Govt committed to advancing social protection interventions

Emerine Kabanshi

Community Development and Social Services Minister Emerine Kabanshi says government remains committed to advancing social protection interventions aimed at reducing poverty and vulnerability levels in the country.

Speaking during the 2017 National Social Protection Week, Ms. Kabanshi has reaffirmed government’s commitment to uplifting the welfare of the vulnerable in society as evidenced through the identification of social protection interventions in the cluster for poverty and vulnerability reduction of the Seventh National Development Plan.

And Ms. Kabanshi says the social protection bill has been drafted awaiting tabling before parliament.

She says once enacted, the bill will enhance coordination among players in the social protection sector with a view of lifting the majority of the people who are trapped in the vicious poverty cycle so that they too can lead decent livelihoods with dignity.

Theme for this year’s Social Protection Week is “Inclusive Sustainable Social Protection: Leaving no one behind”.

The Social Protection Week is a public event, that brings together Government, Social Partners, Cooperating Partners, Civil Society Organizations, Social Security institutions, Academia, Faith Based Organizations, Parliamentarians, Media and most importantly the general public to be informed, discuss and contribute to the development of Social Protection in Zambia.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) and its partners have organized the 2017 edition of the Zambia National Social Protection Week to build a culture of social protection through awareness raising initiatives.