Child Poverty in Zimbabwe An analysis using the Poverty Income Consumption and Expenditure Survey (PICES) 2017 Data 2019 1 The Zimbabwe Poverty Atlas was produced by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT). Technical and financial support was provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Suggested citation: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) and UNICEF (2019). Zimbabwe Child Poverty Report 2019. Harare, Zimbabwe: ZIMSTAT and UNICEF. This material may be reprinted, quoted or otherwise reproduced, providing that the source is properly acknowledged. Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, 28th Floor Kaguvi Building, Corner S.V. Muzenda and Central, Harare, Tel.: (+263 242) 706681/8 and 703971/7, Internet: www.zimstat.co.zw United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Zimbabwe, 6 Fairbridge Avenue, Belgravia Harare, Tel.: (+263 242) 703941/2, 791812 and 703841, Internet: www.unicef.org/zimbabwe Design and layout: Catapult Media Photographs by: © UNICEF/2015/T. Mukwazhi © UNICEF/2015/G. Nardelli 2 Government of Zimbabwe Child Poverty in Zimbabwe 2019 An analysis using the Poverty Income Consumption and Expenditure Survey (PICES) 2017 Data for every child 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents ii List of tables iii List of figures iv List of abbreviations v Introduction 1 Conceptual framework and methodology 2 Definitions of poverty and concept of well-being 2 Data and methods 2 Findings 5 Geography of child poverty 5 Household structure and child poverty 9 Child poverty and education 17 Health status and access to health care by poor children 21 Pregnancy and child marriage 25 Disabilities 27 Deprivations faced by poor children 29 Summary and conclusions 34 References 35 Annex A: Poverty analysis 36 Annex B: Supplementary tables 38 List of tables Table 1: Child poverty indices, by rural/urban residence and total 5 Table 2: Distribution of poor children by province 8 Table 3: Distribution of poor children by district in Manicaland province 8 Table 4: Child poverty rate, by number of children of different ages in household, rural/urban 13 Table 5: Child poverty and extreme poverty, by category of household head, rural/urban 16 Table 6: Child poverty, by employment status of household member 16 Table 7: Child poverty (per cent poor), by level of education of household head, rural/urban 18 Table 8: Percentage of school-aged children and of girls who do not attend school, by consumption quintile, rural/urban 18 Table 9: Receipt of assistance with school fees, by consumption quintile, rural/urban 21 Table 10: Percentage of pregnant women, by age and whether married to a household head 26 Table 11: Percentage of pregnant women, by age and whether married to a household head, rural/ urban 27 Table 12: Percentage of disabled people, by type of disability and age 27 Table 13: Percentage of children disabled (suffering from any disability), by age group and household 4 poverty status 28 Table 14: Disabilities suffered by infants and young children (aged 5 and below), by household consumption quintile (percentage of children of this age in each consumption quintile suffering) 28 Table 15: Disabilities suffered by older children (10–18), by household consumption quintile 29 Table 16: Percentage of households owning information-related assets, by child poverty status, rural/ urban 30 List of figures Figure 1: Child poverty prevalence, by province and rural/urban residence 7 Figure 2: Child poverty prevalence, by land use 10 Figure 3: Child poverty prevalence, by resettlement type 10 Figure 4: Child poverty, by household size 11 Figure 5: Mean number of children per household, by consumption decile, rural and urban Zimbabwe 12 Figure 6: Proportion of children living in households with zero, one and two of their parents, by consumption quintile 14 Figure 7: Proportion of children unrelated to the household head, by well-being quintile, rural/urban 15 Figure 8: Prevalence of child poverty, by age ranges of the household head, rural/urban 17 Figure 9: School-aged children not in school and not in school for economic reasons, by consumption quintile 19 Figure 10: School-aged girls not in school and not in school for economic reasons, by consumption quintile 20 Figure 11: Receipt of government assistance with school costs, by well-being quintile 21 Figure 12: Reported illness in the past 30 days, by well-being quintile 22 Figure 13: Proportion of children and household members ill, by well-being quintile 23 Figure 14: Reported ill in past 30 days but not receiving care, by well-being quintile 24 Figure 15: Share of ill children and adults not receiving care, by well-being quintile 24 Figure 16: Households with children not receiving health care for economic reasons and those receiving free care, by well-being quintile 25 Figure 17: Information asset ownership by consumption quintile, rural and urban areas 31 Figure 18: Overall quality of housing, sanitation and electricity, by consumption quintile 32 Figure 19: Sanitation and electricity access, by consumption quintile 33 5 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AMTO Assisted Medical Treatment Order BEAM Basic Education Assistance Module FDMP Food Deficit Mitigation Programme FGT Foster–Greer–Thorbecke HoH Head of Household MODA Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis PICES Poverty Income Consumption and Expenditure Survey UNICEF United Nations International Children’s Fund ZIMSTAT Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency 6 7 One 8 Child Poverty in Zimbabwe 2019 Introduction This report describes and analyses monetary child poverty in Zimbabwe, using nationally representative data from the 2017 Poverty Income Consumption Expenditure Survey (PICES). This analysis will help us to (i) understand waivers for poor children. It is therefore crucial the degree of monetary child poverty and to understand how well targeted these waivers its geographical distribution; (ii) identify key are and the extent to which the use of waivers correlates of child poverty, such as household supports participation in school by poor children. characteristics and broader economic conditions; In the health sector, the main package of support (iii) see how access to health and education for poverty reduction also involves fee waivers services varies among poor households with for the poor – the Assisted Medical Treatment children; (iv) understand basic deprivations Order (AMTO); but these waivers provide experienced by poor children; and (v) decompose benefits to only around 25,000 people. As well child poverty into its component parts, in order to as examining how well targeted these two forms quantify the most important deprivations faced of support are, it would be interesting to know by poor children. the extent to which the high costs of schooling and health care affect participation in school and The Government of Zimbabwe relies on a multi- in the use of health facilities, especially among programmatic approach to poverty reduction the poorest children. This analysis will help us that is founded on three pillars: (i) reducing food evaluate the degree to which current challenges poverty; (ii) protecting human capital; and (iii) are being effectively addressed through policy. providing specific support, such as subsidized public transport for the poor and vulnerable, and The government uses several tools to address subsidized agricultural inputs. The findings from food poverty, including the Food Deficit Mitigation this analysis will help policymakers to target poor Programme (FDMP), which is due to be scaled children in a better way, to enhance the design up, despite a funding gap in 2019. The evidence of programmes that address the special needs shows that most social protection packages of poor children, and to provide a benchmark are being delivered to poor households in against which future estimates of child poverty rural areas, while similar households in urban can be assessed. The Government of Zimbabwe areas are being overlooked. Perhaps a bigger is conducting a substantial restructuring of its problem – which is also widely recognized – is Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) that these programmes are not well targeted. and is considering increasing assistance for the Given the stark fiscal conditions in Zimbabwe, education of poor children in urban areas. The it is imperative that scarce resources be well main mechanism for addressing the problems targeted, regardless of sector. of the poor in education is through school fee 9 Two 10 Child Poverty in Zimbabwe 2019 Conceptual Framework And Methodology Definitions Of Poverty And Concept Of Well-Being UNICEF employs the following definition of child poverty: “Children living in poverty [are those who] experience deprivation of the material, spiritual and emotional resources needed to survive, develop and thrive, leaving them unable to enjoy their rights, achieve their full potential or participate as full and equal members of society” (UNICEF 2004). Its reliance on household survey data means that poverty in Zimbabwe, using the Multiple Indicator this report focuses on material resources. These Cluster Survey, the analysis proposed here will include income and liquid and non-liquid assets, focus on monetary (consumption) poverty, and daily food consumption and its variability, access will decompose child poverty measured in terms to services, and other factors affecting child well- of real consumption expenditure per capita in being (welfare). the household. Aware that poverty encompasses multiple dimensions, UNICEF has worked on improving Data and Methods