Social Protection – Policy Makers Forum 2021

Exploring the Feasibility of National Financing for Social Protection Systems in Zambia

The Zambian Government has shown committement to reducing poverty and vulnerability among its population in general and for the poor and vulnerable segments of society in particular through various interventions with the flagship programme of the Social Cash Transfer Program.

Strengthening social protection support mechanisms includes increasing government social services expenditure, tax policy as well as developing a sustainable social protection framework with sustainable financing mechanisms. In as much as cooperating partners support is important, we need as a country to find ways and means to sustainably fund social protection. The ILO indicates that there is fiscal space “room” for national governments to fund social protection from national resources (budgets). What Zambia requires therefore, is political commitment - “will” - towards ensuring sustainable financing mechanisms for social protection.