8.1: Protecting the Vulnerable

The long-term goal is to improve the life of the most vulnerable.

Other Information:

Vulnerability can be defined as the likelihood of being harmed by unforeseen events, or susceptibility to exogenous shocks. The most vulnerable broadly include individuals or households affected by disasters; households headed by orphaned children, the elderly and single-parents (especially female heads); persons with disabilities; under-five children, lactating and pregnant mothers; orphans, and the unemployed and underemployed, and the land-constrained in rural areas. It is noted, however, that this general categorisation does not mean that all people or households falling under these categories are the most vulnerable. The determining factor is their inability to meet their basic needs and on the basis of poverty characteristics. Currently, efforts to protect the most vulnerable have faced many problems. Most of the past market-based policies and interventions have been inefficient, fiscally unsustainable and mostly benefiting the non-poor than the poor. Consequently, all the market-based policies of social protection were abolished under the economic reforms. The administered programs are fragmented, uncoordinated and are poorly targeted. On the other hand, direct assistance and social welfare transfers are small in size and limited in coverage, largely due to financial constraints. The informal social protection, likewise, has become over-stretched and vulnerable to shocks due to increased poverty and the HIV and AIDS scourge. Several key challenges and constraints have made it difficult to improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable. These include clear lack of focus in implementing costeffective interventions especially the area of preventing and reducing the high prevalence of stunting and wasting in children less than two years of age. Inadequate planningandlackofintegrationregardingdataonthecountry'sdevelopmentand growth strategies on the one hand and the risks and obstacles to these strategies on the other hand, posed by structural weaknesses and fluctuating resource needs for the chronically poor. Poor targeting has also been a constraint mainly due to insufficient data regarding the characteristics, location, challenges and needs of the vulnerable. Other constraints include inadequate knowledge regarding processes, transfer mechanisms, power dynamics, and incentive structures of target communities; poor donor and stakeholder coordination in the design and delivery of programs, and this also touches on lack of coordination of social protection programs in general... Medium Term Expected Outcome The expected medium-term outcome is to increase assets of the poor to enable them to meaningfully engage in sustainable growth and contribute to poverty reduction. Key Strategies: In order to realize the goals and expected outcomes as outlined above, there is need to undertake the following strategies which complement efforts for economic empowerment and social development:

Indicator(s):

Indicator:1

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