The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare has launched a pilot of the Zimbabwe Social Registry (ZISO) in Nkayi District, in a move aimed at improving the targeting of social protection programmes and ensuring assistance reaches the most vulnerable households.
In a statement yesterday, the Ministry said the social registry will serve as a centralised database designed to identify and profile vulnerable individuals and families across the country.
“A social registry is a database that helps Government easily identify the most vulnerable individuals in our communities.
It is a way to gather information about vulnerable individuals or families so that support reaches those who need it most,” the Ministry said.
The Ministry said the initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT), with enumerators currently collecting data on households in Nkayi as part of the pilot phase.
“The Zimbabwe Social Registry is being piloted in Nkayi District, where enumerators are actively gathering data within communities to build a comprehensive and reliable database,” the statement added.
According to the Ministry, the registry is expected to strengthen the country’s social protection system by enhancing efficiency, transparency and fairness in the distribution of assistance.
“It is a safety net that ensures the right help gets to the right people at the right time without any form of discrimination,” the Ministry said.
The Ministry added that the registry will support evidence-based decision-making and improve coordination across Government programmes targeting vulnerable groups.
“By consolidating information in one platform, the Zimbabwe Social Registry will enable better planning, reduce duplication of assistance and improve the overall effectiveness of social protection interventions,” it said.
The Ministry said lessons from the Nkayi pilot will inform the national rollout of the programme, with expectations that the system will be expanded to other districts in due course.
“The pilot phase will provide critical insights into data collection processes, community engagement and system functionality, which will guide the scaling up of the registry nationwide,” the statement said.
The Ministry also emphasised the importance of community participation in ensuring the success of the programme.
“We encourage communities to cooperate with enumerators and provide accurate information, as this will help Government design and deliver more responsive social protection programmes,” it said.
The development comes as Government continues to implement a range of social safety nets, including support for vulnerable children, the elderly and households affected by economic shocks.
Social registries are widely used globally as tools for managing social protection programmes, enabling governments to efficiently identify beneficiaries and allocate resources to those most in need.
