Several recent events and workshops stand testimony to the fact that Zambia is putting the issue of social protection firmly on its agenda. RHVP sponsored a series of radio discussion programmes around social protection and several stakeholders, including officers from the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, featured on the programmes. RHVP is one of 10 Civil Society Organisations invited to attend and present at a series of workshops to sensitise government officials, civil society, academia and policy-makers on social protection. These workshops will be held by the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services in collaboration with Maastricht University and funded by, amongst others, Irish Aid and GTZ and will run from November 2007 to February 2008.

In November 2007 RHVP was invited to the launch of the strategic plan for the Ministry of Community Development and Social services from 2007-2011 as well as successfully holding a National Consultation meeting on the Africa Wide Platform for Expanded Social Protection in collaboration with the Grow Up Free From Poverty Coalition (GUFFP). RHVP was further given the responsibility of leading and spearheading this initiative in Zambia. RHVP is now part of the Social Protection Sectoral Advisory Group (SP-SAG) chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services.

RHVP has made great strides in promoting awareness and increasing understanding of social protection issues in Zambia in 2007 and will continue to do so in 2008.