The COVID-19 pandemic has caused massive disruptions to the global economy and forced policymakers to respond to the newly created challenges. Many policy institutions have therefore had to rethink their established approaches and their usual policy responses.

MDG progress is measured in terms of national averages but these statistical averages often disguise that progress has not accrued to those at the bottom - arguably those who need it most. Social protection is essential to accelerate MDGs with equity by facilitating access to essential services...

Public service providers, especially frontline school teachers and health workers at local levels, are crucial to positive outcomes for children. Low pay is a key factor behind staff absenteeism, informal fees and brain drain. In past crises, pay levels for teachers and health workers have...

This concept note outlines a Recovery for All strategy to ensure that crisis recovery efforts benefit children and households, rather than accentuating social and economic disparities. The approach is premised on strong collaboration among UN agencies and other international agencies that work...

The article reviews announced fiscal stimulus packages in 43 countries. In March 2009, the total announced for stimulus plans is US$ 2.18 trillion, or 3.5% of world's GDP, mostly in higher income economies. The majority of these recovery packages contain measures to stimulate firms, consumers,...

This United Nations Policy Note on Social Policy provides practical guidance on how to operationalize alternative equitable and employment-generating social policies in National Development Strategies. This Policy Note has been developed in cooperation with UN agencies, and has been officially...

This paper argues why countries should give priority to developing cross-border regional social policies. The first part presents the conceptual case for regional social policies in terms of how the social dimension of regionalism can provide an alternative to the current pattern of...

This study examines how austerity measures may have adversely affected children and women in a sample of 128 developing countries in 2012. It relies on International Monetary Fund (IMF) fiscal projections and IMF country reports to gauge how social assistance and other public spending decisions...

The paper reviews poverty trends and measurements, poverty reduction in historical perspective, the poverty-inequality-growth debate, national poverty reduction strategies, criticisms of the agenda and the need for redistribution, international policies for poverty reduction, and ultimately...