Journal Special Issue
Welfare and distributive effects of social assistance in the Global South

This special issue presents an analysis of the recent evolution of social assistance in the developing world, looking at its complex typological configuration. It partly reflects the complex demographic and epidemiological transitions and rapid urbanization and economic convergence many developing countries have exhibited over recent decades.

The research underscores the principles of the poverty focus of social assistance, presenting an overview of existence evidence of first- and second-order effects of social assistance, particularly in the domains of poverty, education, health and labour markets.

Furthermore, the research highlights knowledge gaps of the gender-specific and longer-term welfare effects of social assistance and the redistributive effects, and the incentives and distortion mechanisms that transfer programmes can generate in the labour and insurance markets.