The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) extends its help to over 350,000 girl students every month under its current country program 2005-09. The assistance to girls' primary education programme is being implemented in 3003 government-run girls primary schools in the poorest districts of Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab, NWFP, and AJK, says a press release.
"Assistance to girls primary education is major activity of WFP country programme being implemented in government schools in rural food-insecure areas where enrolment rates are below the national average," said Peter French WFP representative in Pakistan.
He said the use of the single commodity high-value/low-volume system was introduced in 1994 to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of food aid in Pakistan.
The success of this approach can primarily be attributed to the income transfer resulting from the high-value food commodity-edible oil-that helped to defray the opportunity costs of sending girls to school and improved the attendance of teachers, Peter added.
The attraction of young girls to schools is contributing toward women's mobility and participation in economic activity in the conservative communities as the enrolment has been more than double during three years 111 percent, the statement added.
This activity, which started in two districts in 1994, was expanded in 2000 to 3003 schools in 34 districts identified through food insecurity exercise conducted by Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping Unit, Pakistan.-PR
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