Presentation to the Policy Dialogue and a South – South Learning Event Johannesburg, RSA 11 October, 2010

1. Presentation to the Policy Dialogue and a South – South Learning EventJohannesburg, RSA11 October, 2010 Ministry of Development Planning and Cooperation Poverty Reduction and Social Protection Division Harry Mwamlima

2. Social Protection and Financing • 1992/93 Drought Recovery Programme (DRP) • Starter Pack Schemes (SPS) in 1998/1999 and 1999/2000 • Cabinet endorsement of the National Safety Nets Strategy (NSNS) in February, 2000 1. Malawi Poverty Reduction Strategy (MPRS) - 2001 (Pillar 4: Protection of the Vulnerable)hence the National Safety Nets Programme October, 2002) 2. Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) - 2006 (Theme 2: ‘‘Social Protection’’ &‘‘Disaster Risk Management’’) ‘‘Social Protection is an improvement of the National Safety Net Programme under the MPRS’’

3. From NSNP to SP • Capacity constraints; • Ad hoc and uncoordinated implementation; • Inadequate funding; • Inherent programme design challenges; and • Lack of a policy. Government in 2006, embarked on the formulation of the National Social Protection/Support Programme

4. Rationale Cont’d The National Social Support Policy has been formulated to provide a holistic framework to address chronic poverty and vulnerability. Objectives • To provide welfare support to those that are unable to construct a viable livelihood • To protect the assets and improve the resilience of poor and vulnerable households • To increase the productive capacity and asset base of poor and vulnerable households to move them above the poverty line • To establish coherent and progressive social protection synergies by ensuring strong positive linkages to influence economic and social policies, and disaster management

5. Policy Development Process • The Social Protection Stock take/ Review was finalised by April, 2007. The World Bank supported this process following the Road Map (Plan) • The Social Protection Framework was produced and discussed by the Steering Committee on 13th April, 2007. DFID supported this process • A sub committee of the National Social Protection Committee produced the 1st Policy February, 2007 • The Technical Committee discussed the Draft from 2007 through 2008

6. Policy Development Process Cont’d • Three regional workshops were conducted from November, 2007 through December 2008; • International NGOs with communities December, 2007; • Local NGOs in early 2008; • The Community Services and Social Development Committee of Parliament was consulted in April, 2008; • Chairpersons of all Standing Committees of Parliament were consulted in April, 2008; • Principal Secretaries were consulted on 7th May 2008; and • The Development Partners were consulted on 15th May 2008. ‘‘The Social Protection Policy was discussed at Cabinet on 17th October 2008’’

7. Main Actors • National Social Support Steering Committee (NSSSC) -To provide policy direction and resource mobilization; • Ministry of Development Planning and Cooperation – is the custodian of the Policy, Programme and Basket Fund arrangement as coordinating secretariat; • Line ministries – Policy direction, resource mobilization and supervision. • Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLG&RD) – Implementation through Local Councils (LCs) • NGOs – Implementers, advocacy, awareness raising, M&E • Development partners – Technical and financial assistance, capacity development, advocacy

8. Financing SP Programmes A Social Support Fund (SSF) will be created to contribute to the Local Development Fund; • Government revenue • Long-term donor support through budget support, pool funding or earmarked funding; • Private sector or private foundations contributions; • (NGOs parallel funding); Budget = (ORT + Devpt i.e. PSIP), • Devpt – (2)Social Services (Social Justice) - (3)SP will be for five years

9. Draft Suggested Outline Under Discussion 40% MALAWI POVERTY LINE CATEGORIES AND THEIR SOCIAL SUPPORT NEEDS POTENTIAL SOCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAMMES/ INTERVENTIONS • Employment • Skill building • Capital • Productive Assets • Protection from asset/capital erosion Moderately Poor PROTECTION AND PROMOTION Agricultural inputs subsidy Public works programmes Insurance programmes (Social, Crop & Livestock) Village savings & loans Micro-credit / Micro-finance 25% 15% Ultra Poor PROMOTION Public works programmes School Meals Programme Cash and food for assets combined with skills building and cash for consumption/ Adult literacy training Ultra Poor with Labour Capacity • Survival • Productive Assets • Employment 5*% Ultra Poor & Incapacitated PROVISION Social cash transfers School Meals Programme • Survival • Investment in human capital 10%

10. Existing Social Protection Measures, Coverage and Impact2009

11. Challenges • The delay in passing the SS Policy is creating difficulties to bring development partners on board; • Short term nature of existing SP programmes; • Inadequate financing; • Unavailability of meaningful and efficient SPP and linkages for different categories of the poor; • Difficulties in targeting eligible beneficiaries due to insufficient systematic data on number of households in villages (with demographic & economic details); • Inadequate Government human capacity at national and district levels; and • Unavailability of National Identification system.

12. Lessons learned • Advocacy support from partners is helping raise the profile of SP programmes (Global, Regional and in country meetings are important); • Strong relationship with the Civil Society and Development Partners, including wide consultations , transparent, participatory and well documented processes are necessary; • Create linkages with other programmes to maximize opportunities (This will help ease targeting); • Provide appropriate and long term capacity building assistance.

13. End of Presentation Thank You For Your Attention!!