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Zimbabwe’s Harmonized Social Cash Transfer Programme: impacts on productive activities and labour allocation

Year of publication 2015

Pages 2p.

Author Josh Dewbre and Silvio Daidone (ESA)

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet

ISBN No ISBN

Series title Newsletters from the Decentralized Offices

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) Zimbabwe’s Harmonized Social Cash Transfer Programme (HSCT) is implemented by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. The programme is jointly funded by the Government of Zimbabwe, the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); the latter also provides technical and implementation support. The HSCT is an unconditional social cash transfer that targets food-poor and labour-constrained households. To be eligible for the programme, a household must be living below the food poverty line and unable to meet its most urgent basic needs; and face household labour constraints. Households are considered labour-constrained if they i) have no ablebodied member between the ages of 18 and 59; ii) have one able-bodied member between the ages of 18 and 59 who has to care for more than three dependents; or iii) have a dependency ratio between 2 and 3 with a severely disabled or chronically sick household member who requires intensive care. The HSCT, which was launched in 2012, initially covered ten districts and included 16 637 households. By March 2014, the programme had expanded to 20 districts and included 55 509 households. Efforts continue to expand the programme to reach all 65 districts of Zimbabwe, an estimated coverage of around 250 000 households.

Language English

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