Delegates representing 12 countries and more than 1,000 participants gathered over two days in Islamabad for the International Conference on Inclusive and Resilient Economic Empowerment and Growth, which concluded with a call for coordinated national action to eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions.
Held under the theme From Poverty to Prosperity, the conference brought together political and administrative leadership, international experts, development partners, civil society, the private sector and community representatives to advance practical pathways towards inclusive economic growth, sustainable livelihoods and resilient communities.
Organised by the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, in collaboration with the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture, the Centre of National Cohesion and Outreach, and Paigham-e-Pakistan, the international conference provided a platform to examine how Pakistan can strengthen its poverty reduction efforts and help households achieve lasting economic independence.
Discussions addressed the need to move beyond short-term relief towards approaches that combine social protection with skills, productive assets, access to finance and markets, enterprise development and community-led solutions. Participants also examined the importance of ensuring that families who move out of poverty can withstand economic and climate-related shocks and remain out of poverty.
The conference Declaration sets out priorities for poverty graduation and sustainable livelihoods, micro, small and medium-sized enterprise development, green growth and climate resilience, youth economic empowerment, financial inclusion, and sustainable investment and partnerships. It calls for a National Poverty Graduation Policy and clear pathways to help households transition from cash transfers and other forms of support towards sustainable livelihoods.
The Declaration also highlights the role of community institutions in supporting poverty graduation and responding to economic and climate shocks, alongside improved financing and market access for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, stronger opportunities for women and young people, youth employment and entrepreneurship, and increased investment in climate adaptation and resilience.
Nadir Gul Barech, Chief Executive Officer of the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, emphasised the need to sustain the momentum generated by the conference and translate its discussions into practical action.
We encourage making this conference a regular platform to review progress, strengthen partnerships and renew our commitment to ensuring that people not only move out of poverty, but remain out of poverty and lead secure, productive and dignified lives.
The six thematic panel discussions examined poverty graduation and sustainable livelihoods, micro, small and medium-sized enterprise development and value addition, green growth and climate-aligned development, youth economic empowerment, financial access and inclusion, and the role of the cultural economy in strengthening national cohesion.
Together, the discussions considered how government policy, development financing, private-sector engagement and community-led approaches can reinforce one another to expand economic opportunities and make poverty reduction more sustainable.
The youth economic empowerment session, featuring Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Chairman of the Prime Minister Youth Programme, focused on expanding opportunities for young people and ensuring that marginalised and excluded groups can participate in economic development.
Our country cannot grow and develop, regardless of how much investment we make, unless we promote volunteerism and uplift the neglected, marginalised and excluded segments of society. We must give them the opportunities and resources to compete with those who already have access to them. Otherwise, the divide in our society will continue to grow.
A key highlight of the conference was the launch of the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund Climate Change and Green Growth Strategy 2025-2030. The strategy places community-level climate adaptation and resilience at the centre of sustainable poverty alleviation. It seeks to strengthen climate resilience, advance climate change mitigation, promote green growth and build the capacities needed to support climate-resilient livelihoods and more prosperous communities.
The conference also showcased the role of enterprise development in creating economic opportunities. Exhibitions featuring micro, small and medium-sized enterprises from all provinces and regions of Pakistan displayed products reflecting local skills, entrepreneurship and production. The displays highlighted the contribution that small businesses and community-based enterprises can make to livelihood development, economic participation and stronger connections between producers and markets.
The programme also featured the Pakistan launch of Weaving My South Asian Tapestry by Chandni Joshi. The author introduced the book and read a chapter, sharing reflections drawn from her decades of work on women rights, gender equality and development across South Asia.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund and the Centre of National Cohesion and Outreach, highlighting the importance of connecting economic empowerment with social inclusion, community engagement and national cohesion. The partnership reflects the potential for collaboration in strengthening communities and promoting a more inclusive and cohesive society.
The Dukhtaran-e-Pakistan Excellence Awards celebrated the achievements of women across diverse fields, recognising their contributions and the importance of creating opportunities for women to participate fully in Pakistan social and economic development. Wajiha Qamar, Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training, presided over the ceremony, while Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture, presented the awards.
The nation is judged by the opportunities it gives its daughters and by how it honours what they achieve with those opportunities, she said, highlighting the importance of formal national recognition for women accomplishments.
Pakistan strength lies in its daughters as much as its sons. Our women have already shown what they can do, often against great odds and with very little support. Imagine what they will achieve when we give them access to education, finance, skills, safer workplaces and a voice in decision-making.
Syed Imran Ahmad Shah, Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, emphasised the importance of a coordinated approach to addressing poverty and creating sustainable pathways to economic independence.
This conference is a direct expression of that commitment, bringing together political and administrative leadership, international expertise, development partners, civil society, the private sector, and grassroots voices to translate policy into lives changed.
In his concluding remarks, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, stressed that the conference conclusions must be translated into action and that poverty graduation should be measured by lasting improvements in people lives.
I am here today as a representative of the state, to affirm that the Government of Pakistan hears this conference, values its conclusions, and is fully committed to translating its spirit into action within the current constraints faced by Pakistan.
He also highlighted the need to ensure that households can sustain their progress after moving out of poverty.
Moving a family out of poverty is only the beginning. The real measure of success is whether that family can build a secure livelihood, withstand shocks and remain out of poverty. This requires social protection, skills, productive assets, access to finance, markets and resilient communities to work together.
The conference programme also included Youth Excellence and Media Excellence Awards, recognising contributions to youth engagement and media. These recognitions complemented the wider focus on inclusive development, community participation and the role of different sectors in advancing poverty alleviation.
The International Conference on Inclusive and Resilient Economic Empowerment and Growth brought together stakeholders from across Pakistan and the international community to strengthen dialogue, share experience and identify practical approaches to inclusive and resilient economic development.
The conference concluded with a call to build on the Declaration priorities through stronger partnerships, coordinated action and sustained commitment to poverty graduation. Its central message was that lasting progress requires more than lifting families above the poverty line, as it requires enabling them to build productive livelihoods, access economic opportunities, withstand shocks and secure a more dignified and resilient future.
