Islamabad: The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) have renewed their commitment to combat child malnutrition in Pakistan by signing a memorandum of understanding to extend the Benazir Nashonuma Programme for another two years. This extension is aimed at reducing stunting and malnutrition among young children and mothers across the country.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, BISP Chairperson Rubina Khalid emphasized the importance of the renewed agreement during a ceremony in Islamabad. She highlighted the government’s focus on expanding the program’s reach and effectiveness to ensure healthier beginnings for children in Pakistan. The Benazir Nashonuma Programme provides quarterly cash support of 2,500 rupees for mothers and boy children, and 3,000 rupees for girl children, aiming to improve nutritional outcomes among pregnant and lactating women and their children under two.

The programme, which concluded its first phase in June 2024, will now expand to cover 157 districts and include 562 facilitation centers under its second phase, reflecting a significant scale-up in efforts to address malnutrition nationally.