chairman PMYP welcomed the UN Women delegation and appreciated the organization’s continued efforts in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
He shared a comprehensive overview of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme and its flagship 4Es Initiative, highlighting the Government’s commitment to equipping young people with opportunities in Education, Employment, Engagement, and Environment.
Emphasizing women’s empowerment as a key priority of PMYP, the Chairman outlined several flagship initiatives designed to enhance women’s participation in economic and social development.
He highlighted the Prime Minister’s Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme (PMBA&LS) which reserves a 25 percent quota for women across all categories, and the NYEP which aims to increase women’s participation in the labour force to 35% by 2030. He also briefed the delegation on the National Youth Adolescence Policy (NYAP) and other targeted interventions supporting young women.
The Chairman further shared plans for the PMYP Business Loan Scheme Facilitation Centre, which will bring together all 25 participating banks and microfinance institutions under one platform to streamline access to financial services and entrepreneurial support for young people, with a particular focus on women.
He also highlighted the Digital Youth Hub (DYH), Pakistan’s first comprehensive digital youth platform, describing it as a one-stop gateway connecting young people with opportunities across all four pillars of the PMYP’s 4Es Initiative. Discussing PMYP’s employment-focused initiatives, Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan highlighted the YSDP, the NIA for young entrepreneurs, and the Digital Youth Hub, which has already registered more than 800,000 users and over 3,000 companies, creating a dynamic ecosystem that connects youth with employment, entrepreneurship, and skills development opportunities.
He emphasized the importance of engaging all relevant national and international partners working in the field of youth and women’s development to maximize collective impact.
Mr Jamshed Kazi appreciated the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme for its comprehensive vision and expressed UN Women Pakistan’s strong interest in collaborating on initiatives that empower women and girls.
He observed that while many women possess immense potential, they often lack access to skills development, mentorship, market exposure, resources, and opportunities to scale their initiatives.
He emphasized that UN Women Pakistan looks forward to collaborating with PMYP to help bridge these gaps through structured support, capacity building, knowledge sharing, and expanded outreach.
Mr Jamshed Kazi also briefed the Chairman on UN Women Pakistan’s upcoming Women Leaders Mentorship Programme, aimed at supporting women interested in political participation and leadership, which they are interested in launching in collaboration with Prime Minister’s Youth Programme.
Both sides agreed to explore avenues for partnership and emphasized their commitment to working together to create greater opportunities for women and youth across Pakistan.
