Social Protection Tool sheet- Targeting Social Transfers ODI 2010

This paper seeks to provide a practical approach to navigating through decisions about whom to target with respect to social transfers. It outlines the minimum data and information requirements for good decision making on targeting. For organisations working with people dependent on the informal economy, the debate on "if, how and when" to target groups may seem too academic.  It is, nevertheless important to understand how decisions on this subject are made so as to be in a good positoion to advocate with and for people dependent on the informal economy regarding social transfers. The article provides a good tool summary of the issues to consider. 

Before detailing specific considerations, the article notes that debates about whether and how best to target social transfers towards maximum poverty reduction impacts provoke strong reactions from different stakeholders in social protection policy and programming. Some argue that, given scarce resources in developing countries, targeting based on financial poverty indicators is essential if programmes are to reach the poorest households whilst still being affordable. Others argue that, where poverty is generalised across the population, simpler approaches such as universal benefits to those in particular easily identifiable demographic groups (such as children and the elderly) are more appropriate and can address wider dimensions of poverty beyond income.