National Institute of Banking & Finance (NIBAF), a subsidiary of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in collaboration with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) convened an event – Empowering Girl’s through Financial Literacy – to advocate for girl’s education & financial literacy and celebrate achievements under their partnership. Key government stakeholders as well as personnel from development and international organizations attended the event held in Islamabad.
NIBAF’s partnership with IRC allows empowerment of 7000 girls through provision of basic and financial literacy. Selected students who had successfully completed the financial literacy course of the NFLP-Y/TEACH and their families attended the event. SBP’s Deputy Governor, Ms. Sima Kamil, distributed certificates amongst the girls visiting from Balochistan.
Addressing the audience Ms. Sima Kamil, extoled the work done by NFLP-Y and IRC for reaching out to girls in the hardest areas of Balochistan and supporting them in the completion of two months training course on financial literacy. She observed that a woman should have equal opportunities in life, not because she is a woman, but because she is an equal citizen of this country. She elaborated that we should work towards focusing on the need for financial literacy for all as a right for our youth especially girls. ‘This is in line with Pakistan’s values and that of our Founding Father’, she added.
Senior Asia Region Girls Education Advisor, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Mr. Ian Attfield recalled that in May 2021 the UK Prime Minister launched the Girls’ Education Action Plan that includes a pillar to boost Country-Led Action to Get More Girls in School, Kept Safe and Learning. He lamented that many girls were not in school even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, that is why the UK initiated the TEACH Girls Education Challenge project. He said he was delighted to see the progress made in collaboration with the NFLP-Y. Country Director IRC Mr. Zain Ul Abedin also addressed the gathering and said that this education initiative offers culturally appropriate educational programing.
It merits mentioning here that NIBAF, under the guidance of SBP, is implementing the National Financial Literacy Program for Youth (NFLP-Y) to impart essential financial education to Pakistani youth and school going children for strengthening of their money management skills and enhance their understanding of financial matters. The project was initially started with five districts and has now reached more than 50 districts of Pakistan. Around 830,000 Pakistani youth have been made financially literate under its project since 2018.