Millions of pounds of international development funds are invested annually in social protection programmes to tackle poverty. Poverty is perpetuated by risk and vulnerability, much of which is gendered. Despite this, little attention has been paid to gender-sensitive policy and programme design and implementation. Gender and Social Protection in the Developing World introduces a much-needed gender lens to these debates. Drawing on empirical evidence from poor households and communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America, the book provides rich insight into the effects of a range of social protection instruments. It concludes that with relatively simple changes to design and with investment in implementation capacity, social protection can contribute to transforming gender relations at the individual, intrahousehold and community levels. With a foreword by Stephen Devereux.
Why social protection needs a gender lens 1. Key concepts in gender and social protection 2. The gendered patterning of vulnerability, risk and resilience 3. Transferring income and assets: only part of the solution for gender-sensitive poverty reduction 4. Working one's way out of poverty: public works through a gender lens 5. Insuring against shocks: the gendered dimensions of insurance 6. Ensuring access to state provision: towards more gender-sensitive subsidy schemes 7. Why politics matters: a gendered political economy approach to social protection 8. Conclusions and recommendations: advancing gender-sensitive social protection
