UN sees hope in African uptake of child welfare payments
Social protection benefits, and cash transfers particularly, also improve food security, health and access to education, study reads
Geneva — The spread of state welfare for children around Africa has the potential to make a major dent in global poverty, the UN said on Wednesday. Children account for the majority of those around the world in extreme poverty, living on less than $1.90 a day, with half of them in Africa, where social security systems are weak. Globally, about a third of children are covered by social protection programmes, but this ranges from 88% in Europe and Central Asia to 16% in Africa, a new study by two UN bodies reads. “The evidence shows clearly that social protection benefits, and cash transfers in particular, have a positive impact on poverty, food security, health and access to education — thus helping to ensure that children can realise their full potential, breaking the vicious cycle of poverty,” it reads. Cash on its own is not a magic bullet and should be part of broader policies, supported by other benefits such as school meals, reads the study by the International Labour Organisat...
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