Assessing the Use of Conditionalities in Social Cash Transfers

Assess and evaluate the case for and against
the use of conditionalities in social cash
transfers (including, optionally in relation
to nutrition outcomes)
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Topic: “Assess and evaluate the case for and against the use of conditionalities in
social cash transfers (including, optionally in relation to nutrition outcomes).”
INTRODUCTION
Cash transfer can be stated as a direct transfer money payment to an eligible person. These
are either conditional cash transfer or unconditional cash transfer. In developing nations, cash
transfer programs are constrained through three factors: institutional capacity, ideology and
financial resources. In poorer nations, governments tend to have restricted resources of finance
and are thus, limited in amount that they can invest in measures and directly in cash transfers in
order to ensure that these programmes are effective. The conditional cash transfer programs
emphasize to decline poverty through making welfare programs conditional upon the actions of
receivers. The charity or government only transfers money to individuals who mitigate certain
criteria (Gaentzsch, 2017). This criterion involves getting regular check-ups at the office of
doctor, enrolling children in Public schools, receiving vaccinations or others. Conditional cash
transfer seeks to assist the current generation in poverty and breaking poverty cycle for the next
by development of human capital. It could assist to decline feminisation of poverty. This report
is based on the title “Assess and evaluate the case for and against the use of conditionalities in
social cash transfers (including, optionally in relation to nutrition outcomes).” It covers the
information associated with the title along with its evaluation in proper way so that effective
outcomes can be gain from the study.
MAIN BODY
Assess and evaluate the case for and against the use of conditionalities in social cash transfers
(including, optionally in relation to nutrition outcomes)
Social cash transfer is an approach which entails long-term, consistent transfer of cash
through government to a wider population section in the form of child benefit, family grant or
pension (Social cash transfers, 2021). It administers a social safety net as well as can quickly
enhance living standard of the family. It assists to depict the ability of government to reach to its
people. Apart from this, cash transfer also contribute to sustained economic growth as well as
development of humans as the money is spent locally, that regenerates markets and is invested in
productive areas like assist family members to job seek, animals or fertilizer or go to school. The
social cash transfer concept emphasizes on providing the marginalized a stake in society and
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economy after disenfranchisement years because of war. Inherent to the social cash transfer
approach is belief that families know about their greatest needs as well as derive much use from
unconditional transfers which enable them to decide the way to use the money, on the basis of
their initiative and knowledge (Puente-Castelo, 2017).
In addition to this, this approach doesn't discriminate between so called 'undeserving' and
'deserving' poor, but covers crucial part of population which is living in poverty with the intent of
administering a ladder for individuals to overcome the poverty trap. Social cash transfer
approach is based on the belief that individuals have right of not to be poor. It provides a vehicle
to depict the commitment of government to pro poor agenda along with sound capital in social
investment in order to promote the development of economy. It has maximum influence where
basic services associated with society like education and health exist, so that individuals can send
their child to school as well as get access to health care services. Social cash transfers can also
assist government to reach quickly to the poorest parts of population as well as make its presence
felt, instead of the constraints faces on its ability to administer social services. But, it would also
present various challenges due to lack of communication, transportation, infrastructure and
financial sectors (Díez Sarasola, 2017).
It administers a social safety net as well as can quickly enhance living standard of the
family. It assists to depict the ability of government to reach to its people. Apart from this, cash
transfer also contribute to sustained economic growth as well as development of humans as the
money is spent locally, that regenerates markets and is invested in productive areas like assist
family members to job seek, animals or fertilizer or go to school. The social cash transfer
concept emphasizes on providing the marginalized a stake in society and economy after
disenfranchisement years because of war. Inherent to the social cash transfer approach is belief
that families know about their greatest needs as well as derive much use from unconditional
transfers which enable them to decide the way to use the money, on the basis of their initiative
and knowledge (Phillimore & et. al., 2021).
Conditional cash transfers are referred as the transfers provided to beneficiaries’ conditional
on particular actions like making regular health visits or sending children to school and the
unconditional transfers are the transfers which are provided to beneficiaries without any
particular requirements beyond the eligibility. Conditionality is also sometimes defined as co-
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responsibilities. It is not the similar thing as enrolment or eligibility criteria, like criteria related
to poverty or possession of identification documents.
The case for:
The arguments which support conditionality are political and conceptual. It has been argued
that conditionality can assist in overcoming the circumstances where households do not have
complete understanding of the service benefits like returns to education. Proximally associated, it
may also address a circumstance where those responsible for crucial decisions in households lack
of interest or information in investment which policy makers consider important for the
economic development of country (Collantes, 2020). It is argued that conditional ties might
induce or reinforce optimistic behaviour like sending girls to school in order to overcome the
present gender dynamics as well as traditional norms. From the perspective of a political
economy, it might be easy to acquire political support from the taxpayers, the makers of policy
and sometimes from the communities themselves if the social cash transfers are related with
particular responsibilities. It has also been point out by the advocates that many conditions or
situations are often constant with present legal obligations, like enrolment of children in school,
and thus, are not imposing extra burdens.
The case against:
However, there are numerous arguments against conditionality in cash transfers. It is argued
from the perspective of human rights, people have a right to social protection which is not
conditional on their certain actions performance as well as their conditionality undermines
human dignity, non-discrimination and equity principles. A concern related to this is that
conditionalities might further penalized or marginalized those who are most vulnerable to
deprivation and poverty, as they also might be those least possibilities to be able follow
conditions due to discrimination, language barriers, disability or distance (Shahrokhi & et. al.,
2017). It can unintentionally develop perverse incentives as well as opportunities for power
abuse by certain groups, specifically by those individuals who are responsible for enforcing and
monitoring conditions, thus further exacerbating inequalities in power (Conditional or
unconditional cash transfers? From ideology to policy dialogue, 2018.). The use of
conditionalities in social cash transfer also decrease the ability of household to select the most
adequate investment when assuming that they are incapable of wise choices.
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