Complaints handling system improves social cash transfer operations

When 51-year-old Nancy James from Chimphutsi Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Maseya in Chikwawa district tragically lost her daughter in July 2022, she was faced with the overwhelming responsibility of taking in two more grandchildren.

As the head of one of the 293 000 Malawian families which depend on the Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) to sustain their dietary, educational and other basic needs, she needed additional funds to support her expanded family.

However, despite the pressing need to add the two grandchildren to her case management form, weeks turned into months without any progress, forcing her to stretch her already limited income, and supplement it through piecework and farming activities despite her old age.

Fortunately, in late 2023, she was assisted after she sought the help of Nkudzi Cluster Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) committee, which followed up with the district’s social welfare office and was successfully able to update her case form with her two new dependents’ information, consequently increasing her cash transfer monthly allocation.

Nancy's story is an example of the struggles many people under social protection programmes have been facing to convey their grievances.

But GRM committees, like that of Nkudzi Cluster, are proving effective in addressing this challenge and enhancing accountability in social protection initiatives such as the Social Cash Transfer and the Climate-Smart Enhanced Public Works programmes.

The Nkudzi Cluster GRM committee chairperson Wellington Mentao says they serve as a vital link between the communities and duty bearers, and ensure all reported cases are resolved.

“Typical cases we manage include challenges in updating new dependent information on the case management forms, discrepancies in benefit allocations within families, and the widespread concerns regarding inadequate cash transfers as the beneficiaries feel the amounts are insufficient to meet their basic needs,” he says.

Dalitso Kalimba, Deputy Director for Social Protection in the Department of Economic Planning and Development under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, says the Government of Malawi set up the GRM committees at different levels in districts and villages.

“The current harmonized GRM is addressing the fragmentation of structures, streamlining processes and ensuring the anonymity of complainants where necessary,” he says.

Dumisani Maona, Social Welfare Officer for Chikwawa district says the committees have empowered project participants who once felt powerless to freely voice their concerns.

He says the committees comprise stakeholders from different sectors, including government departments, local leaders, community representatives and independent observers, who ensure transparency and fairness in the grievance redress process.

“If grievances are not resolved satisfactorily, it reflects poorly on the responsible government agency, which pushes them to improve their processes and responsiveness,” says Maona.

“Grievances raised through the GRM committees also provide valuable feedback on the shortcomings in social protection programmes. This feedback loop allows policymakers and administrators to identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the initiatives.”

By addressing grievances promptly and fairly, Maona says the GRM committees also reduce opportunities for malfeasance, corruption and mismanagement of social cash transfer resources.

In cases where beneficiaries may fear retaliation or repercussions for lodging grievances through the committees against persons involved in the social protection programmes, Maona says community members are able to report the complaints through a toll-free number 351, which is managed by a national call centre.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), with support from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), is one of the partners supporting the digitization of the Harmonized GRM through the call centre and GRM Management Information Systems (MIS).

UNICEF Social Policy Officer Tapiwa Zimba says the success and credibility of social protection initiatives like the social cash transfer programme rely on their ability to respond to grievances, both claims and complaints, to ensure the targeted families, such as Nancy’s household, receive livelihood support, build resilience against shocks and get out of extreme poverty.