This page is the frequently asked questions page for programmes under the Department of Social Welfare. It has frequently asked questions on Adoption, Forster Care, Gender-Based Violence as well as Social Cash Transfer.
It is a child protection measure that creates a permanent legal parent-child relationship between the adoptee and the adoptive parent(s). It is a legal procedure in which all parental responsibility is transferred to the adoptive parents.
Any child in need of care who is below 21 years and has never been married before can be adopted
The infant should have been continuously in the care and possession of the applicant for at least three months for Zambians and twelve months for foreign infants.
The applicant should have at least three months before the date of the order, notified the Commissioner for Juvenile Welfare of their intention to apply for an adoption order in respect of the infant.
Yes. Any foreigner wishing to adopt a child in Zambia can do so. As long as they meet the legal requirements and the following documentation should be available; the home study report recommending the suitability of the adoptive parent, police clearance from the country of origin, financial statement, petition, application for adoption, foster
Subject to the provisions of Section 5 of the Adoption Act, an adoption order cannot be made:
(a) Except with the consent of a parent or guardian of such an infant.
(b) On the application of one of two spouses except with the consent of the other spouse
Care provided to a child who has been legally placed in the care of a fit person who can be a relative to the child or persons who are not members of the child’s own family for a specified period of time by the Court upon recommendation by a Social Welfare Officer.
Foster parents must be fit persons who are suitable to look after a child in need of care and are willing to do so.
Gender-based violence (GBV) in Zambia takes the form of physical, mental, social or economic abuse against a person because of that person’s gender and includes violence that may result in physical, sexual or psychological harm and suffering to the victim. It may also include threats or coercion, or the arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether in public or private life
Domestic violence is a form of gender based violence and it is punishable by law.
Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation, Sexual Exploitation and Violence.
According to the Act persons who are abused are referred to as victims of abuse. Even though the Ministry and other stakeholders wish to refer to such persons as survivors of gender based violence due to the act of bravery that they have undergone by reporting the matter and even by providing evidence and also being witnesses in recounting the ordeal.
While the men are also victims of gender based violence, studies have shown that women and children are the major victims of gender based violence.
The Social Cash Transfer (SCT) is a Government of Zambia Social Protection programme aimed at reducing extreme poverty and the inter-generational transfer of poverty. On the programme, beneficiaries receive cash grants of K150 per month (paid bi-monthly as K300) or K600 for households with members with severe disabilities.
Income: To supplement household income for food security and wellbeing
Education: To contribute towards increasing the number of children enrolled and attending primary school education.
Health: To contribute towards reduction of mortality and morbidity among children under 5 years old.
Food Security: To contribute towards increase in the number of households having a second meal per day
Livelihoods: To contribute towards increase in the number of households owning assets such as livestock.
Beneficiary criteria includes: Residency criterion; Households with an elderly person; Households with members with severe disability; Households with members who are chronically ill and on palliative care; Child-headed households & Female-headed households with at least three children below the age of 19.
The extremely poor and incapacitated (labour-constrained) in Zambia. Apart from the beneficiary households, the benefits of the SCT programme also spill over to non-beneficiary community members in the form of greater economic activity.
The SCT programme is primarily financed by a combination of GRZ and Cooperating Partners.
No. Beneficiaries of the SCT programme do not have to fulfil any conditionalities, in terms of behaviours, practices or spending, to remain on the programme. Evidence has shown that implementing such conditionalities is difficult, expensive and unnecessary. In the case of Zambia, robust and rigorous impact evaluations have shown that beneficiary households spend the cash on improving livelihoods and human capital, as is intended by the programme even in the absence of conditionalities.
Yes. The SCT Programme has a Grievance Mechanism in each District to receive and resolve complaints from beneficiaries.
Yes, many countries worldwide are implementing cash transfer programmes as a strategy to reduce poverty and realize the basic rights of their people. South Africa, Brazil, Indonesia and Zambia are home to some of the oldest and largest cash transfer programmes. In Africa too, other countries are increasingly introducing or expanding cash transfer programmes, e.g. Kenya and Ethiopia.
No, to the contrary. Evidence from Zambia and across the globe shows that the Social Cash Transfer programme has been found to improve the livelihoods of beneficiary households and further generate economic activity in their communities. It is a special vehicle for human capital improvements and investments.
Ministry of Community Development and Social Services
Private Bag W252
Community House, Sadzu Road
Lusaka, Zambia
Tel: +260 211 225 327
Fax: +260 211 235342
Email: info@mcdss.gov.zm
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