Apr 5, 2016
Addis Ababa meeting aims to expand impact of government-led cash transfer programmes
A silent revolution has been taking place in Africa, with governments expanding investment in social protection and national cash transfer programmes. Direct, predictable cash payments for poor and vulnerable households now operate in nearly 40 African countries. To help governments answer questions of how to most effectively improve outcomes for poor populations in a cost-effective manner, the Transfer Project will convene a major international workshop for policymakers, researchers, and UN experts in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 6-8 April 2016. The participants will discuss rigorous research findings and future directions of government cash transfer programmes in Africa and beyond.
The workshop timing is particularly important as countries are in the process of developing their strategies to address the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Notably, the SDGs specifically target numerous outcomes with underlying poverty-related factors, which can be improved through mechanisms like cash transfers. The workshop will provide a unique opportunity for those crafting policy and those examining the evidence to discuss lessons learned and new ways forward.
Sessions will provide results from ongoing impact evaluations, as well as discuss prospective evaluations highlighting innovative programme designs. This includes discussions around transfers combined with other complementary interventions, known as “cash plus” programming, as they relate to education, health and nutrition, food security, productive activities, safe transitions to adulthood for youth, and overall household resilience.
UNICEF Ethiopia and FAO Ethiopia are jointly hosting the event, with Transfer Project partners from across UNICEF, FAO’s From Protection to Production (PtoP) Project, Save the Children UK and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill leading various sessions. The approximately 80 participants will include government partners implementing cash transfer programmes and social protection experts from academic institutions, non-governmental organizations and international development agencies. Representatives from 14 African countries will be in attendance, and for the first time, 4 Asian countries will also participate in the event.
Lead Transfer Project team members and organizers for the event are available for interviews:
Sudhanshu (Ashu) Handa, Chief, Social Policy and Economic Analysis, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti; Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Ben Davis, Strategic Programme Leader ai, Rural Poverty Reduction, FAO
Remy Pigois, Chief, Research, Evaluation, Policy and Monitoring, UNICEF Ethiopia
Jenn Yablonski, Social Protection Specialist, UNICEF
Natalia Winder Rossi, Senior Social Protection Specialist, FAO
Tia Palermo, Social Policy Specialist, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti
For more information, contact Michelle Mills: mmills@unicef.org or Massimiliano Terzini: Massimiliano.terzini@fao.org
Visit the Transfer Project website: https://transfer.cpc.unc.edu/ (click here to access past meetings and events).
For the most up-to-date information on Transfer Project research and the workshop, follow on Twitter @TransferProject and Facebook www.facebook.com/TransferProject
Hashtag for the event: #TPAddis16
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