Government allocates Rs1 billion grant for the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection

ISLAMABAD – The Government of Pakistan has approved a PKR 1 billion (USD 3.6 million) allocation to support the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection, marking a significant national investment in expanding decent employment opportunities, strengthening social protection systems and supporting more inclusive economic growth. The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OPHRD), in close coordination with the Ministry of Finance and the National Steering Committee, with technical support from the International Labour Organization (ILO), will lead the initiative. The allocation reflects the Government’s strong ownership of the initiative and complements ongoing technical assistance provided by the ILO. It will help unlock decent work opportunities in priority sectors and accelerate Pakistan’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The investment will support the development of a National Roadmap for Decent Jobs with clear, time-bound targets. It will also help advance the formalization of the economy by bringing informal workers and enterprises into the formal economy while expanding social protection coverage. In addition, the initiative will support targeted interventions to increase labour force participation among young people and women, including through the care economy and digital transformation. Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development emphasized, “This PKR 1 billion (USD 3.6 million) allocation is a powerful catalyst with enormous strategic significance. It equips the Government to pilot innovative approaches to formalization and turn Pakistan’s demographic dividend into an economic opportunity, particularly for young people and women.” Geir Tonstol, Country Director of the ILO in Pakistan stated, “The ILO is proud to support this partnership with the Government and social partners. Together, we are working to ensure that economic