Between 18 and 19 April, around 45 parliamentarians from the Republic of Mozambique took part in an advocacy activity conducted by the Civil Society Platform on Social Protection with support from the European Union and the ILO. This activity had the goal of sensitizing legislators about key governmental interventions around social protection, particularly on the basic social security programmes administered by the National Institute of Social Action (INAS).
On the first day, parliamentarians visited the rural district of Chokwè, Gaza province, where they were received by the local government and had the chance to learn more about the roll out of the “Direct Social Support Programme – Post Emergency (PASD-PE) COVID-19” through discussions with local authorities and exchanged with beneficiaries about the impact of the programme on their lives.
On the following day, lawmakers initiated the work by visiting the neighbourhood centre of Chamanculo in Maputo, where they interacted with beneficiaries of that district to understand how the benefit provided by INAS helped them to face the challenges brought about by the pandemic to their livelihoods. After this session, Parliamentarians gathered at INAS’ premises, where they were received by INAS’s Deputy National Director and were given an institutional tour, including on the functioning of e-INAS, the management information system for non-contributory social protection programmes that was developed with ILO support. Later, a technical section took place, where participants discussed progress in the implementation of the programme, existing challenges, and opportunities for strengthening the social protection system.
The ILO contributed to the discussions by making a presentation on the importance of expanding fiscal space for social protection, highlighting the need for further investments on social protection as a way to reach the Government’s commitments in line with the National Strategy on Basic Social Security, reduce poverty and vulnerability, support the development of human capital as well as economic development.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Labour Organisation (ILO).
