Benazir Nashonuma 2025 — Nutrition Support Guide

What is Benazir Nashonuma?

Benazir Nashonuma (BNP) is BISP's dedicated nutrition support programme, targeting the critical 1,000-day window — from pregnancy through a child's second birthday — during which nutritional interventions have the greatest lifelong impact on a child's physical and cognitive development. The programme directly addresses Pakistan's persistently high rates of childhood stunting (low height for age) and wasting (acute malnutrition), both of which are strongly linked to poverty and inadequate maternal nutrition.

Unlike Benazir Kafaalat, which is an unconditional cash transfer, Nashonuma is structured as a conditional cash transfer (CCT): beneficiaries receive their payment specifically for attending required health facility visits. This design combines direct financial support with essential maternal and child healthcare, rather than simply providing cash with no health-system engagement.

Nashonuma operates as part of the wider Ehsaas/Benazir programme umbrella managed by BISP — see our guide to how the Ehsaas Program connects to 8171 for context on how Nashonuma fits alongside Kafaalat, Taleemi Wazaif, and Hunarmand.

Why the First 1,000 Days Matter

Global nutrition research consistently shows that the period from conception to a child's second birthday — roughly 1,000 days — is the single most important window for preventing irreversible developmental damage from malnutrition. Deficiencies during this period are linked to permanently reduced height, weaker immune function, and lower cognitive development that cannot be fully reversed by later-life nutrition improvements.

Pakistan has one of the highest childhood stunting rates in South Asia, driven heavily by poverty-linked maternal undernutrition, inadequate antenatal care access, and limited awareness of infant feeding practices in low-income households. Nashonuma was designed specifically to intervene in this window for the households BISP already identifies as poorest through the NSER survey — combining a financial incentive with structured access to the health system.

Eligibility Criteria

To register for Benazir Nashonuma, you must meet both of the following conditions:

• Belong to a household already enrolled in BISP — meaning it has passed the NSER/PMT eligibility assessment (typically as a Benazir Kafaalat beneficiary).
• Be one of the following: a pregnant woman (eligible from confirmed pregnancy through delivery), a lactating mother (eligible while breastfeeding), or the parent/guardian of a child under 2 years old.

If your household has not yet completed the NSER survey, you cannot register for Nashonuma directly — you must first complete BISP household registration. See our BISP Registration — Complete Guide for the full process.

Payment Amount & Frequency

Benazir Nashonuma pays Rs 2,000 on a bi-monthly basis (once every two months) to eligible registrants, conditional on attending the required health facility visits during that period. This is separate from and in addition to the Rs 14,500 quarterly Benazir Kafaalat payment, if the household is also enrolled in Kafaalat.

Health Facility Requirements

To receive Nashonuma payments, beneficiaries must attend designated health facilities — typically Tehsil Headquarter Hospitals or Basic Health Units (BHUs) in participating districts — for a structured schedule of visits covering:

• Antenatal checkups during pregnancy, monitoring maternal health and fetal development.
• Growth monitoring visits for children under 2, tracking weight and height against standard growth charts.
• Nutritional counseling sessions, advising on breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and maternal diet.
• Child immunization, following the national vaccination schedule (EPI — Expanded Programme on Immunization).

How to Register — Step by Step

1. Confirm your household's existing BISP enrollment at 8171.bisp.gov.pk or via SMS to 8171.
2. Visit your nearest participating Tehsil Headquarter Hospital or Basic Health Unit.
3. Bring your original CNIC and proof of your household's BISP enrollment.
4. Complete a health screening and registration with facility staff, who will confirm your pregnancy status or your child's age eligibility.
5. Receive your visit schedule — the dates for upcoming antenatal checkups, growth monitoring, or immunization appointments.
6. Attend each scheduled visit to trigger your bi-monthly Rs 2,000 payment.

Documents Needed

What Happens at Each Health Visit

At each scheduled Nashonuma visit, facility staff record key health indicators and provide guidance tailored to the beneficiary's stage:

• For pregnant women: blood pressure check, weight tracking, basic prenatal screening, and counseling on diet and warning signs to watch for.
• For children under 2: weight and height/length measurement plotted against WHO growth standards, immunization as per schedule, and counseling for the mother on feeding practices appropriate to the child's age.

Attendance is recorded by the facility and synced with BISP's payment system, which triggers the bi-monthly disbursement once the required visit for that period is confirmed.

If You Miss a Scheduled Visit

Because Nashonuma payments are conditional on attendance, missing a scheduled visit may result in a temporary hold on that period's Rs 2,000 payment. If you miss an appointment:

1. Contact your registering health facility as soon as possible to reschedule.
2. Attend the rescheduled visit — facilities generally allow makeup visits within a reasonable window.
3. Once the makeup visit is recorded, your payment for that period is typically processed in the next disbursement cycle.

Nashonuma vs Benazir Kafaalat

For the full Kafaalat breakdown and how it connects to the broader Ehsaas umbrella, see: BISP Kafalat Program Guide. To explore other youth and skills-focused programmes available to BISP households, see: Benazir Hunarmand Programme.