Social Protection

Cape Verde - Social protection schemes

The non-contributory pension in Cape Verde, launched in 1994, now reaches 90 per cent of the target population; essential health services cover nearly the whole population; employment-intensive public works have been used to as a means to guarantee an income for the working poor.  Most of the human development indicators registered considerable improvement and are among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. 

Zambia - Social cash transfer scheme

The aim of Zambia’s social cash transfer scheme, implemented originally in 2004 in the Kalomo District as a “pilot” for wider extension, is the reduction of extreme poverty, hunger and starvation, with a focus on households headed by older people and those caring for orphaned and vulnerable children.  This social assistance programme has had a significant impact on the reduction of poverty, the improvement of nutritional indicators, and an increase in school attendance and productive activities.

Brazil - Bolsa Familia programme

The Brazilian Bolsa Família programme was onceived as part of integrated social policies. The programme has a double objective: (a) to reduce current poverty and inequality, by providing a minimum level of income for extremely poor families; and (b) to break the inter-generational transmission of poverty by making these transfers conditional on the compliance by beneficiaries with “human development” requirements. In 2008, it covered 47 million people, corresponding to about one quarter of the Brazilian population, with a level of expenditure of 0.4 per cent of GDP, representing 1.8 per cent of the federal government budget. 

Thailand -  Universal health-care scheme (UC scheme)

In 2001, Thailand took a radical step towards achieving full health-care coverage by introducing a universal health-care scheme, now popularly called the “UC scheme” (earlier known as the “30 baht scheme”.) The scheme offers access to health services provided by designated district-based networks of providers.  As a result, overall statutory coverage for health insurance reached almost 98 per cent of the population in 2006–07, 75 per cent of it being guaranteed by the UC scheme. 

India -  National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS)

Under the Indian National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), adopted in 2005, a rural household is entitled to demand up to 100 days of employment per year, which is made available on agreed schemes of public works. The programme undertakes projects facilitating land and water resource management and infrastructure development. The programme is regarded as one of the largest rights-based integrated employment and social protection initiatives in the world, reaching around 40 million men and women living below the poverty line.♦