Government social protection policy impact on elderly women headed households in rural Zimbabwe
Abstract
Government financed social protection for the poor vulnerable populations is an important social security instrument which ensures that vulnerable members of society do have a sustainable and resilient livelihood. Social protection is both a human right and a government responsibility in Zimbabwe and across the globe yet public social protection in Zimbabwe remains weak and fragmented both at policy and implementation levels.
The study therefore focussed on Zimbabwe government's social protection policy for the elderly women. The major aim of the study was to investigate the impact of government social protection policy on the elderly women-headed households in rural Zimbabwe. This was necessitated by the fact that Old age is a major idiosyncratic and demographic vulnerability among the rural population in Zimbabwe. Hence the inevitable need for the existence of public social protection policy to avert old age destitution among women. The study reviewed various academic literature on social protection and old age from a global, African and Zimbabwean perspectives. This was to establish that, Resilience is an important aspect which provides a base for sustainable livelihoods. Thus, Government social protection policies should strengthen household resilience towards self- sustenance. This research employed mixed methods approach (a combination of both qualitative and
quantitative methodologies) to collect data. The study administered both open-ended and close ended questionnaires to 318 households who provided the data needed. A total of 18 key informants were interviewed using key informant guide. Four focus group discussions were also conducted with elderly women-headed households receiving government social protection support. In analysing the data obtained, the study found amongst others that government social protection targeting elderly women-headed households does not take into consideration the multiple vulnerabilities in these households. Secondly, little attention is paid towards strengthening household resilience. Thus, Government social protection in Zimbabwe did not significantly contribute towards building household resilience to food insecurity as well as asset accumulation. In the absence of a cash transfer component public social protection interventions remain ineffective in increasing the asset base and income levels of beneficiary households. The study further found that public social protection in Zimbabwe remains underfunded hence it has limited coverage among the intended beneficiaries. It is recommended that Social protection interventions must be directed at addressing the
complex, intricate and multiple social economic vulnerabilities among elderly women-headed households by strengthening household resilience to food insecurity. This study further recommends that a new alternative framework, that can be referred to as Prioritised and Targeted Social Protection framework (PTSP) needs to be formulated to effectively prioritise and target the special needs of elderly people in the context of social protection support. This framework should also look at sufficient funding and inclusion of Cash transfer component.
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