WINDHOEK, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Namibia is developing a social protection policy framework to optimize and accelerate the delivery of social protection programs amid high poverty rate, a government official said Wednesday.

Esther Lusepani, executive director in the Ministry of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, said the country is currently challenged with a fragmented social protection system, thus a harmonised framework will address gaps across manifold segments.

"The development of framework is at an initial stage, and is anticipated to tackle diverse overlapping issues faced by various stakeholders in the delivery of social protection services and systems," she said.

Meanwhile, in efforts to strengthen technical capacity for operational and administrative processes of social protection policies, the ministry is training stakeholders working in various elements of social protection systems.

The training held in Otjiwarongo in the Otjozondjupa region culminated from identified gaps, according to Lusepani.

"Research shows that sub-Saharan countries are challenged with implementing and administering social protection systems, hence the need for this workshop," she said.

According to the official, the transformation training is in particular timely for the country still at the initial stage of developing its social protection framework in the strive to reduce deprivation and socio-economic vulnerabilities.

"Transform comprises of learning materials and methods for adult learning. As well, to help decision makers and practitioners to take ownership in building social protection services through continuous learning and reflective practices," she added.

The workshop, supported by the European Union Social Protection Systems Programme, started on Feb. 25 and will end on March 1.

The Namibian government has committed 8.7 percent of its state budget to social protection interventions in the current fiscal year.