Description

2020 Annual Report
The low knowledge levels on social protection among the public has generally led to low and poor debate on matters of social protection in Zambia. This potentially affects development of responsive policies on social protection negatively. Strengthened public voice has potential to enhance effective social protection service delivery and is a tool for social accountability. There is therefore a need to create space where the public is abreast of government policies and programs on social protection including the roles and responsibilities. The project contributed to increase the participation of the public and stakeholders in debates on social protection in line with increasing capacity of civil society organizations and the public to engage and shape debates on social protection policy reforms.

In view of the pandemic social protection, debates and communication campaigns organized through radio programs promoted awareness and policy discussions on social protection contribution to emergency response. 12 series of radio programs were conducted at national, provincial and district levels in collaboration with the United Nations Joint Programme on social protection and partnership with Government of Zambia. The radio campaigns covered multiple topics including disability, social assistance and social security.

The radio programs were also being used as channel for disseminating advocacy messages developed and translated into local languages by the national partner Civil society organization. The translated messages are meant to empower the grass root beneficiary communities with knowledge and messages on the social protection programmes.

With co-financing from the United Nations Joint programme on social protection the radio programme campaigns were also used as a fora for spreading covid-19 related messaging, consistent with the national Emergency Cash Transfer communication strategy, as well as to advocate for the increased profile of social protection programming to cushion impact of the crisis. In view of the results of the program, the government is continuing rolling out the radio programme series to inform the public and receive feedback on issues relating to implementation of the emergency cash transfer programme funded under the United Nations Joint Programme on social protection.