PPAF set to host global conference on lasting solutions for economic empowerment

Maryam Shah

ISLAMABAD, Sep 30 (APP):The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) is set to host a major international conference on October 13–14 in Islamabad, in connection with the United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, observed on October 17, to advance sustainable pathways from poverty to prosperity, strengthen economic resilience and explore lasting solutions for poverty reduction and inclusive economic empowerment.

The International Conference on Inclusive and Resilient Economic Empowerment and Growth, being held under the theme “Poverty to Prosperity,” is being organized by PPAF in collaboration with the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Paigham e Pakistan and the Centre of Excellence for National Cohesion and Outreach, Islamabad.

Briefing APP on the upcoming global conference, PPAF Chief Executive Officer Nadir Gul Barech said the event would seek to advance a more sustainable and transformative approach to poverty reduction by linking social protection with economic empowerment, resilient livelihoods and meaningful opportunities for vulnerable communities to achieve lasting economic independence.

He said the conference would examine practical and scalable approaches to helping vulnerable households build sustainable livelihoods and withstand economic and climate related shocks, particularly floods, illness and other disruptions that can push families back into poverty.

MR Barech told APP that an important objective of the conference would be to explore how social protection could evolve beyond immediate relief into a broader pathway towards self reliance, enabling households to build productive assets, access markets and secure more sustainable sources of income.

According to the PPAF officials,the conference will bring together government policymakers and senior officials, representatives from Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states, international development partners, multilateral and bilateral donors, financial institutions, private-sector representatives, researchers and academics, civil society organizations, rural community representatives and global practitioners working on social protection, poverty graduation and inclusive economic growth.

The deliberations will focus on strengthening the link between social protection and sustainable livelihoods, with particular attention to market access, employment, investment, technology and financing mechanisms that can expand economic opportunities for vulnerable communities.

Participants will also examine how organised communities can help sustain development gains beyond the completion of individual programmes, while stronger market linkages can enable productive assets such as livestock and small-scale equipment to generate viable and lasting incomes.

Government, development partners, financial institutions and the private sector will deliberate on their respective roles in creating an enabling ecosystem for inclusive economic growth and strengthening the resilience of vulnerable households.

The conference will draw on evidence, field experience and community perspectives to identify practical priorities for making poverty reduction more inclusive, sustainable and resilient, reinforcing the broader transition from poverty to prosperity./395