HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 327681,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/327681/?format=api",
"text_counter": 358,
"type": "other",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "state that once this policy is passed, then the three arms of social protection will be covered within that policy, where you have the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and then the National Social Assistance Authority (NSAA). That is the point at which this Bill fits; the National Social Assistance Authority. The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Development is intending to move the National Social Protection Bill, which will establish the National Social Protection Council. This council will co-ordinate the three aspects of social protection. These are security, insurance and social assistance. So, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Social Assistance Bill that I am moving is really based on Article 43 of the Constitution that expressly guarantees all Kenyans their economic, social and cultural rights, including the basic rights to health, education, food and even to decent livelihoods. It expressly or explicitly asserts the rights of every person, including the right to social security. Article 43 (3) says:- “The State shall provide appropriate social security to persons who are unable to support themselves and their dependants.” Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, social assistance or social protection is really well covered in the sense that Kenya has actually ratified international agreements. For example, we have ratified the Universal Declaration on Human Rights of 1948, which recognizes social protection as a fundamental human right for all citizens of the world. Otherwise include the International Convention on the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1967. We also have the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women of 1979; the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the African Charter on the Welfare of the Child and several others. You will find that most of these are conventions that Kenya has ratified. They guarantee a universal minimum package of social transfers and services consisting of access to education, essential health services, income security through family and child benefits, unemployment benefits, disability benefits et cetera. Kenya being a member State of the East African Community (EAC) is also party to wide ranging provisions on the harmonization and the co-ordination of social security that guides the actions of the partner states. The Kenyan Government and its development partners are currently actually implementing several assistance interventions that are specifically targeting specific categories of beneficiaries. If we look at the issue of cash transfers, we have cash transfers that are given to orphans and vulnerable children; we have cash transfers to older persons; we have cash transfers under the hunger safety nets and we even have the cash transfers under the urban food subsidies. Some of these are in the piloting stage while others are actually ongoing running projects. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, under food distribution which is another Government initiative, we have the school feeding programmes, even expanded school feeding and even the general emergency relief food which, again, is particularly being carried out in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) areas. In terms of public works, which is still another way of assisting Kenyans, we have the Kazi kwa Vijana (KKV), despite its many myriad of problems. It is also another initiative that the Government is giving to its citizens to assist them, particularly the unemployed youth. In terms of grants, you have, for example, the programme from the Ministry of Agriculture; Njaa Marufuku which again, is giving grants of fertilizer and seeds to vulnerable groups in the society."
}