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Dr Neerja Birla

Neerja Birla Pic BAT

The problem 

Pakistan is at a pivotal point, set to become the fifth most populous country in the world by 2050, with a population of almost 300 million. Its labour market is projected to grow from 60 to 87 million by 2030, requiring the economy to produce 1.7 million new jobs every year. 

Currently: 

  • over 60% of the population is living in poverty on less than $2 a day 
  • slow economic growth means limited employment opportunities, and the labour market lacks the skills needed to fill vacancies. 
  • less than 10% of the 45 million young people will have the skills employers need by 2030.​ 
  • 8.6 million youth are unemployed 
  • rural poverty is rising, with marginalised groups and women excluded from agricultural and other livelihoods. 

Without support to establish secure livelihoods, these groups risk being further marginalised and falling further into poverty.  

Our solution  

Boosting employment opportunities for a fast growing, young population and increasing the low labour participation rate of women is a catalyst for economic and social change.  Our work aims to equip people, especially women and young adults, with the skills to secure jobs and become entrepreneurs. Our focus is on creating and supporting sustainable livelihoods, life skills and job retention, not just on providing people with vocational training. 

Our programme  

Our programme helps reduce multi-dimensional poverty in rural and urban households by providing vulnerable groups in Pakistan with access to skills and training to support employment and enterprise development.  

Our programme aims to: 

  • enable sustained and better economic outcomes for women and youth  
  • create a strong livelihoods ecosystem in Pakistan  
  • provide support to bring women and youth into the formal economy 

Key projects

  • Catalysing women-led enterprise growth (2022-2025)

    With support from Target Foundation, are supporting the growth of 791 women-led microenterprises in tier two cities of Pakistan to increase their business revenue by 15%, as well as improving the livelihood resilience of 3,176 vulnerable and marginalised women.

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    Kehkashan WEE Pakistan, Saiyna Bashir (18)

  • Digital acceleration of youth-led microenterprises (2022-2024)

    With support from Citi Foundation, we are providing specialised enterprise training with a strong focus on digital skills, services and markets to 630 young entrepreneurs, helping to increase their revenue.

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    Urban Youth Project; Jabeen's Story

  • Driving Women’s Economic Empowerment programme (2022-2025)

    With support from the UK Government’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, we are tackling unequal access of women to labour and business markets through training and job placements. This will support 4,241 women (including women with disabilities and transgender women) to have more economic independence and resilience.

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    Sehrish WEE Pakistan, Saiyna Bashir (3)

  • Accelerating growth of youth-led microenterprises (2022-2024)

    With support from Citi Foundation, we are training 200 entrepreneurs aged 16-24 to grow a business so they can thrive, generate employment and increase income. We are also creating an alumni group to support young people and exploring systematic mobility barriers to accessing markets.

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    Pakistan Urban Youth

  • Agripreneurs Phase II (2022-2024)

    With ongoing support from Standard Chartered Foundation, we continue to support 700 high-performing entrepreneurs from Phase I to sustain and increase their enterprise., as well as bringing on board 303 new entrepreneurs in high performing value chains such as fodder production and solar drying of fruits and vegetables.

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    Women Fodder
Former Pakistan Development Director, UK Government Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Annabel Gerry

“There is real power to this project and the work that British Asian Trust and its partners are doing. The outcomes of the project aligns with the goal of the UK Government and the Government of Pakistan investing in women’s economic opportunities and a more inclusive education system. We’re hoping for more role models, replication and a ripple effect.”  

Annabel Gerry

Past work

  • Goats for water project

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    Halcrow Goats For Water

  • Women's Economic Empowerment (Punjab, Pakistan)

    In Punjab, one of the regions covered by our programme, women's participation in the job market is as low as 6.1%. With financial support from the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), our Women’s Economic Empowerment programme supported over 10,000 women into secure jobs or helped them establish their businesses, from 2017 to 2020.

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    Pakistan WEE