Context and Current Social

Protection in Zimbabwe

Dr Sithabiso Gandure

CASS, University of Zimbabwe

Why

Do we Need to View Social

Protection Differently in

Zimbabwe?

The Landscape has Changed• We are dealing with Multiple Stressors operating at

different scales – Economic shocks

– Reduced employment opportunities

– Growing poverty

– Climate change (Rainfall and temperature variability)

– HIV/AIDS

– Governance / policy failure

– Land access

• Its an “entangled” situation

• The situation is changing so rapidly

• Policy debates are evident yet minimal convergence around

implementation

The Case Load is Greater and Diverse

• Many people are in greater need of protection

• Issues of exclusion in terms of sector and groups

of people in need.

• Urban versus rural in terms of need and biases in

support

The Resources are Few and Decreasing

• Demand of social protection interventions is

increasing against reduced financial resources

• Delivery and support has been affected- many

development organisations are either reducing

their support or have closed projects

The Enabling Environment is Poor

• Created by both government, private sector,

donors

• Poor governance and management of SP schemes

• Human rights, civic rights and social inequities

are undermined

What does this mean?

• The problem will not get better but worse

• Short term solutions will provide short term

results

• Thinking further and broader for long-term

lasting solutions

• Need to strengthen efforts of empowering

local communities

ATTRIBUTE EXPLANATION

Predictability Paid or distributed regularly not as a reaction

to a crisis (weekly, monthly, seasonal,

annual).

Consistency and

Transparency

Timely in content, quality and duration

Durability Long lasting (can be short term in

emergencies), guaranteed and reliable.

We need to be thinking about........KEY ATTRIBUTES OF SOCIAL PROTECTION

CATEGORIES OF SOCIAL PROTECTION

CATEGORY PURPOSE

Protective To provide relief from deprivation

Preventive To avert deprivation

Promotive To enhance income and capabilities

Transformative To address social equity and exclusion

SECTOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE

EDUCATION

BEAM (Govt)

Support to Children in Difficult Circumstances (GVT)

Block Grants & Resource Exchange (NGO)

School Feeding Programmes (NGO)

School Fees Bursaries (PVT)

HEALTH Assisted Medical Treatment Order (GVT)

Home Based Care (NGO, CO)

SOCIAL INSURANCE

AIDS Levy (GVT)

Medical AID Societies (PVT)

FOOD &

NUTRITION

Public Works/Drought Relief Support (GVT)

Food for Assets (NGO)

Monthly Food Distributions (NGO)

WFP Family Child Health Nutrition (NGO)

SECTOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE

LIVELIHOODS

Children in Difficult Circumstances (GVT)

Institutional Grants (GVT)

Support to Families in Distress (GVT)

Maintenance of Disabled Persons (GVT)

Care for the Elderly (GVT)

Transfer to Heroes’ Dependents (GVT)

Cash Transfers (NGO)

Urban Food Vouchers (NGO)

Small Livestock Programmes (NGO)

Vulnerable Group Feeding (NGO)

Market Assistance Programme (NGO)

Input Trade Fairs (NGO)

SOCIAL EQUITY

NAP for OVC (GVT)

SECTOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE

INFORMAL

Zunde RaMambo (CO)

Remittances (CO)

SOCIAL INSURANCE

Burial Societies

Savings Clubs

LABOUR

SOCIAL INSURANCE

Pensions and Other Benefits Scheme (Gvt)

Accident Prevention and Workers’

Compensation Scheme (Gvt)

Other occupational schemes (Pvt)

Photo: Dan Mullins, CARE

WHAT IS THE CURRENT GENERAL PERFORMANCE?

PREDICTABILITY

• Many are not predictable

• Those predictable are worthless and non-

operational

• Many react to a crisis e.g. Drought

• Are short-lived and end before they make an

impact

Lack of coordination and a guiding framework

for implementation exacerbates the situation

INCONSISTENCY & LACK OF TRANSPARENCY

• A common feature even in those

interventions that are predictable

• Capacity Constraints (human, financial)

• Many GVT programmes are cash based & yet

not adjusted to reflect the high inflationary

environment

• Donor Funding and Indecision

DURABILITY

• Current evidence unclear on how long

the social protection should last

• A balance between avoiding long-term

dependency & providing a platform for

beneficiaries to make long term

investment plans is still a debate