APSP through the support of the Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa (OSIEA) conducted a study on the intersectionality between social protection and access to credit. This is a follow up deep dive study to an initial study on social protection and excluded groups.
Some of the emerging issues from Focused group discussions and validation forums include:
- Women groups are the most successful and seem to have greater cohesion than other groups ( youth, men, Persons with disabilities). It was noted that women have benefited more from accessing credit mainly through the group lending model. Participants noted that the Women Enterprise Fund has been instrumental in building the capacity of women groups to understand group dynamics before they start borrowing funds. It was also noted that the repayment rate for women is higher than other groups.
- It was noted that women are efficient in paying loans with less default cases than other population groups with a 90% repayment rate.
- Also emerged that women bear the burden of raising children and other family responsibilities. As such they use most of the money they borrow to meet family basic needs and education of children. This means that although the money is borrowed for business purposes, the funds are diverted to meet basic needs.
- It was noted that the youth find the group model very tedious. Due to their stage in life ( looking for jobs and other opportunities) the youth are highly mobile, therefore containing them in a location so that they can access funds through groups is not possible. It emerged that the group members are likely to move to urban areas in search of job opportunities, making it challenging to remain in a group within the same locality.
- Youth prefer accessing credit from digital lenders because of the efficiency in accessing these loans. There is no paperwork involved and the loan is disbursed within a very short time, and directly on the mobile phone. They feel that this is a very convenient process since it is quick, efficient without any physical movement. This is in contrast to the banks and other funds like the Youth Fund, which have bureaucracies and too much paperwork.
- Digital lending has emerged as one of the most convenient ways of accessing loans. Although the interest charged is high, participants feel that the requirements are fair, and it does not make too many demands of the clients. Additionally the convenience of accessing loans at the comfort of your home or workplace, through the phone is lucrative.
- Men prefer individual loans as opposed to the group lending model.
- It was noted that although people take loans supposedly for business development, it emerged that many people spend the loans on basic needs and education of their children. There is need for capacity building in financial literacy to support proper investment of the borrowed funds.
- Chamas or the group lending model is the popular with women while the youth prefer using the digital lending platform. There is limited bureaucracy in the digital lending platforms.
Child participation is one of the core principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Article 12 of the convention recognizes that children have a right to be heard. According to UNICEF, Child and youth participation in the informed and voluntary involvement of children including those from marginalized groups, children of different ages, and different abilities; in issues that affect them directly and indirectly.
Children’s participation, therefore, is about children having the opportunity to express a view, influence decision-making, and achieve change. It is the informed and willing involvement of children, including the most marginalized and those of different ages and abilities, in any matter concerning them (Save the Children, 2005). There are a number of reasons why child participation is important. These include:
- Child participation enriches the development of children and youth by contributing to their knowledge and skill development, confidence, and motivation and hence increasing their self-esteem.
- Furthermore, it has a positive impact on community engagement and active citizenship. Children can co-decide on matters that affect them directly.
- Children have a right to be heard and they have the right to access information.
- Involving children helps deliver better decisions and necessary services for children. Children contribute more relevant and better-informed responses, solutions, and outcomes that address the best interests of the child.
- It also raises their awareness of their rights by developing and improving protection and advocacy skills.
Nevertheless, it is not practical to engage each and every child in decision-making. Efforts should be made to ensure each child has equal opportunities to participate or be represented in making decisions that affect them. Selecting children to be involved in child participation needs to consider representations on gender, child’s age including both older and younger children, ethnicity, children with special needs, religious background, social and economic background, school attendance, rural or urban area residence, According to FHI (2009),
Children’s participation must aim to be:
- Voluntary: children should never be forced to participate; they don’t have to answer any questions or join in any activities if they don’t want to. This should be made clear to them at the beginning of the program. Written consent by the child and his /her guardian ensure this principle is observed.
- Informed: children and their guardians should know the background, purpose, risk, and possible outcomes of their participation before they can decide whether or not to participate. This can be provided through explanation, texts, tape recordings, visual media, posters, and presentations.
- Meaningful: participation should have a realistic and constructive purpose that benefits all children including the vulnerable children.
- Respectful: participating children should feel that their contributions are valid and their concerns are listened to. This also means that information provided by children should only be shared with other people with clear consent from the, on how and with whom it is shared.
- Safe: the activities, venue, or methodologies used should not put children or adults in danger of physical, psychological, or emotional harm.
Faith-Based Actors have had a very long history and continue to be at the forefront of social service provision. In many countries around the world, Faith-Based Actors complement government service provision including building and running schools, hospitals and other social welfare programs. Faith-based actors are at the forefront of working with vulnerable groups and those who are most at risk. It is estimated that Faith-Based actors provide over 30% of social protection globally and hence the need to make the experience of Faith-Based Actors in social protection count in policy processes and strengthening social protection systems and programs.
APSP is currently working with Faith Based Actors in Uganda and Zimbabwe to strengthen the voice and participation of Faith-Based Actors in Social protection. The project has established steering committees to provide administrative support. The project builds the capacity of Faith-Based actors through the Trainer of Trainer models, to cascade social protection knowledge to actors at different levels. The training are mainly cantered on social protection, but also incorporate aspects of advocacy, tracking of resources for Social protection, and monitoring and participation in state social development budgetary planning, monitoring and accountability.
