In a Bloomberg piece, Dr. Kate Orkin discusses policy options for countries during the pandemic and how many arguments against cash transfers are not supported by rigorous evidence.
How to prevent a hunger crisis due to COVID-19? Using examples from around the world and drawing on findings from rigorous research, Kate Orkin argues that cash-transfers are an effective tool for low and middle-income countries and debunks some of the negative myths surrounding them.
How to soften the economic blow of COVID-19? Kate Orkin discusses the stimulus package put together by the South African Government including the expansion of social grants and why cash transfers can be more effective that giving out food parcels.
In an overview of the South African Government response to COVID-19, Kate Orkin reflects on the importance of both a humane response and long term investment to protect the social grants system currently in place.
Kate Orkin discusses the evidence in favour of using cash rather than food for emergency social relief, why cash transfers to the poor are a long term investment as well as an immediate fix, why people use cash responsibly and how to cover those not currently enrolled in grants systems.
Right now, this week, we need to get money out fast to stop people falling into extreme poverty. Decades of research tell us that we have no time to lose. Kate Orkin writes about social protection efforts in response to COVID-19.
In a CGD blog post, University of Oxford's Stefan Dercon offers three key lessons for low-regret decision making under extreme uncertainty: collect data now to reduce uncertainty; change and adapt decisions if the data require it; and focus on trust and communication.