Zimbabwe

The work injury regulatory framework was enacted in Zimbabwe before its 1980 independence. The sickness and maternity and old age, disability and survivors’ regulatory frameworks were enacted after independence. In 1980, Zimbabwe passed an act that was aimed at compensating the war victims. As at 2019, the war victims compensation paid US$26 per month. In 1988, Zimbabwe introduced Public Assistance Monthly Maintenance Allowances to provide relief to individuals and households in distress. The programme had 6,688 participants in 2015 who were provided with a monthly cash amount of US$20. In 2011, Harmonised Social Cash Transfer started operating to enable participating households to increase their consumption to a level above the food poverty line, reducing the number of ultra-poor households and helping participants to avoid risky coping strategies such as child labour and early marriage. The programme, which provides access to a social worker, had 52,049 participating households as at 2015, receiving a cash transfer ranging between US$20 and US$50 bimonthly. Zimbabwe has a national coordination agency responsible for managing programmes and coordinating government efforts. The social assistance expenditure was 0.11 percent of GDP in 2015, translating to spending of US$5.31 per poor person per year.