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Case studies > Zambia

Social Welfare Interventions for AIDS Affected Households in Zambia

Consultant: Dr Bernd Schubert Lusaka, March 2003

[Complete paper - 115Kb ~ 1 min]

Introduction The GTZ BACKUP Initiative assists partner countries to create knowledge and form alliances in the fight against HIV/AIDS and its impact. While the Government of Zambia (GRZ), the Zambian Civil Society and a number of donor agencies have been and are carrying out numerous activities on sensitisation, awareness, prevention, treatment and care, the issues of social impact, of coping strategies and of social assistance to AIDS stricken households, families and communities has not yet been sufficiently addressed. In order to fill this gap the National Aids Council (NAC) and the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS) /GTZ Social Safety Net Project have requested a BACKUP Initiative consultancy to address the following issues: Which households in Zambia require urgent social welfare interventions in order to ensure the survival of the members of these households? What are the criteria by which the most needy households can be identified? To what extent is the critical state of these households caused by AIDS and to what extent do these households include orphans and vulnerable children? Which assistance reaches the most needy households through formal and informal safety nets and who provides this assistance? What is the organisational landscape on village, sub-district and district level through which interventions to assist the most needy (most vulnerable/most food insecure) households are channelled or could be channelled? What is the policy on national level with regard to strengthening the social protection and risk management or simply with regard to ensuring the survival of the most needy households with special emphasis on AIDS affected households, orphans and vulnerable children? What would be a realistic vision for the social protection of the most needy/Aids affected households in Zambia? What are the main constraints which have to be overcome and the main windows of opportunity which could be exploited in order to move progressively towards realising this vision in terms of Political will? Realistic concepts based on appropriate information and experience? Funding? Recommendations for Action The Consultancy contributes to the development of a comprehensive Social Protection Strategy for Zambia. It also serves to back-up a request by the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services to the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) for funding a pilot scheme for Social Transfers to AIDS Affected Households (see annex 3). The detailed Terms of Reference of the consultancy are documented in Annex 1. The consultancy has been conducted in a short period of time. The results would not have been achieved without the support and advise of Dr. Jцrg Goldberg, the GTZ Advisor to the Social Safety Net Project and his secretary and driver. The logistical support of the GTZ Country Office and the field support from the GTZ assisted Reproductive Health Project, Southern Province, especially from Mr. Mbulwe Mwiimba, the GTZ HIV/AIDS Task Force Advisor, was also very effective. The consultant feels indebted to the large number of persons and organisations contacted (see Annex 2) that generously provided their time, advise and data during interviews and also during the debriefing workshop which was moderated by the GTZ Director Zambia, Ms. Martina Bergschneider. Finally the consultant thanks the GTZ BACKUP Initiative for funding the consultancy.

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