Modernizing social assistance to promote social inclusion

Armando BarrientosInstitute of Development Studies, University of

Sussex, UKand

Chronic Poverty Research Centrewww.chronicpoverty.org

New forms of social assistance in the South

Innovative responses to poverty and vulnerability– Categorical social transfers – social pension in

South Africa, Bangladesh– Guaranteed employment scheme – India– Conditional social transfers –

PROGRESA/OPORTUNIDADES, Bolsa Familia– Unconditional social assistance – China’s

Minimum Living Standard Scheme– Integrated programmes – Chile Solidario

Social assistance in a developing country context

Social assistance has a key role within social protection in developing countries – high incidence of poverty and vulnerability– limited social insurance, basic services,

and labour standards – …implies social assistance must seek to

protect, promote, and empower – …and address multidimensional poverty– with a focus on households rather than

individualsSocial assistance has a larger and more complex role in developing countries

Integration with labour market policy and inclusion

Linkages to labour market policy are important, well designed social assistance – reduces child labour and improves schooling– facilitates investment in human capital

(nutrition, health, and education)– facilitates the incorporation into employment

of young adults and the unemployed….without significant adverse effects on work incentives among adults

Extending social assistance to all?

more work needs to be done to extend social assistance and protection to all, and as of right, by– removing social exclusion resulting from

programme objectives - Bolsa Escola to Bolsa Familia?

– integrating piecemeal assistance programmes– starting from the poorest

ensure that basic services are strengthened to meet increases in demandintegrate social assistance and activation policieslearning and capacity are essential