A Social Safety Net for the Chronically Poor? Zimbabwe's Public Assistance Programme in the 1990s

Abstract

The Government of Zimbabwe operated several social safety nets in the 1990s, most of them targeted at households temporarily impoverished through external shocks such as severe drought or economic restructuring. One social safety net was, however, designed specifically to help those who, by reason of age, infirmity, chronic illness or disability and lack of family connections, were chronically poor. This social safety net was called Public Assistance. This paper reviews the performance of Public Assistance and finds it was not effective in supporting those living in chronic poverty. Its disappointing performance record includes low levels of coverage of its target group and inadequate benefits for its clients. The paper examines the reasons for the disappointing performance of Public Assistance, including both programme design problems and the political marginalisation of its clients, and draws out their policy implications. Le gouvernement du Zimbabwe a mis en place un certain nombre de filets de protect...