8: SOCIAL PROTECTION AND DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT

Other Information:

Achievement of sustainable economic growth and development by itself may not automatically translate into improved quality of life for the most vulnerable Malawians. It is therefore necessary to design programmes that will protect them as they may not be able to take advantage of the benefits from economic growth. It is also necessary to protect those that are not chronically vulnerable, but fall into vulnerability due to economic shocks from time to time. The recent poverty and vulnerability study noted that 95.0 percent of households surveyed reported at least one economic shock in the past five years, with most households experiencing more than one type of shock. Coupled with the findings that there was a 30 percent fluctuation in poverty between 1998 and 2005, the need to have programs that keep the non-poor from falling into poverty is essential.12 Recent analysis suggests that small increases in expenditure growth can move people out of poverty, while economic shocks can quickly push people into poverty. Thus, social protection strategies should include measures to decrease the risk of shocks and strengthen resilience to shocks (such as those identified in food security and economic empowerment). Social protection programs will therefore be designed to protect the most vulnerable. There is also need for measures to protect the most vulnerable groups like the elderly, the chronically sick, orphans and other vulnerable children, malnourished children, lactating mothers and destitute families. Special groups of persons with disabilities14 are also included in this category. These groups of people are vulnerable to risk and typically lack appropriate risk management instruments, which constrains them from engaging in higher return activities to enable them move out of chronic poverty. Populations affected by disasters also qualify for social protection since disasters affect the livelihoods and social economic asserts of affected groups. Social protection and disaster management are therefore necessary as they restore peoples' capacity to attain prosperity, create wealth and contribute to economic growth and development. Social protection is particularly important because it ensures that the vulnerable, who may be on the peripheral of economic activity and thereby not benefit from growth, are well protected. Three main areas of focus have been outlined. First is the sub theme on empowering farmers and rural communities by improving their integration into the economic market, increasing their productivity and contribution to economic growth. Secondly, the focus has been on the most vulnerable who may not be able to enjoy the benefits of growth and therefore there will be need to have plans in place for their protection. Lastly, focus has been on disaster management especially the scaling up of efforts to strengthen capacity for response. More importantly, there will be need to ensure that social protection programmes are formulated as a spring board for the poor and they should provide them with the capacity to come out of vulnerability and engage in productive work.

Objective(s):

8.1: Protecting the Vulnerable

8.1.1: Support

8.1.2: Planning & Knowledge

8.1.3: Farmers & Rural Communities

8.1.4: Savings Culture

8.1.5: Capital

8.2: Disaster Risk Management

8.2.1: Institutions

8.2.2: Risk Management

8.2.3: Mitigation

8.2.4: Sustainable Development

8.2.5: Coordination

8.2.6: Early Warning

8.2.7: Emergency Relief

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