This report presents the international evidence on the positive impacts of cash transfers as a mechanism for reducing child poverty and vulnerability, provides information on the pilot cash transfer programs launched in West and Central African countries, and discusses the challenges that need to be addressed in designing, implementing and scaling up such programs in the region. Particular attention is given to targeting in countries where poverty rates are very high, direct means testing is impossible and administrative capacity is low. The report also discusses issues concerning the politics of cash transfers, affordability, the linkages between cash transfers and basic social services, the use of beneficiary conditionality, capacity building for program delivery, and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to learn lessons and generate the evidence needed to marshal political and budgetary support for scale-up.
An in-depth study by Equity for Children about UNICEF’s efforts to reduce child poverty globally
