Social transfers: a critical strategy to meet the MDGs

This paper outlines the crucial role that social transfers can play by providing an inclusive framework to reduce intergenerational poverty.

The Millennium Development Goals have been influential in galvanising international support to tackle poverty.

The current scale of global challenges - chronic poverty, increasing inequalities, and the climate, food and economic crises - makes international commitment to the MDGs all the more important.

However, a more inclusive approach is needed to accelerate progress.

HelpAge International is calling on the international community to invest in government-led social transfer schemes that would complement existing efforts to realise the MDGs.

A growing body of evidence from low- and middle-income countries indicates social transfers significantly reduce income poverty, increase human capital development, enhance economic growth and reduce inequalities.

Yet this approach does not feature prominently as a tool in most national development planning.

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