Using social transfers to improve human development

This note provides an introduction to how social transfers "particularly cash transfers and vouchers" can improve human development, especially for the extreme poor and socially excluded. Drawing on social protection and demand-side financing literature, it outlines evidence that investment in social transfers can make scaled up investments in education and health more effective and equitable. It shows the need to balance demand-side and supply-side action. It then examine key considerations in choosing social transfer instruments for human development, and specifies where the evidence base needs strengthening. This briefing seeks to encourage policy coherence and programme complementarity between education and health sectors, and social protection. It is written primarily for programme managers and advisers leading on DFId's engagement with education and health sectors, AIDS and social protection. This note complements the DFID practice paper (2005) . A background paper provides further information.

DFID - February 2006