We develop a framework to assess when social programmes should prioritize expanding coverage versus improving targeting accuracy. Rather than treating universalism and targeting as a binary choice, we derive a practical rule-of-thumb based on observed eligibility rates and programme quotas to...

This paper uses a multidimensional framework that incorporates constraints of accessibility, affordability, and acceptability to examine the determinants of effective access to the contributory component of Bolivia's pension system. Using nationally representative household surveys from 2005 and...

The paper discusses the growing interest in using social protection to address climate-related vulnerabilities and strengthen resilience, particularly in conflict-affected settings. It examines the Productive Safety Net Programme in Ethiopia, highlighting that while social assistance offers a...

This article offers a comprehensive review of Artificial Intelligence's (AI) effects on global labour markets, with a particular focus on developing economies. Drawing on an extensive body of evidence, it demonstrates that AI's disruptive potential diverges markedly from earlier waves of...

This article analyses the capacity of informal worker associations to provide social protection during times of multifaceted crises in Kenya and Tanzania. Focusing on informal workers in the construction, micro-trade and passenger transport sectors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, we...

This paper examines the role of social protection in mitigating the adverse effects of conflict on household welfare. We assess the impact of a graduation intervention linked to Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Programme, focusing on Amhara, a region severely affected by the Tigray conflict....

Low- and middle-income countries are experiencing fast population aging and reductions in extreme poverty, increasing theoretical incentives to save for old age, but empirical evidence on household wealth accumulation over the life cycle is lacking. Using age-cohort-time decompositions on 18...

Joint programming, also referred to as convergence, in social protection and economic inclusion interventions has emerged as a critical strategy for addressing persistent poverty in the Philippines. Despite the government's ambitious target to reduce poverty from 18.1% in 2021 to 9% by 2028,...

This working paper examines Tanzania's social protection system amidst growing humanitarian crises driven by climate change, health epidemics, and regional conflicts. It explores the social protection needs experienced in humanitarian settings, the challenges in implementation and expansion of...

Public works programmes (PWPs) are widely used social protection instruments in low- and middle-income countries. Participants carry out temporary, labour-intensive works in exchange for cash or in-kind compensation. The available empirical evidence indicates that these programmes are usually...

This study aims to quantify the extent to which poor households receiving cash support from the Vision Umurenge Programme (VUP) allocate their income across major spending categories, mainly consumption, savings, household-level investment, and cash transfers for community participation. The...

We analyse the disconnect between the intended design and actual outcomes of Honduras's social protection system. The current framework results in low coverage rates and limited redistribution, and imposes an implicit tax on formal activity. It also discourages productivity-enhancing decisions...

This study investigates the relationship between distinct types of inequality and CO2 emissions using panel data on 156 countries from 1995 to 2020. Using fixed effects panel and quantile regression techniques, we report estimates that indicate that pre-distribution (inequality reduction by...

This systematic review examines the effectiveness of social assistance programmes in protecting households in Africa-a region highly vulnerable to climate change, conflict, and other shocks-during periods of crisis. Despite the significant increase in the number of these programmes over the past...

We assess the impact of a large-scale social protection intervention, Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP), over a 15-year period. We find that the PSNP had a positive impact on food security but inconsistent impacts on assets. There were positive impacts on fertilizer use,...

Climate change and violent conflict are defining challenges of our time. However, it is not yet understood how they interact in shaping human welfare and food security, how their interaction shapes gendered outcomes, or how social protection systems can mitigate their impact. To address these...

The extent of social protection provided to families with children varies according to each country's unique economic, social, and demographic conditions. The most important factors for assessing social protection were studied and identified by means of the multivariate statistical analysis...

In many OECD countries, the majority of social spending is financed from earmarked revenues, and a large share of revenues earmarked for any type of government spending is used for social purposes. Tying revenue sources to specific expenditure categories has a number of potential advantages and...

Poverty maps are a useful tool for the targeting of social programs on areas with high concentrations of poverty. However, a static focus on poverty ignores the temporal dimension of poverty. Thus, current nonpoor households still face substantial welfare volatility and are at risk of becoming...

This paper analyses the effectiveness of tax-benefit systems in reducing poverty and inequality across 13 countries in the Global South. Using national survey data and tax-benefit microsimulation models from the SOUTHMOD project, we provide a cross-country perspective on the redistributive...

This study provides a critical assessment of various fiscal policy instruments - including direct public job creation, active labour market and care policies, social protection measures and tax reforms - and their effectiveness in supporting the most vulnerable groups in the labour market....

When it comes to mental health, do social protection programs matter more in times of crisis? Using panel data from the Philippines around the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study compares depression rates among beneficiaries of an existing conditional cash transfer program to those of...

Zambia's reliance on rain-fed agriculture makes its economy and population highly vulnerable to frequent droughts and irregular rainfall. This paper assesses the role of social protection, specifically the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) program, in mitigating drought-induced poverty and consumption...

The Philippine government's long-term vision, AmBisyon Natin 2040, aims for a prosperous, predominantly middle-class society where no one is poor. The Philippine Development Plan 2023- 2028 emphasizes strategies to develop and protect individual and family capabilities by reducing...

This study explores the social protection and humanitarian emergency nexus in Zambia. Drawing on 25 stakeholder interviews and relevant literature sources, it seeks to (i) identify the social protection needs experienced in the country in the context of different shocks and crises; (ii)...

This study investigates the contribution of Mozambique's flagship social pension programme, the Programa de Subsídio Social Básico, to building resilience against shocks. Applying a fuzzy regression discontinuity approach to bespoke survey data, we separate direct effects of programme...

The Philippines has set an ambitious goal of becoming a predominantly middle-class society free of poverty by 2040. However, this aspiration comes at a time of significant global headwinds that pose risks to the country's development trajectory. Growing the middle class is more closely related...

This study examines the role of social protection policies as a driver of inclusive growth. While some research argues that social protection policies empower marginalized groups, promote human capital, reduce inequality, alleviate poverty and contribute to long-term sustainable development,...