Can Social Protection Affect Psychosocial Wellbeing and Why Does This Matter? Lessons from Cash Transfers in Sub-Saharan Africa

Social protection interventions have been demonstrated to improve traditional measures of poverty by protecting people from risk. Less research has been conducted on their impacts on psychosocial dimensions of wellbeing – self-acceptance, autonomy and purpose in life among others –, that are both intrinsically and instrumentally important. This paper provides evidence from a mixed method evaluation of a cash transfer in Kenya, and from systematic cross-country qualitative research from Ghana, Zimbabwe and Lesotho. It shows that cash transfers can have positive impacts on psychosocial wellbeing leading to further positive impacts on educational performance, participation in social life and empowerment for decision-making.