Situation and Priorities

Social protection situation

Coverage remains a major challenge for the contributory social security schemes. In 2018, the pension funds had 1.59 million members, which was equivalent to 7.2 per cent of the total employed population of 22 million. In terms of social assistance, the Productive Social Safety Net programme (PSSN) is the country’s main social assistance programme, and it is implemented in Tanzania Mainland and in Zanzibar. It has enrolled more than 1 million poor and extremely poor households, reflecting a coverage of about 10% of the population of Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.  

Despite low coverage, the Government of Mainland Tanzania has continued to deliver non-cash aid in the form of disaster relief, food supplement programmes and school meal subsidies, as well as fee exemptions to facilitate access by vulnerable groups to essential health services and the abolition of school fees at pre-primary, primary and lower secondary levels to promote access and retention. Productive inclusion measures are likewise provided as complementary measures within social assistance programmes

Government and social partner priorities

The ILO, together with other development partners, have been providing technical and financial support in the review and development of the National Social Protection Policy, which has yet to be approved. The National Five Year Development Plan 2021/22 - 2025/26 was published in June 2021 and sets out 13 areas of key interventions, including: 

• Extend social protection coverage to both formal and informal sectors
• Promote inclusiveness and economic empowerment for Persons with Disabilities
• Strengthen provision of social welfare services including health services and psychosocial support to vulnerable groups and communities