The Pension scheme has compulsory coverage for all employed persons between ages 16 and 65 who are citizens or residents of Zimbabwe. A universal coverage is to be achieved first by employees in all sectors with the exception of domestic workers and civil servants. Later, it will cover civil servants and then domestic workers, and self-employed workers and informal-sector employees.
The Contributory Social Insurance is designed to provide worker Compensation benefits, Pension and Provident Fund benefits and sickness and disability benefits. The non-contributory state assistance is provided in the form of disability grants, welfare assistance and compensation for war victims as well as support to war veterans.
There are a few social schemes in the country such as fee waiver for medical treatments, and a Protracted Relief Programme which gives inputs, vouchers, food aid for the poorest communities, particularly in case of HIV/AIDS. The government focuses on public works programmes rather than in cash transfers.
The Public Assistance Programme, established by the Welfare Assistance Act (Zimbabwe, 1988) is a government programme which includes a cash grant for the chronically poor. Administrated by the Department of Social Welfare, eligibility criteria include people who are destitute, unable to work for a living and either over 65 years of age, disabled or chronically ill. Recipients must also have no known family who can look after them.
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