Observer Report
Islamabad
FIFTEEN years ago, the
world wasn’t how we
know it today. Over the past years, we have experienced some drastic technological shifts that have altered our lifestyles for good. A key enabler in this shift has been communication technology that came with cellular operators entering the country. Earlier, international calls were made through operators and landline phones, and we’d connect to the internet though dial-up using prepaid internet cards. Today, we have information readily available at our fingertips and instead of writing letters or making rare calls to loved ones living thousands of miles away, you can talk to them through a video call or instant messaging. This change in communication has completely changed relationships, lifestyles and work dynamics all over the world.Fifteen years ago, Telenor entered Pakistan with the ambition to empower societies and it kicked off by providing connectivity to the rural and underserved areas of the country. Within five years of its operations, it was able to capture 25 million customers across the country and today it serves over 46 million customers nationwide.
One of the most discussed enabler for countriestoday is financial inclusion. Telenor Pakistan launched its mobile financial services in 2009 with Easypaisa which has demonstrated how technology can be leveraged to increased financial accessibility. Easypaisa was initially launched as just a money transfer service but now it has empowered the underserved masses of Pakistan and brought convenience on the fingertips.As compared to the year 2009, Pakistan is approximately more than 20% financially inclusive today with almost an equal percentage of active mobile wallet users. This increase has also started bridging the gender gap in financial inclusion.
According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan 2018-2019, the agriculture sector contributes towards 38.5% of the national labor force. It shows that a large number of our people are employed in this sector and are dependent on it for their livelihood. To enable the largest GDP contributing sector of the country, Telenor Pakistan launched its ‘Khushaal Zamindaar’ service under the mAgri ambit. This service allows farmers to be more empowered, aware and in control of theiragri related activities. Out of the total workforce employed in the agriculture sector, only 30.4% are men whereas 67.2% are women. Since more women are linked with the agri sector, Telenor Pakistan launched KhushaalAangan, an initiative to empower the women working in agriculture sector. This is an IVR service where women are educated on agriculture, livestock and even family health.
Where private entities like Telenor Pakistan are striving to contribute towards the digitalization ambition, it is imperative that public-private partnerships are nurtured, and a conducive business environment is developed to attract investment to achieve this goal. Public-private partnerships result in all stakeholders being on the same page and committed to the cause. Such ventures also ensure a holistic approach for finding solutions to the problems at hand. An example of such an effort is Telenor’s Digital Birth Registration (DBR) initiative. Pakistan has the lowest birth registration rates in the world. This deprives many children with their fundamental right to identity, thereby beginning a process of exclusion that haunts them throughout their life. DBR allows quick, easy and swift registration of newborns, which allows them to attain their fundamental right to identity.
Similarly, empowerment also entails the inclusion of those that are most marginalized – the differently-abled. It is imperative that digital transformation is used for their social and financial uplift, such as their joining the work force. An example is Telenor Pakistan’s Open Mind and Disability Job portal. These initiatives train handicapped persons with various market-oriented skills and provide them with employment based on their expertise.
Though contributing half of the population, majority of the women in Pakistan remain on the peripheries due to various social, legal and political constraints. Telenor Pakistan has been an advocate of an all-inclusive and equal opportunity work environment for women, and its initiatives like NayaAghaaz and World Bank’s Girls Learn Women Earn are aimed at the financial inclusion and independence of women.
The youth of today feature prominently when talking about the future. The country’s younger generation has displayed remarkable feats in innovation and technological advancements, along with the existence of a very strong and popular startup culture in the country. This culture also enjoys the support of the government. Telenor Pakistan, with its initiative of Velocity is also contributing to the cause.
Telenor Pakistan, over the last decade-and-a-half, has been involved in various initiatives for the social and economic development of the country. From telecom to agriculture and from education to special needs, we have been playing a critical role by addressing myriad cross-sectional issues through innovation and digital transformation. Its vision to bring about this digital transformation is deeply rooted in innovation and driven by the ambition to empower people, so we can contribute meaningful change while creating a significant impact. As Telenor Pakistan celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, it has a legacy of empowerment and innovation, changing lives of the people of Pakistan for the better.
