A/HRC/20/25 Information received indicates that the share of funds allocated to social protection remains less than 0.2 per cent of GDP. Budgetary allocation to social protection as a percentage of the total budget continues to decline, from 2.48 per cent of the budget in 2010, to 2.4 per cent in 2012. These persistent reductions, particularly in the context of economic growth, could amount to retrogressive measures inconsistent with the obligations of Zambia under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Such reductions will likely undermine the effectiveness of the country’s social protection programmes and impede their proposed expansion under the SNDP. 49. The Special Rapporteur received information indicating some improvements with regard to her recommendations on the need to design and implement cash transfer programmes in compliance with human rights norms, such as accountability and access to information. These include the current development of a new communication and advocacy strategy for social protection and more complaints procedures at local levels. The Special Rapporteur particularly welcomes the adoption of a categorical targeting approach in some cash transfer programmes and, in this regard, reminds the Government that human rights principles must be respected in the design, implementation and evaluation of those programmes. 50. The Special Rapporteur forcefully reiterates that the Government of Zambia must adopt an adequate legal and institutional framework to ground and regulate the national social protection system and ensure its long-term political and financial support. 51. The Special Rapporteur had also stressed the importance of developing a more coordinated, comprehensive social protection strategy. In this regard, information received suggests that coordination has improved among the Government, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other stakeholders implementing the child grant programme. The Special Rapporteur encourages the Government to continue its collaborative efforts to expand the reach of that programme. She also welcomes the focus in the SNDP on coordination of the various social protection schemes. C. Situation of people vulnerable to poverty 1. Women 52. Zambia has taken a number of steps to address gender inequality and discriminatory practices against women since the Special Rapporteur’s visit, including the adoption of the National Plan of Action on Gender-Based Violence (2010-2014) and the production of comprehensive national guidelines on the management of cases of gender-based violence (A/HRC/17/26/Add.4, para. 44). The Special Rapporteur welcomes these developments, in line with her recommendation in this regard, and urges the Government to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Anti-Gender-Based Violence Act 2011. Despite the important advances, women continue to experience discrimination and be denied the right to land ownership, especially under customary law; the Special Rapporteur urges the Government to take action on those issues. 2. Children 53. According to the latest available information, extreme poverty and malnutrition continue to affect a large percentage of Zambian children.24 The Special Rapporteur therefore calls on the Government to finalize the draft national plan of action for orphans and vulnerable children. The Special Rapporteur notes the proposal in the SNDP to increase 24 Save the Children, A Life Free from Hunger (London, 2012), p. 16. 11