Krista Kruft, Programme Development and Quality Director, Piloting a child sensitive social protection approach in Zambia through the GRZ’s SCT Krista Kruft, Programme Development and Quality Director, John Kabongo, Technical Specialist Social Protection Save the Children International, Zambia Country Office

What do we know about the impact of social protection on children? It works! Social assistance programmes (cash and kind) focused on children have a proven impact on children’s wellbeing Key elements of success are: programme design (targeting, participation, social accountability, access to services and info) and contextualisation (broader economic policies, linkages to and investment in social services e.g. health, education) SP programs for children: Can result in positive spill-over effects for children (pensions in South Africa) but can also have unintended negative impacts (e.g. public works can result in child labour) Social protection programmes which are linked to relevant social services generally work better (e.g links to social workers) Social Protection programmes not directly focused on children give mixed results.

Why does social protection need to be child sensitive? Moral and legal commitments – UNCRC (Art 26) Poverty is a root cause of child rights violations and creates both direct and indirect barriers to the realisations of children’s rights High returns to investment - addressing inter-generational transmission of poverty General social protection may not result into meaningful investment in children – in fact can be counter productive

What do we mean by “Child-Sensitive”? Policies, programmes and interventions in all contexts explicitly aim to maximize the benefits for children and minimize any harms. And they do so by: Assessing and monitoring both positive and potential negative impacts for children, disaggregated by the age, gender and vulnerabilities of the child. Listening to and taking account of the voices and views of children in their planning, design, implementation and review.

Child-sensitive Social Protection is: Policies, programmes and systems that address the specific patterns of children’s poverty and vulnerability and recognize the long-term developmental benefits of investing in children. Child-sensitive social protection INCLUDE CHILDREN’S VOICES MONITOR IMPACTS FOR CHILDREN MAXIMIZE POSITIVE IMPACTS MINIMIZE NEGATIVE IMPACTS

Child Sensitive Social Protection as the umbrella Child Protection Sensitive Social Protection Nutrition Sensitive Social Protection Education Sensitive Social Protection

Save the Children Zambia’s Role in CSSP Coverage Effectiveness Child-sensitivity Support national programmes Improving access for the most vulnerable Improving accountability to children Promoting linkages with basic services Pilot new approaches Child poverty analysis Child-sensitivity analysis Support and lead research Trainings, learning exchanges Build Capacity Increase and improve the quality of systems and programmes Increase the level of public spending Reduce barriers to access for the most deprived children Advocate for child sensitivity Analysis of government budget allocations and impacts Monitor expenditure and impacts of CSSP

Save the Children’s CSSP approach in Zambia Improved government policies, programmes and their implementation at the local/ regional/ national level for Child Sensitive Social Protection Programmes Enhanced child sensitivity of service providers, social protection Recipients (households/ families/ parents and caregivers) and the community Improved delivery of basic services which are relevant to social protection programmes in the CSSP project area Improved access of children and their families, especially the most deprived and vulnerable, to social protection programs in a transparent and accountable manner in the project area Access to social protection Improve relevant service delivery Influence government strategy and program design Child sensitivity linked to SP schemes

Quality Service delivery Improved coordination, collaboration and linkages between basic services, social protection programmes and the target communities/households in the project area SP programs Advocacy Child-sensitivity Access to SP Quality Service delivery Basic services Communities/ care givers

Design & Implementation of CSSP and learnings from Asia Examples of Expanding access to social protection schemes: India, p. 14 Examples of Enhanced Child Sensitivity India, Nepal, p. 15/16

CSSP Lessons Learnt… Inconsistent disbursements of the SCT by the beneficiaries in Lufwanyama ( 4months lapse in Shimukunami) SCT beneficiaries are not engaged in any livelihood activities resulting in high dependence on the scheme. Further strengthen the linkages and coordination system between ministries to improve information flow and access to basic services. More mothers/caregivers taking children to under five clinics

Key Milestones Harnessing SP for the most vulnerable (SCUK, Zambia & CSO-SUN Alliance) Study Mapping , Gender & REACH Studies in Lufwanyama CSSP Baseline for Lufwanyama Support towards formation of the National TWG on Nutrition & SP Support & Participation JARs & SP Week (2016 & 2017) Support to MCDSS development of Guidelines for Nutrition & SP implementation Additionally: CSSP Baseline for Lufwanyama done SCT beneficiaries in Lufwanyama sensitised on importance of being sensitive to the needs of children in the utilisation of the SCT Chinemu community used part of the SCT money to mould bricks for a Health Post so that sick children and mothers can access health service Strengthened linkages at community level among key stakeholders (MCDSS, MoH, MoE, MoA) Support & Participation in JARs & SP Week Events (2016 & 2017) Improved accountability through community meetings on basic services Observed changes in perception on the use of SCT towards children needs (Education, Health, Nutrition, Shelter) CSSP International workshop held in October in Zambia

CSSP Lessons Learnt… CWACs inadequate information on record keeping and basic equipment to help them carry out their duties e.g. bicycles, forms, books, box files, identity cards etc. CWACs lack of incentives contributing to drop outs All the committees in the community must be encouraged to report to the Ward development Committee (WDC)

CSSP Next Steps Child Poverty &Vulnerability Study Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) study Building the Evidence Base Development of the CSSP Package Continue Enhancing Child Sensitivity Continued Advocacy for CSSP through improved government policies, programmes CSSP Stakeholders Workshop