• Introduction

Introduction to livelihoods and social protection

This paper, produced by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) for DFID, examines mechanisms for social protection in low income countries, clarifying the meaning of social protection and its role within poverty reduction. It argues that social protection policies can help to fulfil states’ obligations to ensure basic rights for all individuals; can have a positive rather than a restraining impact on economic growth; can help to shape the pattern of economic growth in favour of the poor; and can be affordable even in low-income countries.

The paper recommends that social protection should be linked with efforts to enhance livelihoods, so that vulnerability to shocks (unexpected events affecting household income) is reduced in the longer term. It argues that a combination of different policy instruments is needed to make a significant difference, and offers a set of criteria by which individual instruments can be judged in particular contexts. For most low income countries, some combination of strengthened safety nets, cash transfers conditional on children attending school, and basic social assistance, is likely to be most effective. The paper also argues that: targeting is a less than ideal approach to protection; the role and effects of informal provision should be acknowledged; and national ownership of policies agreed with donor agencies is essential.

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