Social Protection
Social Protection Public Lectures Series Launched in Lusaka
First public lecture attracts more than 500 participants for discussions on Domestic Social Protection Financing: Cost or Investment?
16 March 2017
Social protection is increasingly taking the centre stage as a critical tool in the drive to eradicate poverty worldwide, yet gaps exist in the general public’s understanding of social protection issues in many developing countries, including Zambia. In an effort to stimulate and strengthen public dialogue on pertinent social protection related issues at different levels, the University of Zambia (UNZA) in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) supported by Irish Aid, have embarked on a series of public lectures on Social Protection under the theme; Strengthening Social Dialogue for Social Development.
On March 16th, the Social Protection Public Lecture (SPPL) series was officially launched through presentations by the Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary Representative-Mr Shilambwe Mwaanga and the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services- Mr Manzunzo Zulu at UNZA.
In his welcoming remarks, University of Zambia School of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean representative Mr Eliphas Machacha, was confident that the social protection public lecture series will meet its expectations of fostering public debate on social protection and its link to alleviating poverty, contributing to sustainable development and promotion of social justice. The underlying purpose of the public lecture series is to strengthen collaboration on social protection issues amongst policy makers, the civil society, local and international NGOs as well as the general public.
The event focused on stimulating discussions on whether domestic social protection financing can be regarded as a cost or investment. The presentation highlighted the four functions of social protection programmes i.e. Protective, Promotive, Preventive and Transformative as reflected in the Zambia National Social Protection Policy. The presentation also included Zambia’s current demographic dynamics vis-à-vis poverty levels thereby justifying the need for social protection programmes. Zambia’s current social protection programmes were highlighted with a focus on the financing part in terms of the Social Cash Transfer budgetary allocation trends in the past 10 years.
The first SPPL attracted more than 500 participants. A total of three additional lectures/debates on selected topics will be presented during 2017.
On March 16th, the Social Protection Public Lecture (SPPL) series was officially launched through presentations by the Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary Representative-Mr Shilambwe Mwaanga and the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services- Mr Manzunzo Zulu at UNZA.
In his welcoming remarks, University of Zambia School of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean representative Mr Eliphas Machacha, was confident that the social protection public lecture series will meet its expectations of fostering public debate on social protection and its link to alleviating poverty, contributing to sustainable development and promotion of social justice. The underlying purpose of the public lecture series is to strengthen collaboration on social protection issues amongst policy makers, the civil society, local and international NGOs as well as the general public.
The event focused on stimulating discussions on whether domestic social protection financing can be regarded as a cost or investment. The presentation highlighted the four functions of social protection programmes i.e. Protective, Promotive, Preventive and Transformative as reflected in the Zambia National Social Protection Policy. The presentation also included Zambia’s current demographic dynamics vis-à-vis poverty levels thereby justifying the need for social protection programmes. Zambia’s current social protection programmes were highlighted with a focus on the financing part in terms of the Social Cash Transfer budgetary allocation trends in the past 10 years.
The first SPPL attracted more than 500 participants. A total of three additional lectures/debates on selected topics will be presented during 2017.