In the framework of efforts to fight extreme poverty and recognising the importance and need to protect the poor and vulnerable population, in 2007 Mozambique approved Law No. 4/2007 which structured social protection into three levels, including basic social security. In 2010 the first National Basic Social Security Strategy (ENSSB I) was approved for the period 2010–2014, including a set of old (e.g. the Basic Social Security Programme—PSSB) and new (e.g. the Productive Social Action Programme—PASP) non-contributory social protection programmes, all implemented by the National Institute for Social Action (INAS) under the policy guidance of the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Action (MGCAS). Between 2010 and 2014 there were significant advances: the number of beneficiary households of INAS programmes increased from 254,000 to 427,000; the amount paid by PSSB increased threefold in real terms between 2007 and 2014; and the PASP—a public works scheme—was introduced to cater for poor, labour-unconstrained households. All these changes implied a substantial increase in government expenditures in the area, which rose from 0.22 per cent to 0.51 of gross domestic product (GDP) between 2010 and 2014.