Social protection is increasingly seen as an important component of poverty reduction strategies and efforts to reduce vulnerability to economic, social, natural and other shocks and stresses. It can play an important role in strengthening access to and demand for quality basic services and social welfare services by the poorest through childhood and beyond. Social protection can also facilitate a better balance between care-giving and productive work responsibilities which is critical for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (especially MDGs 4 and 5) (Jones et al., 2008).

This Background Note synthesises learning from a programme of work on child-sensitive social protection in West and Central Africa undertaken by ODI and UNICEF between 2007 and 2010. It draws on six diverse country case study examples from Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Republic of Congo (Congo) and Senegal.