Conditional Cash Transfers: Learning from the literature

Eastern Caribbean countries are currently developing and implementing substantial social safety net reforms. Governments of six Eastern Caribbean countries conducted social safety net assessments in 2009 – 2010, with the support of UN Women and UNICEF in partnership with the World Bank.

These reforms, which have been ongoing for some years, have been based on, among other things, assessments of current provisions as well as lessons from international good practice and experience, with particular attention to the experience of other countries in the region and Latin America. The assessments examined among other measures, Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs).

This paper reviews the available evidence on CCTs. It focuses on the issue of conditions rather than the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of cash transfers more generally. The review is intended to inform the discussion and decision-making in ongoing reforms in the Eastern Caribbean of social protection systems as to whether conditions are appropriate and, if so, the form that they should take.