Social Protection in Africa - Softcover

Ellis, Frank; Devereux, Stephen; White, Phillip

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1848443641 ISBN 13: 9781848443648

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2009

Synopsis

This timely book makes accessible to a broad audience the ideas, principles and practicalities of establishing effective social protection in Africa. It focuses on the major shift in strategy for tackling hunger and vulnerability, from emergency responses mainly in the form of food transfers to predictable cash transfers to the chronically poorest social groups.

The first part of the book comprises nine theme chapters, covering vulnerability, targeting, delivery, coordination, cost-effectiveness, market impacts, and asset effects, while the second part consists of fifteen social protection case studies. The continuous interplay between these two parts makes for a unique contribution to the contemporary literature on social protection. The book takes a positive and forward looking view regarding the feasibility of achieving successful social transfers to the poorest in Africa; nevertheless, a critical stance is taken where appropriate, and unresolved strategic issues regarding the targeting, coverage and scale of social transfers are highlighted.

Social Protection in Africa is an essential read for personnel, advisors and consultants working for aid donors, United Nations agencies, NGOs and governments on social transfer programmes in sub-Saharan African countries. In addition, the book represents a valuable resource for training courses on social protection, and will be vital reading for Masters level students and researchers studying emergency relief, social protection, vulnerability and poverty reduction in low-income countries.

About this title

About the Author:

Frank Ellis, Professor, School of Development Studies, University of East Anglia, UK, Stephen Devereux, Fellow, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK and Philip White, Research Fellow, School of Development Studies, University of East Anglia, UK

About this edition

• Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1848443641
• ISBN 13: 9781848443648
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304