Social Protection

Ngoni Munemo, Assistant Professor

Williams College, MA USA

nm1@williams.edu

Presented at “Moving Forward in Zimbabwe: Reducing Poverty and Promoting Productivity” Round Table Conference, August 25-26 (Harare, Zimbabwe)

Ngoni Munemo Williams College, MA USA

What is Social Protection?

� ‘all public, private [and] informal initiatives that are aimed atprotecting the vulnerable against livelihood risks, promoting the vulnerable members livelihoods and capabilities; …’ (Wutete 2008)

� ‘protect poor people from the grave hazards they face and thereby prevent households descending into abysmal poverty …’(Stewart 2008)

� Public action(s) undertaken to address vulnerability, risk and deprivation within the population (Barrientos & Hulme 2008; Conway 2000)

� Reactive and proactive

Ngoni Munemo Williams College, MA USA

3 Aspects of Social Protection

Table 1: Aspects of Social Protection Aspect of Social Protection Objective Normal Source of Support

Social Insurance Protection from Life-cycle and work-cycle changes

Employer and Employee Contributions

Labor-Market Regulation Provides standards at work Public – legislation

Social Assistance Protection from poverty Public – tax-financed

Ngoni Munemo Williams College, MA USA

Social Assistance in Zimbabwe

� 1980s� expansive and coordinated

� 1990s (the reform years)� rolled-back and haphazard

� Crisis years� Society polarized, access to assistance politicized

Ngoni Munemo Williams College, MA USA

Why government, why now?

� Scale

� Re-establishing engagement

� Social contract view of government