World Bank pledges $600 million for Zambia’s social protection programmes

The World Bank has pledged approximately US$600 million to support Zambia’s social protection programs.

This commitment aims to bolster initiatives that drive productivity, human capital growth, and development outcomes.

World Bank Country Representative, Nadia Salim, emphasized the Bank’s dedication to ensuring access to basic needs such as health, education and a decent standard of living, noting that social protection was a fundamental human right.

Speaking during the launch of Social Protection Week in Lusaka on Monday, Salim stated: “Our goal is to create a society where everyone can live in. Social protection helps to build resilient communities and promotes economic growth, equality, and poverty reduction.”

Salim further highlighted that social protection is foundational to a prosperous and empowered society, providing safety for the most vulnerable people to survive and thrive.

Ministry of Community Development and Social Services Permanent Secretary, Angela Kawandami, reinforced the importance of social protection as a tool for building resilience.

She stressed that addressing poverty required collective efforts from all stakeholders, not just the government.

Kawandami pointed out the urgent need to build resilience, especially in light of increasingly frequent and intense disaster situations.

“The country is facing drought right now, and to help the situation, the government is reviewing the 2024 national budget to redirect resources from consumption expenditure to food security and revenue-generating areas,” she said.

The government, through the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, had conducted a rapid enumeration exercise to determine the number of households affected by the drought and to register those eligible for emergency cash transfers in the affected areas.

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