Knowledge Products
Social Protection and the Urgent Need for Expanded Cash Transfers in Africa: Challenges and the Way Forward
Cash transfers play a crucial role in enhancing social protection in Africa. They provide much-needed stability to vulnerable populations, enabling families to withstand economic shocks and reduce indebtedness. Evidence from the World Bank highlights the numerous benefits of cash transfer programs, including improved per capita consumption, nutrition, education, savings, and reductions in teen pregnancies, child marriages, mental health issues, and intimate partner violence. Additionally, cash transfers spur economic growth by encouraging recipients to seek employment or engage in entrepreneurial activities without hindering overall economic activity or labor market participation. While external support can aid in funding such programs, it is essential for governments to spearhead the design and execution of cash transfer initiatives. Importantly, cash transfers are a viable and cost-effective solution even in lower-income countries, with the potential to start small and expand gradually. Unconditional cash transfers are highlighted as particularly effective, being easier to implement, requiring less bureaucratic oversight, and yielding better outcomes compared to targeted or conditional approaches. For optimal impact, cash transfer programs should be integrated with other social protection measures, such as healthcare, insurance, and public works initiatives. Leveraging new financial technologies can enhance program efficiency, but it is essential for governments to regulate them rigorously to prevent financial exploitation. The upfront costs of funding cash transfer programs pale in comparison to the potential crises that could arise in their absence, underscoring their value and importance in promoting social well-being and economic stability.
Governance and provision of basic social services as a means of Conflict prevention in West Africa and the Sahel Region
This policy paper examines the challenges of conflict prevention and sustaining peace in West Africa and the Sahel. It considers the role of weak or failed public service delivery as a source of conflict in this wider region. It argues that weak service delivery results from factors within and beyond any government's capacity to handle while emphasizing that weak service delivery results from the intersection of six different dynamics at a particular juncture in the region's historical development.
The dynamics are intertwined and must be addressed holistically if efforts geared at conflict prevention and resolution are to be meaningful. Governments must redistribute national resources to address widening inequalities and confront corruption, while international partners should create benign economic conditions enabling West African and Sahelian economies to flourish.
Governance and the State of Public Service Delivery in East Africa and the Horn of Africa Region: Impact on Peace and Security
East Africa has been the fastest-growing economic region on the continent in recent years, despite the drop in 2020 due to the economic fallout of the global pandemic1. The Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) has recorded some gains in the region’s human development scores which have accompanied this economic growth. However, East Africa and the Horn states remain fragile due to pockets of insecurity in the region and the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This paper links East Africa and the Horn of Africa’s governance and service delivery challenges to the region’s chronic insecurity and instability. The region is plagued by protests, insurgency and low-intensity communal conflicts, creating a vicious cycle where the destruction of infrastructure from violence and mass displacement affects access to services. Hence, the paper concludes with recommendations for establishing and improving inclusive governance processes while improving service delivery, enhancing security sector governance, and clarifying the linkages between governance/service delivery and conflict.
Information Communications Technology in Higher Education in Africa: Challenges from the COVID-19 Pandemic
This policy brief delves into the state of education in Africa, particularly higher education in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of the pandemic has created immense challenges in implementing Sustainable Development Goal 4, which strives to ensure quality education for all. Based on the finding in the policy brief, Africa presents the highest numbers in terms of education exclusion. Education exclusion is also gendered, with girls being more likely not to attend and drop out of school, resulting in high illiteracy rates. Urgent action is therefore needed, especially in providing Internet access and connectivity, ICT tools and virtual learning opportunities. Responding to this challenge, the African Union’s Continental Education Strategy for Africa (2016-2025) highlights the need to strengthen the linkages between tertiary education and the world of work using appropriate technology. Initiatives to revitalize and expand higher education to contribute to a well-equipped African workforce and globally competitive society are also covered.