THE first 1,000 days of a child’s life often shape decades to come. In Pakistan, where chronic malnutrition has long harmed childhood development, an evaluation of the Benazir Nashonuma Programme shows that some children are finally getting a better start. The Aga Khan University study found a 22pc reduction in child stunting among beneficiary children at six months and an 18pc decline at one year. Equally encouraging were the reductions in low birth weight, premature births and vulnerable newborns. In a country long burdened by malnutrition and poor healthcare access, these are significant gains that could improve........

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