Reaching the Poor and Vulnerable in Africa Through Social Safety Nets

Abstract

Reports that the number of new social safety net programs launched has increased in Africa over the last decade, and every African country has established at least one social safety net program. Program design varies across the region, with the most common programs focused on cash transfers, public works, or school feeding. Evolving designs feature more use of cash, programs designed to respond to climate change, a concentration on productive capacity and resilience, and programs promoting human capital development. Among all programs, 29 percent directly target children through nutrition interventions, benefits aimed at orphans and other vulnerable children, school feeding programs, provision of school supplies, and education benefits or fee waivers; 31 percent target households more broadly; and some programs can achieve gender-relevant impacts if they are thoughtfully designed with this aim. Although programs have been expanded, most of the poor in Africa are still not covered by social safety nets.

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