Swaziland : Using Public Transfers to Reduce Extreme Poverty

Swaziland has a number of social transfer programs, but these are not well coordinated and there is a need to better define the overall priorities of the overall safety net. Swaziland spends a significant amount on safety nets but there is room to...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Blank, Lorraine, Mistiaen, Emma, Braithwaite, Jeanine
Format: Working Paper
Language:English
en_US
Published: World Bank, Washington, DC 2014
Subjects:
HIV
SSN
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2012/11/19749061/swaziland-using-public-transfers-reduce-extreme-poverty
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/19006
Description
Summary:Swaziland has a number of social transfer programs, but these are not well coordinated and there is a need to better define the overall priorities of the overall safety net. Swaziland spends a significant amount on safety nets but there is room to increase the efficiency of spending by: (i) improving coordination between programs; (ii) making adjustments to program design and implementation; and (iii) removing some inefficient programs. Social transfers could play a larger role in reducing poverty but there are gaps in how well the safety net supports extremely poor households with children and/or unemployed household members. The assessment recommends that Swaziland should consider adopting a national child grant program and a public works program to fill these gaps.