Evidence Generation from the Gender and Nutrition Sensitive 1,000 Days in Social Cash Transfer pilot. Final report

To more effectively reduce poverty and simultaneously improve the nutrition and health of vulnerable children under two years old, as well as pregnant, breastfeeding women, and adolescent girls, the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS), with technical assistance from UNICEF under the United Nations Joint Programme for Social Protection (UNJPSP – Phase II), is implementing the 1,000 Days in SCT pilot. This initiative is financially supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), and Irish Aid. The pilot targets the critical first 1,000 days of life (from conception to 24 months), a period vital for optimal child growth and development. It combines cash transfers with nutrition and health services, benefiting up to 12,500 households in four pilot districts across Zambia: Chipata, Kalabo, Mpika, and Mwinilunga.

A consortium of researchers from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) in the UK and the Department of Social Work & Sociology at the University of Zambia used a combination of evaluation and implementation research to evaluate both the effectiveness and implementation outcomes of the 1,000 Days in SCT pilot.

This final report presents a synthesis of all collected data, including quantitative and qualitative baseline data (collected between October and December 2022), a second round of qualitative data (collected between April and May 2023), the quantitative endline survey and a third round of qualitative data (both collected between October and December 2023), and a fourth round of qualitative data (collected between May and June 2024). Internal Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) data are also included. This report also includes an impact assessment of the pilot, based on a quasi-experimental analysis, comparing outcomes between the treatment group (new beneficiaries who received cash transfers and health and nutrition services) and the comparison group (who did not receive these benefits) across all four pilot districts. Previous reports validated by MCDSS, UNICEF, and other key stakeholders, include the Inception Report, the Baseline Report, the Mixed Methods Midline Report, and the Year 2 Report.