The evolution of priority for the care of orphans and vulnerable children in Zambia

Given the severe impacts of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and chronic poverty, the care of orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC) is a significant national issue in Zambia. This article examines the evolution of governance and policy for the care of OVC and identifies the factors that have shaped Zambia’s priority for and capacity to address this issue. We find Zambia’s policy for family reintegration of OVC has been strengthened in the last decade, driven by international actor engagement, gradual efforts to improve child welfare and protection more broadly, and data gathered on gaps in children’s care facilities. However, government commitment and governance for the care of OVC remain weak given historical impacts of economic and health crises, which have eroded the traditional kinship care system, amplified capacity gaps, and consequently led to significant dependence on international actors. Together, these influences have fragmented and weakened governance of the issue. Proponents will need to address three challenges to enhance state commitment and governance for OVC care. First, government capacity to address OVC care needs to be augmented so that it can exercise effective coordination and hold other actors to account. Second, policy to address underlying drivers of vulnerability needs to be enhanced, to avert the very problems that put children at risk in the first place. Third, networks that link OVC care actors need to be more inclusive to improve the quality of policymaking and implementation, and to enable these networks to push the government to strengthen its commitment to this sector.