Toward universal social protection for the informal sector in Harare (Zimbabwe)

Debate on Zimbabwe’s social protection has intensified, as the National Social Protection Policy Framework aims to regularize the informal sector. Historically, social protection in Zimbabwe has been elitist, although efforts like those made by the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) officially sought inclusivity. This study examines the exclusion of the informal sector from the NSSA since its inception in 1998. Qualitative research and interviews with vendors and key informants reveal that current schemes exclude informal workers, hence the push toward formalizing and regularizing the informal sector.