How Jharkhand is setting a precedent for universal social security in India: where there’s a will…

Who would’ve guessed that one of the boldest moves in designing social security benefits would come from—not even a country—but a state in India called Jharkhand? For those unfamiliar, Jharkhand is one of India’s poorest states,¹ nestled in the country’s eastern region, often making headlines for its mineral wealth rather...

27/01/2025

Thidwick in Ethiopia

By Nicholas Freeland Many years ago, in an early online discussion about graduation, hosted by the Centre for Social Protection, John Hoddinott memorably likened social protection to a character in his favourite children’s book, Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose. I would like to borrow his splendid analogy to talk about Ethiopia’s...

10/12/2024

Come on and open up your heart!

By Nicholas Freeland I very much enjoyed Stephen’s humble and courageous admission that he is a reformed poverty-targeter! And I admire his plaintive appeal to all deluded believers in poverty targeting: “please, look at the evidence”. But I am not sure that evidence is the answer. After all, as Stephen...

01/11/2024

Confessions of a [former] true believer in poverty targeting

I have a confession to make: I used to be a true believer in poverty targeting. I know, it’s shocking to hear and difficult for me to admit, but we all, at some time, need to come face-to-face with the Truth Commission and confess our sins. One positive that comes...

25/10/2024

9 ways social protection can address gender-based violence

In this blog, Dr. Tara Patricia Cookson and Dr. Lorena Fuentes explore how social protection systems can play a crucial role in addressing gender-based violence (GBV). Drawing from their extensive research, they outline four key pathways and five design features that can help break the cycle of violence and empower...

21/10/2024

Social protection is a prerequisite for climate justice

In this blog, Shahra Razavi, Ian Orton, Jana Bischler, Umberto Cattaneo, Krithi Dakshina Ramaswamy, Isabella Kopp, Celine Peyron Bista, Lou Tessier and Veronika Wodsak discuss the main findings of the new ILO World Social Protection Report 2024: Universal social protection for climate action for a just transition and distil the...

04/10/2024