Eyes on delivery – improving implementation for effective social protection for all
By Abhijit V. Banerjee
Effective implementation is the missing link in the drive toward inclusive, reliable social protection. In recent decades, social protection systems have expanded rapidly across the developing world. Today, more than 2.5 billion people benefit from programmes like cash transfers, food subsidies, and social pensions. Yet despite this progress, the goal of social protection for all remains out of reach. Too many eligible people still slip through the cracks—excluded by complex procedures, poor targeting, or weak delivery systems.
Drawing on evidence from large-scale randomized evaluations, including the work of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (JPAL), I argue that simple improvements in how programmes are delivered can dramatically increase their reach and impact. But implementation doesn’t happen in a vacuumThe brief also highlights challenges in identifying who needs support, trade-offs in programme design (e.g., conditional vs. unconditional transfers), and the growing need to expand beyond poverty relief into social insurance. By focusing on practical, scalable solutions—especially those grounded in rigorous evidence—policymakers can move from social protection in principle to social protection in practice.
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