Social protection

Direct payments are community care monies paid directly to the people who require support, so that they can make their own choices about the support they receive. Successful implementation of direct payments in mental health relies on proactive managers who are clear about the task, knowledgable and committed practitioners, and informed service users and carers who are interested in exploring the options of direct payments. This report identifies action for these three groups as well as for national policy-making

This paper examines how social safety nets can benefit the poor and disabled in developing countries. It explores the links between disability and poverty, and identifies the benefits of inclusive mainstreaming and disability targeted programmes. It analyses the various ways to include the considerations of people with disabilities in the implementation of mainstream safety nets

This paper describes the disability pension arrangements prevailing in ten Latin American countries that reformed their pension systems. The analysis is limited to the topic of disability pensions, without attempting to evaluate other aspects such as accessibility.
Comparisons reveal that a wide variety of options for disability systems are possible. In the following sections general issues in the design of the disability-pension systems are identified

This paper "aims to fill a gap in the literature by examining good practice in the design of MISs for social protection. Section 2 will describe MISs, pointing out that they are more than systems of computer hardware and application software. Section 3 will discuss the type of information required by social protection MISs, and the challenges in capturing, transferring and processing this information. Section 4 will assess the potential for introducing new technologies into social protection MISs in developing countries. Section 5 will conclude by examining issues around the integration of MISs in countries with multiple social protection schemes, and the extent to which a national Single Registry is an appropriate model"
Pension watch : briefings on social protection in older age, Briefing no 5

This the summary of findings from a study to examine information on disability and mainstreaming of social assistance in developing countries. It addresses a range of key issues, including: the eligibility to and accessibility of social assistance; the socio-economic costs of disability; and the involvement of disabled people in shaping legislation

This paper aims to provide focused insights into specific aspects of the international debate on social protection. The author highlights that "the social, economic and political context in which people grow, live, work and age has enormous impact on their health status. These wider structural determinants of health lie largely outside the health sector. The level and coverage of social protection systems is one key determinant. Social protection measures and mechanisms directly contribute to poverty reduction and human resource development by providing recipients with in-kind or cash transfers. They also allow beneficiaries to gain better access to social services, including health facilities, drugs, etc"
Discussion Papers on Social Protection, Issue No 11