The investment case for social protection in Malawi

Highlights

There has been a rapid expansion of cash-based, social protection programmes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in recent
years as Governments increasingly realise the enormous benefits cash transfers offer (World Bank, 2018). In fact, as an
investment in human capital and inclusive economic development, social protection is arguably one of the most efficient uses of Government resources and “one of the smartest investments that policymakers can support” (Cummins, 2021).

Using evidence from Malawi, this brief demonstrates the economic benefits of investing in social protection and examines how Malawi can build on the experiences of other countries to advance its social protection further.