Journal of Social Development in Africa (1998), 13,2,3-4 
Editorial 
The first years of independence in Eastern and Southern Africa constituted a period 
of marked improvement in living standards in much of the region. Social policies 
focused on redressing past imbalances in the provision of social services, with 
primary education and health facilities expanding dramatically and social indicators 
improving in some sectors. However in the 1970s, triggered by national 
policies as well as external factors, economic conditions declined. In the 1980s and 
early 1990s, with the intervention of international financial institutions and the 
adoption of structural adjustment programmes and market-driven development 
strategies, the state began to withdraw from social and economic arenas. 
Economic adjustment has had far-reaching implications for social policy, in that 
it institutionalised a predominant concern with economic performance and efficiency. 
The consequence of this is that social policies have tended to be remedial, 
fragmented and driven by economic imperatives. During the later 1990s, with an 
emphasis on cutbacks, cost-sharing and withdrawal of the state, a number of 
countries in the region have been introducing a range of social policy changes. In 
addition to measures which have included decentralisation of various services, 
retrenchment of state employees and reductions in social expenditures, most 
countries have also implemented measures to address the problem of persistent 
poverty, or deal with the social consequences of adjustment programmes. Many of 
these programmes rely heavily on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for 
programme and service delivery and many have been implemented on the advice 
of and with the support of bilateral and multilateral agencies. 
These social policy changes have become a very topical issue in Eastern and 
Southern Africa, largely as a result of the large-scale economic reforms taking 
place in the region. However, despite its topicality, social policy is still conceptualised 
in inappropriate ways. Historically, social policy has largely been treated as 
the poor cousin of economic policy, as development was conceptualised in purely 
economic terms. Consequently, social policy has traditionally been marginalised 
and has tended to be sectoral. The focus on economic development has not by itself 
brought about qualitative improvements in human welfare. Instead, standards of 
living for the majority, particularly in the African context, continue to deteriorate. 
There is, however, growing realisation that social and economic factors reinforce 
each other and are of mutual concern in promoting genuine development. 
This special issue is one outcome of a regional study into the state of social 
policy practice and research in the Eastern and Southern Africa region, funded by 
the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Ottawa, Canada. This 
study into social policy practice and research has been investigating the responsiveness 
of various countries in the region to the needs of the local populations in
4 Editorial 
each country. More specifically, the study seeks to achieve the following objecpolitics 
and culture. He examines the social policy formulation process in the 
traumatic experience of structural adjustment. He indicates that there are some 
the process and mechanisms of cost-sharing - and suggests that measures are 
bilateral and multilateral agencies to work together as partners in the social policy 
into the situation in Zimbabwe; Masiye, Tembo, Chisanga and Mwansa look at 
Zambia; Mchomvu, Ngalula, Nchahaga, Tungaraza and Maghimbi examine 
It is hoped that a belter understanding of the economic reforms and their social 
consequences will contribute to a deeper appreciation of the need for informed 
social policy within the Eastern and Southern Africa region - and that this will 
assist researchers and policy makers in designing more appropriate and beneficial 
Ta
t
l 
pl tivcs: 
g( (1) to gain an improved understanding of the conceptualisation, organisation, 
in scope and practice of social policy in the region; 
* (2) to determine the priorities for social policy research based on an analysis 
ai of the state and dynamics of social policy practice in the region; 
tli 
(3) to promote information exchange and collaboration among the different 
E countries as the basis for setting up a social policy research network in the 
Pv region; and 
E (4) to enhance social policy as a tool complementary to economic policy for 
C the empowerment of local communities as the basis for sustainable humank 
centred development. 
" Initially Professor Osei-Hwedie offers an overview of the topic of social policy, 
which provides the context for country-specific papers. He points out that a 
*- number of factors have influenced the development of social policy in Eastern and 
Southern Africa, which include a combination of ideology, resource availability, 
p region, pointing out that many governments were caught unprepared by the 
p critical areas which need immediate attention, such as an urgent necessity to review 
E required that will enable governments, NGOs, the private sector, communities and 
E and development arena. 
Further contributions examine the state and dynamics of social policy practice 
F and research in the region. Kaseke, Gumbo, Dhemba and Kasere provide an insight 
^ Tanzania; Mwansa, Lucas and Osei-Hwedie provide an overview of social policy 
H in Botswana and Manyire and Asingwire select Uganda. 
r- policies to address poverty and to accommodate the needs of the population 
1 generally, and those vulnerable groups most affected.