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ISLAMABAD, Jul 29 (APP): The British Council, in partnership with the Scottish Government, on Tuesday launched the 10-Year Impact Evaluation Country Report of the Scotland Pakistan Scholarships for Young Women and Girls, highlighting the transformative power of education in the lives of over 20,000 girls and young women across Pakistan.
Since its inception in 2013, the programme has supported more than 18,000 girls at the school level and 2,000 at the university level, helping them overcome financial, social, and cultural barriers to education.
Designed to reach some of the most underserved communities—including girls from religious minorities, persons with disabilities, and rural and remote areas—the programme has had a far-reaching impact on access, retention, confidence, and ultimately, workforce participation, said a press release.
The evaluation, conducted using a mixed-methods approach, reveals that the scholarships have significantly increased enrolment and retention rates, reduced financial stress on families, and led to measurable gains in self-confidence and academic performance.
Among school-level beneficiaries, 87% of parents reported that the scholarship eased financial pressure, while 95% saw improved confidence and performance in their daughters.
At the higher education level, 73% of recipients said they would not have been able to continue their studies without the scholarship, while nearly 50% of eligible graduates are now in the workforce, many in socially critical sectors such as education, healthcare, and research.
The report also highlights powerful individual stories: from a young woman in Gilgit-Baltistan who became a gold medallist despite growing up in poverty, to a nurse in Karachi who rose to become a university lecturer, and a deaf student in Sindh overcoming systemic challenges through scholarship support.
At a time when gender inequality continues to challenge Pakistan’s educational and economic landscape, the Scotland Pakistan Scholarships for Young Women and Girls stand as a proven model for inclusive, sustainable, and life-changing support and is an integral part of the British Council’s mission to provide women the platforms that will enable them to become leaders and changemakers for a more prosperous Pakistan.