Systematizing national and regional social protection capacity development efforts
Strengthening the role of universities in pre- and in-service social protection capacity development
The main objective of the EU-SPS capacity development support in Zambia was to help and support the systematization of national and regional social protection capacity development efforts. Particular focus was placed on strengthening the role and ownership of national universities, training institutes, social security agencies and professional associations in pre- and in-service social protection capacity development.
The Social Protection Curriculum Assessment work completed in 2016 led to a new EU-SPS funded project focusing on Social Protection Curriculum Development at University of Zambia (UNZA) and other universities. The work aimed at developing multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral MA and BA Curricula specialized on social protection.
Zambia has also been at the centre of EU-SPS work on the Regional African Social Protection Leadership and Transformation Curriculum (TRANSFORM). The ILO Zambia office has coordinated a network of African and Africa-based UN social protection experts, working together at the request of the African Union Commission, to develop a social protection leadership curriculum tailored for the African context.
Visit the TRANSFORM website
EU-SPS/Finland has also been involved in the design of a new ‘SPIREWORK’ project (2017-2020) to test out various tailored approaches that could be used to help informal workers from various sectors to get access to contributory social protection. This work supports the African Union’s efforts to develop Social Protection for Informal and Rural Economy Workers (hence the acronym ‘SPIREWORK’).
Context
Zambia is a lower middle-income country with very high income and welfare disparities, especially between the fairly well developed urban areas and the rural areas. Poverty levels remain high with more than 55% of the population living below the government-defined poverty line. The absence of gains in wealth for the poor remains an enormous task for government.
A significant part of the Zambian labour market (90% of the 5.9 million working citizens) work in the informal sector without any employment contracts or social security coverage. For rural dwellers that are mainly working in farming, this leaves them vulnerable to adverse weather conditions while urban dwellers are dependent on self-employment, microenterprise, trading, contract work, and odd jobs.
Our approach
The operationalization of Zambia’s National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) calls for the coordinated action of multiple line ministries and agencies within government and the active participation of civil society, representatives of workers and employers, international cooperating partners and the academia.
For the successful implementation of the NSSP, it is of utmost importance that the Zambian social protection professionals at central and local government levels have sufficient capacity to perform their multiple tasks well, from legal frameworks, beneficiary identification and selection systems, payment mechanisms, case work among vulnerable individuals and communities, to complicated financial and data management systems.
In order to have professionals with a broad and comprehensive understanding of the social protection system, the government had previously sent few selected staff to attend relatively costly social protection courses abroad. It became, however, evident that it would not be possible to train large numbers of social protection professionals abroad. Thus it was necessary to systematize social protection capacity development within the country.
Goals/objectives
The overall objective for the EU-SPS capacity development work in Zambia is to contextualize and systematize social protection capacity development in the country.
The EU-SPS supported the assessment and further development of social protection relevant curricula at several departments of the University of Zambia (UNZA). This included the integration of up-to-date relevant skills and knowledge into the curricula, consultancy profiles, internships and thesis research of UNZA and other Zambian universities. The goal was to develop at least two learning curricula, an MA in social protection and a BA in social policy, and to have the new curricula tested and validated by stakeholders and submitted for approval to the Government of Zambia’s commissions of higher learning and public service.
Further, the EU-SPS/Finland supported peer-to-peer learning. The main vehicle for the systematization of regional peer-to-peer learning has been ‘TRANSFORM’. The ‘coordination hub’ of the TRANSFORM process is based at the ILO office in Zambia. Therefore, from EU-SPS point of view work on TRANSFORM was an essential part of EU-SPS work in Zambia.
Results achieved thus far
Social Protection Curriculum Assessment and Development
During the first phase of EU-SPS work a group of lecturers from University of Zambia (UNZA) were engaged to undertake a Social Protection Curriculum Assessment. A large number of UNZA departments and other Zambian universities participated in the process which assessed the curricula, courses and teaching staff at UNZA and at neighboring universities for their social protection relevance.
The second phase of this work is currently on-going. A team of lecturers from UNZA is currently facilitating and coordinating the joint collaborative efforts by several Zambian higher learning institutes, professional training institutes, national and local government authorities and international partners on developing new and improved multi-disciplinary (pre-service and in-service) curricula, courses, modules, learning resources, as well as internship and field research arrangements and other mutual collaboration practices.
The work aims at strengthening Zambian capacity development systems on knowledge, skills and competences required in the management and implementation of the work on all pillars of the Zambian National Social Protection Framework and its Implementation Plan.
A group of four Zambian social protection lecturers visited Finland in 2017 on a study tour. One of these colleagues is currently studying for a PhD at the University of Tampere.
The first drafts of the Curricula, including the learning objectives, contents and assessment criteria have been developed. These materials have been reviewed by a group of Finnish university professors and lecturers, and will be completed during 2018.
African Regional Social Protection Leadership Curriculum (‘TRANSFORM’)
Zambia has also been at the centre of EU-SPS work on the Regional African Social Protection Leadership and Transformation Curriculum (TRANSFORM). The ILO Zambia office has coordinated the network of African and Africa-based UN social protection experts, working together at the request of the African Union Commission, to develop a social protection leadership curriculum tailored for the African context.
A regional training of TRANSFORM Master Trainers was organised in Zambia in October 2018. Five Zambian Master trainers were trained and in March 2017 a group of 10 Zambian social protection professionals attended a regional course on Monitoring and Evaluation of Social Protection in Malawi. In addition, a national TRANSFORM training will be taking place in April 2018 for key social protection professionals working at local government levels in Zambian districts.
Action research on Social protection for informal and rural economy workers (SPIREWORK)
EU-SPS/Finland has also been involved in the design of a new development project to test out various tailored approaches that could be used to help informal workers from various sectors to get access to contributory social protection. Through the EU-SPS leveraged Zambia-Finland-ILO SPIREWORK partnership, the Zambian National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) is testing out and conducting action research on Social Protection for Informal and Rural Economy Workers (SPIREWORK) for 2,5 years. This work is critically important not only for Zambia but for the entire African continent. It receives financial support of 1,6 million euros from Government of Finland, ILO and NAPSA.
More information and contact
For more information, please contact Timo Voipio (timo.voipio(a)thl.fi).
The EU-SPS/ Finland in cooperation with the University of Tampere Global Health and Development programme organized a two-day writeshop focusing on social protection curricula development from 11 to 12 April, 2017 in Tampere. Read more here.
