The Social Cash Transfer (SCT) programme expanded in 2022 with improved and regular releases of budgeted funds from the Government of Zambia, the World Bank and donors. The value of SCT transfers was increased from 150 Zambian Kwacha (monthly) to 200 and from 300 to 400 for households without and with persons with severe disabilities, respectively. In 2022 the number of households benefiting from SCT increased from 887,759 households to 1,027,000 households from all 116 districts across the country. The enhanced Zambian Integrated Social Protection Information System (ZISPIS), which integrates the various modules required for the delivery of the SCT and utilises a webbased Management Information System (MIS) platform, became fully integrated in 2022. The ZISPIS is used for digital payments as well as managng information and register of the beneficiary caseload. This has increased efficiency, effectiveness and accountability to the SCT programme as well as improves security for Pay Point Managers (PPMs). The strengthening of
the enhanced ZISPIS has been a joint effort between the World Bank and the United Nations (See also CoP GEWEL). A cabinet memorandum on the CashPlus approach was adopted which lays the ground for stronger resilience and opens additional opportunities for graduation of beneficiaries. The approach is precursor to the Governments intention to build the revised national social protection policy around the life cycle approach. It is worth noting that the President introduced the concept to the public when he opened Parliament in September 2022. The Ministry of Community Development and Social Serices (MCDSS) commenced the implementation of the 1,000 days nutrition pilot initiative with full effect from September 2022. The pilot conducted identification and registration of the poor and vulnerable households within the 1,000 most critical days of life across four pilot districts. A total of 12,913 households (782 from the main SCT programme and 12,131 households from nonSCT) were ultimately enrolled and received two bimonthly transfers. The payment cycles to pilot households are ongoing on a regular basis with the bimonthly frequency. The efforts to ensure inclusion of persons with disabilities in social protection were strengthened further in 2022. A total of 13,831 persons with disabilities were issued with disability cards to protect their continued enrolment and ensure their continued access to the SCT programme. Further, persons with disabilities and disabilityfocused organisations participated in the national planning, budgeting and monitoring process. To promote the right to employment for persons with disabilities, the United Nations supported the capacity building of the National Trust Fund for Persons with Disabilities (NTFPD) and OPDs as Trainers of Trainers (ToTs) in basic business and entrepreneurship skills. The 2014 National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) was reviewed against its performance over the years and international best practices. The drafting of the revised NSPP took off in 2022, with a transition to a lifecycle approach to social protection, strengthening of cash plus strategies, mainstreaming of climate change and shock responsiveness, and the development of robust graduation pathways for social assistance beneficiaries. The revised NSPP is scheduled for completion in 2023 after technical and political consultations. The Single Window Implementation guidelines were finalised and launched in 2022. This is a step further in enhancing the decentralised approach to social protection delivery and in facilitating the cash plus agenda. The launch of the Single Window guidelines will ensure a standardised approach to the scaleup of the Single Window Service delivery for enhanced coordination of the sector. In 2022, through the Single Window system, 17,465 households were linked and enrolled to various programmes. To continue strengthening citizen engagement and community participation in policy and programme processes, various social accountability tools were developed to strengthen beneficiary voice and community participation. Some of these tools include the Social Protection Budget Tracking and Service Delivery Tools and the Community Balanced Scorecard, which were piloted in six districts, five of which are Single Window implementing districts.
