European countries are much more generous to the poor relative to the US level of generosity. Economic models suggest that redistribution is a function of the variance and skewness of the pre-tax income distribution, the volatility of income (perhaps because of trade shocks), the social costs of...

International surveys reveal wide differences between the views held in different countries concerning the causes of wealth or poverty and the extent to which people are responsible for their own fate. At the same time, social ethnographies and experiments by psychologists demonstrate...

Understanding the factors that limit transitions to decent work remains a central concern for policymakers, as changes in the world of work considerably affect the availability and distribution of quality jobs. Many of these global issues are mirrored in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)....

Standard measures of poverty may reveal nothing about whether the poorest of the poor are being lifted-up or left-behind, yet this is a widespread concern among policy makers and citizens. The paper assesses whether public spending on social protection benefits the poorest and hence lifts the...

Over the last two decades, the number of social assistance programmes has increased across South Asia, as changes in government policies and unprecedented economic growth have led to greater domestic attention to poverty alleviation and social exclusion. This report provides a critical review of...

Over the last two decades, the number of social assistance programmes has increased across South Asia, as changes in government policies and unprecedented economic growth have led to greater domestic attention to poverty alleviation and social exclusion. This report provides a critical review of...

Progressively targeted cash transfers remain the dominant policy response to chronic poverty in developing countries. But are there alternative social protection policies that might have larger poverty impacts over time for the same public expenditure? To explore this question, this paper...

Many South Asian countries experienced changes in government and strong economic growth since the early 2000s. Poverty and social exclusion have received growing attention, and many governments in the region strengthened their commitments to ensure equal access to basic healthcare, education and...

This Research Report summarises an analysis of 51 non-contributory social protection programmes led by central government in the eight countries of South Asia. The sample manages to capture the flagship initiatives of national systems, providing a broad overview of current relevant social...

Many South Asian countries experienced changes in government and strong economic growth since the early 2000s. Poverty and social exclusion have received growing attention, and many governments in the region strengthened their commitments to ensure equal access to basic healthcare, education and...