"Come and Hope with Me!" This was the rallying call by South African Mongane Serote to draw the world's attention to the battle fought by his people against Apartheid. It is in this spirit that we invite readers to explore this special edition of Policy in Focus. This issue is dedicated to the...

The increase in inequality over the last few decades in most of the world has been a constant source of concern for policymakers and analysts. Inequality can hinder economic growth, reduce well-being and increase poverty. It also fuels social unrest and reduces social cohesion. Great attention...

The Bolsa Familia Programme (PBF) is a conditional cash transfer (CCT) programme which is aimed at guaranteeing a minimum level of income to poor families and at the same time promoting access to education and health services by beneficiary children, and to social assistance more generally by...

Social transfers are increasingly seen as a key tool in Eastern and Southern Africa to combat the triple threat of chronic poverty, hunger and HIV/AIDS. Targeting effectiveness in defining which groups are eligible and how these groups are identified is fundamental to the impact of these...

Conditional cash transfer (CCT) programmes have been under close scrutiny with regard to their impacts on intermediate outcomes such as increase in school attendance, improved nutrition, higher immunization rates and attendance to at pre- and postnatal care and health checks for children. But it...

Soares (2012) argues that differences in the original design of Oportunidades and Bolsa Família as well as the distinct role these programmes play in the broader social protection systems of México and Brazil respectively are key in helping illuminate the nature of the incremental changes that...

El Salvador?s Red Solidaria was designed in 2005 as a Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme with the traditional objectives of short-term poverty alleviation and incentives for investment in human capital. In addition to the CCT component, it had two other components: one related to...

Even though substantial progress has been achieved worldwide in reducing both poverty and malnutrition, much is yet to be done. There are signs that the progress made in both dimensions has stalled in recent years. This special issue of Policy in Focus is dedicated to answering a crucial...