Are Cash Transfers the answer for children in Sub-Saharan Africa? A Literature Review

James Manley and Vanya Slavchevska ()
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Vanya Slavchevska: Consultant, Gender Analysis, FAO, Rome, Italy.

No 2016-12, Working Papers from Towson University, Department of Economics

Abstract: Early evidence has been ambiguous on the effects of cash transfer programmes on children, but little has focused on Africa. We review the literature on twenty cash transfer schemes, including twelve from Sub-Saharan Africa. Such interventions have shown improvements in household diet and in some cases to agriculture, but have not always improved child health. However, a larger perspective focusing on the first 1000 days of life reveals more opportunities for impact. In particular the opportunity to empower young women to get secondary education and cut adolescent pregnancy rates can improve the health of African children. Cash transfer programmes seem cost effective, though they are not without flaws.

Keywords: Social protection; cash transfers; Sub-Saharan Africa; child health; adolescent health. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I15 I18 J13 Q15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 27 pages
Date: 2016-06, Revised 2016-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr, nep-agr and nep-net
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:tow:wpaper:2016-12

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