Training vouchers and microfinance tools are often used by multilateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, and governments to increase employment and business oppor¬tunities in low- and middle-income countries. An alternative is putting cash directly in the hands of the poor...

Countries around the world increasingly rely on conditional cash transfers to boost health and education outcomes for the poorest citizens. In developing and middle income countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, cash transfer programs are proving effective in a range of areas, including...

Societies have a stake in ensuring that their youngest populations receive regular health check-ups and proper medical care when needed. Children whose health is protected and nurtured have a better chance of enrolling in school, learning, and growing to be healthy and productive adults, which...

The vision of Pakistan's social protection strategy to reach the poor and vulnerable (2007) is 'to develop an integrated and comprehensive social protection system, covering all the population, but especially the poorest and the most vulnerable'. Consistent with this vision, the goals of the...

Cash transfers are used around the world to better encourage poor families to take advantage of educational offerings by offering financial incentives that can boost their income. The Colombia study shows that these can be an important tool not only for encouraging families to enroll their...

As the second largest African oil producer, Angola had unsustainable government expenditures in effect until 2014 due to the drop in international oil prices. The Government responded with a comprehensive reform program including the gradual elimination of most fuel subsidies and an extension of...

Studies from 2016 on demonstrate that the impact of cash transfers varies based on duration, depending on whether they are distributed over a short (24 months or less) or long (more than 24 months) period. Cash transfers distributed over a long period provide predictability that is associated...

To help policy makers make practical programmatic design choices, this series summarizes recent literature on cash transfers and explains how the design of cash transfer programs can affect outcomes. The series is launched with an initial set of five thematic briefs on benefit size, timing...

Cash-transfer payment mechanisms abound and have diversified greatly in recent years. Payments can be made manually (in person) on a set schedule at a brick-and-mortar location such as a bank, post office, or government office or digitally via mobile money, biometrically authenticated smart...