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Social protection is a grassroots reality: Making the case for policy reflections on community‐based social protection actors and services in Africa

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  • Nicholas Awortwi

Abstract

In Africa, the state is not the biggest responder to poverty and social vulnerability. While international attention has searched for State remedies to State shortfalls, the poor themselves have taken a different route. They have improvised, organized, delivered and governed their social protection (SP) services using grassroots mechanisms without State support. Based on empirical studies in 30 districts in six African countries, this article makes the case that the highly localized models may not be perfect, but are probably the best fit for implementing an all‐encompassing SP policy in Africa. The challenge for policy will be to harness this potential—not by trying to turn grassroots organizations into something they are not, but by supporting what they already are.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicholas Awortwi, 2018. "Social protection is a grassroots reality: Making the case for policy reflections on community‐based social protection actors and services in Africa," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S2), pages 897-913, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:devpol:v:36:y:2018:i:s2:p:o897-o913
    DOI: 10.1111/dpr.12364
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Claire GONDARD-DELCROIX & Holimalala RANDRIAMANAMPISOA & Pierre A. LAZAMANANA & Aina ANDRIANJAKATINA, 2019. "Diversity of social protection forms in Madagascar A multi-scalar and multi-actor approach," Cahiers du GREThA (2007-2019) 2019-11, Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA).
    2. Thabit Jacob & Rasmus Hundsbaek Pedersen, 2018. "Social protection in an electorally competitive environment (1): The politics of Productive Social Safety Nets (PSSN) in Tanzania," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-109-18, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    3. Alik-Lagrange, Arthur & Dreier, Sarah K. & Lake, Milli & Porisky, Alesha, 2021. "Social protection and state-society relations in environments of low and uneven state capacity," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 110766, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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