The potential of universal basic income schemes to mitigate shocks: Comparing the performance of universal basic income in Uganda and Zambia during COVID-19

Enrico Nichelatti, Maria Jouste and Pia Rattenhuber

No wp-2024-21, WIDER Working Paper Series from World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER)

Abstract: The debate over universal basic income (UBI) has gained traction in the developing world in recent years. We analyse the effects of four UBI schemes on poverty and inequality measures during normal times and times of crisis in Uganda and Zambia. We use static microsimulation models and nationally representative household surveys for each country. Our results show that in Zambia, where the existing social protection benefits have more extensive coverage, the least generous UBI benefit leads to higher poverty and inequality compared to existing benefits.

Keywords: Universal basic income; COVID-19; Microsimulation; Poverty; Inequality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev and nep-lma
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