Social Protection

Social protection systems — comprising social transfers, social insurance, and social services — are among the most powerful tools available to reduce poverty, build resilience, and promote human dignity. RMI provides research, evaluation, and advisory services in social protection for the World Bank, UNICEF, WFP, DFID/FCDO, USAID, and government ministries of social welfare across the region.

Social protection in Southern and East Africa has expanded significantly in recent decades, with social cash transfer programmes now operating at scale in Zimbabwe (Harmonised Social Cash Transfer), Zambia (Social Cash Transfer), Malawi (Social Cash Transfer Programme), and many other countries. Despite this expansion, coverage gaps remain large, targeting errors affect programme equity, and the institutional capacity of social protection systems is often stretched. Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) has also become central to humanitarian response, requiring rigorous evaluation of market systems, delivery mechanisms, and protection outcomes.

RMI provides a comprehensive suite of consulting services to the full range of development actors operating in this sector:

• Targeting accuracy studies and poverty verification surveys
• Beneficiary registration and single registry design support
• Impact evaluations of cash transfer programmes (quasi-experimental and experimental)
• Market assessments for Cash and Voucher Assistance (using EMMA methodology)
• Post-distribution monitoring (PDM) surveys for CVA programmes
• Social protection coverage assessments
• Graduation programme evaluations (pathway out of extreme poverty)
• Shock-responsive social protection system assessments
• Social protection policy reviews for government ministries
• Annual programme reviews for major social transfer programmes
• Beneficiary satisfaction surveys