The Government of Pakistan launched the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) in July 2008 to serve as the premier national safety net institution with the primary objective of consumption smoothing and alleviating adverse effects of slow economic growth. The country at that time was experiencing rapid food price inflation, with prices of basic necessities reaching a 30-year high, and economic fallout from the global financial crisis. The Programme targets cash transfers to vulnerable and deserving women and their families from the poorest households across the country irrespective of political affiliations, racial identity, geographic location, and religious beliefs. The long-term objectives include meeting the targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on eradicating extreme and chronic poverty and empowering women.
