Cash transfer schemes have grown in popularity in many parts of the world in the past few decades. Numerous studies find that cash transfer programs can be one of the most effective social protection tools at our disposal in the fight against poverty. There is now also growing empirical evidence of how cash transfers can provide quick relief during major economic crises. In addition to economic effects, they may change gender hierarchies and improve the position of women in local society, increase school attendance, and improve nutrition. It is therefore no surprise that cash transfer programs have been warmly embraced by many civil society organizations and international agencies. But is it all win-win? What works and what does not, and how can cash transfers be made even more effective as a tool for global development?

Ugo Gentilini is an economist and the global lead for social assistance at the World Bank. He has worked extensively on the analytics and practice of social protection, including in relation to economic crises, fragility and displacement, and resilience and disaster risk management. He also writes a popular weekly newsletter and is my go-to-person on everything to do with social protection. In a new paper — Cash Transfers in Pandemic Times — Ugo combines analysis of large datasets with a review of about 300 pandemic papers, evaluations, and practical experiences and concludes with 10 lessons from the largest scale up of cash transfers in history. Twitter: @Ugentilini

Key highlights

Introduction – 0.48

Definition and understanding of cash transfers – 3.46

Increased interest in cash transfers – 6.15

Evolution of conditional and unconditional cash transfers – 14.38

Challenges and benefits of cash transfers – 19.33

What works, cash transfers and in-kind transfers - 25.36

Logistical and structural challenges of cash transfers - 31.00

How the pandemic has changed cash transfers – 40.10

Cash transfers going forward and advice for the future – 43.42

Host:

Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik @GlobalDevPod

Show me the money: Why cash transfers matter for development — Ugo Gentilini