Frank Otchere's presentation at the Universal Child Grants conference in Geneva from 6-8 February 2018. Our Social Policy Specialist discussed Transfer Project evidence on the effects of cash transfers on dignity and community involvement, as well as discussing the implications of programme design.

1. CASH TRANSFERS
& DIGNITY:
LESSONS FROM
THE TRANSFER
PROJECT
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
UNIVERSAL CHILD GRANTS
6-8 February 2019 | Geneva
FRANK OTCHERE
Social Policy Specialist,
UNICEF Office of Research Innocenti

2. The Transfer Project is a multi-
country, multi-institutional
collaborative study of large-scale,
government cash and cash+
programmes.
Working in 13 countries in Africa
and the Middle East: Ghana,
Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi,
Mozambique, Tanzania, South
Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
TRANSFER.CPC.UNC.EDU
THE TRANSFER PROJECT

3. PROGRAMME
FEATURES &
DIGNITY
ELIGIBILITY & ENROLMENT
Means tested approaches demanding and still error prone. Fear of not
qualifying during re-assessment can be a negative incentive to livelihood.
TRANSFER SIZE
~20% of baseline consumption; regular adjustment to keep the real value;
amount differentiated by household size.
MODE OF PAYMENT
Increasing transition to e-payments, reducing the drudgery and cost of
travel to collect payments, and promoting financial inclusion.
ADMINISTRATION
Flexibility on recipient; clarity on reference beneficiary; respect for
beneficiaries; regular payments; and transparent communication.

4. No direct measure of ‘dignity’.
Consistent evidence on dignity-enhancing impacts of
improved food security, household resilience, material
wellbeing and subjective wellbeing.
TRANSFER
IMPACTS & DIGNITY

5. “My self- esteem has been high
because I no longer borrow money
from people and I am also able to
support others when they are in
need. For instance, my younger
siblings. So no more embarrassment
when someone asks for support and
I am unable to help.”
- A mother in Karaga, Ghana

6. “It is sad when you see your
neighbour’s children starving or not
able to go to school because of
money, and you can’t help. I am
happy for the programme and the
households getting it. But we are all
poor too and need it.”
- Community Participant, Zimbabwe

7. “In the past we used to have trouble
getting food for the household
because we had no money to use to
buy it but now with Mtukula
Pakhomo money, I am able to buy
and provide this household with
maize food. In the past we used to
eat once in a day but now we are
able to eat three times a day.”
- Agnes, Malawi

8. “Even me, I am a
person now, too.”
- Transfer recipient in Tanzania

9. REFLECTIONS
ON UCG
UNIVERSAL COVERAGE FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH
CHILDREN IDEAL
Raising the floor and ensuring that no child is left behind.
BENCHMARKING
Findings on transfer size should provide useful benchmark for costing.
IMPLEMENTATION IS CRITICAL
A pure ‘per child’ transfer, or take into account the composition of the
household. Same amount per child, or vary by household status.

10. THANK YOU
FRANK OTCHERE
fotchere@unicef.org