January 1997 Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket: Employment and Sustainable Livelihoods in Zambia
Abstract
The Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) participated in the World Summit on Social Development (WSSD) in Copenhagen in 1995 and was a signatory to the Plan of Action and 'Ten Commitments.' This report is a national case study (one of several commissioned throughout the world) of how one dimension of the Action Plan, promotion of employment and sustainable livelihoods, is being dealt with in Zambia. It is part of a larger programme undertaken by a UN System Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) established to coordinate the commitments made at the Summit.
Description
In early September 1996, a team of national consultants was gathered to undertake the study, with collaborative help from the UNDP (principal organizer), ILO, and UNIDO. The methodology utilized involved study of government documents, review of previous reports, interviews with government and NGO personnel, and field work outside of Lusaka. After the circulation of a first draft in early November, comments were received from both within Zambia and outside. A second draft was prepared that served as the basis for a mid-December review workshop in Lusaka. Forty participants, representing the tripartite social partners (government, labor and business), various UN agencies, NGOs, churches, and academics, offered suggestions for improvement of the text. This final draft reflects the recommendations from the workshop as well as those coming from UN offices in New York, Geneva, and Harare.