Promoting Pro-Poor Growth: Social Protection - OECD 2009

Social protection directly reduces poverty. It helps poor women and men better tackle vulnerability and embark on more sustainable routes out of poverty, for example by more successful participation in the labour market. Social protection is also an investment in people. It helps them better manage the trade-offs between satisfying immediate needs and building better livelihoods for the future. There is a growing body of evidence showing that social protection programmes are effective and there is now strong political interest in the contribution they can make to growth-enhancing strategies to lead developing countries out of the present global crisis.

This report by the DAC Network on Poverty Reduction (POVNET) shows that social protection programmes can be affordable, including in the poorest countries, when they are well designed and well implemented. Countries can start off small and expand coverage and benefits over time, on the basis of emerging evidence and expanding support. But social protection needs strong and long-term political will and commitment as well to deliver lasting benefits.