Household Economic Strengthening

Poverty is a leading cause of child separation. Families may be torn apart by the stresses of trying to provide for their basic needs, and children may be abandoned or exploited for financial purposes. Household economic strengthening aims to reduce a family’s vulnerability to poverty, increase economic independence, and improve people’s ability to provide for their children.

Economic strengthening alone will not prevent separation or protect children, and should form part of a comprehensive support package, including psychosocial work, community mobilisation, education, health, and family support. Household economic strengthening should also complement the wider government social assistance programmes, welfare sector initiatives, and child care policies. Beneficiaries should include those families which are destitute, poor, or vulnerable to poverty, including child headed households.

Economic empowerment is not possible without the active participation of the community in ensuring that those most in need are identified and that families are willing to commit to projects. Any initiative must have sustainability at its core; there must be a market demand for products and services, and activities should build on the existing strengths and resources of the community.

Household economic strengthening includes activities which help a family restore, improve and maintain their income, and build savings and assets. Projects may consist of relief assistance, grants and loans for income generating activities, technical and skills training, registered credit and savings associations, and legal advice on inheritance and property rights. Ideally such guidance and resources should come from specialised local organisations that can facilitate market research, identify those in need and the type of assistance required, and provide sustainable long-term support to beneficiaries.

The literature contained in this section offers recommendations and examples of household economic strengthening projects which support the protection of children.

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Experiencing Vulnerability in South Africa: The Interaction of Multiple Stressors

Casale, M; Drimie, S; Gillepsie, S, 2008

Research study aimed at understanding the meaning of vulnerability and it's impact on parent's future planning for children in the context of poverty in Malawi and South Africa

FIELD Brief #3, Economic Strengthening for Vulnerable Children. Principles of Program Design & Technical Recommendations for Effective Interventions

Save the Children, 2008

A brief illustration of ten economic strengthening tools that can be adapted to address child vulnerability due to HIV/AIDS, conflict, natural disaster, extreme poverty, or other contexts.

A Generation at Risk: The Global Impact of HIV/AIDS on Orphans and Vulnerable Children

G. Setswe - SAHARA-J: Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS, 2008

This publication explains the impacts of HIV/AIDS on orphans and vulnerable children in the family and community-based care, households and communities; needs of orphans and vulnerable children and responses in the educational system; psychosocial impact on children and youth; human rights of children affected by HIV/AIDS; and religion and responses to orphans and vulnerable children.

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Youth Microenterprise and Livelihoods: State of the Field. Lessons from the 2007 Global Youth Microenterprise Conference

Making Cents International , 2008

A report from the first-ever Global Youth Microenterprise Conference in 2007. This publication provides insights into the challenges facing youth livelihood development and its benefits for young people and communities.

Project Profile: Social Cash Transfer Pilot

UNICEF, 2007

Brief overview of a project designed to give monetary aid to poor families. Program seeks to reduce poverty while promoting health and education.

Evaluating the Impact of Brazil's Bolsa Familia Program

Fábio Veras Soares, Rafael Perez Ribas, Rafael Guerreiro Osório, 2007

Evaluates targeting and human capital impacts of Brazil's Bolsa Familia Program in comparison with Mexico's Oportunidades, and Chile's Chile Solidario.

The Impact of Social Cash Transfers on Children Affected by HIV and AIDS: Evidence from Zambia, Malawi and South Africa

Bernd Schubert, Douglas Webb, Miriam Temin, and Petronella Masabane, 2007

Investigates the AIDS mitigation impacts of several large social cash transfer programmes in Africa. Emphasis on investigating non-specific targeting (of poor families) versus targeting specific to households affected by AIDS.

Expanding the Social Security Net in South Africa: Opportunities, Challenges, and Constraints

Kalie Pauw and Liberty Mncube, 2007

Examines constraints to expansion of the social welfare net in South Africa. Cites substitution taking place within the social budget since education and health expenditures have already declined in favour of increased welfare transfer expenditures.

Chile Solidario: Toward an Integrated Approach to the Delivery of Social Protection

Helen Schulte, 2007

Examination of Chile Solidario social protection programme which shows that the focus of policy makers and researchers should be on integration of cash transfers within broader social protection policies.

The Challenges of El Salvador's Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, Red Solidaria

Tatiana Feitosa de Britto, International Poverty Centre, 2007

Provides analysis of the historical background and current structure of El Salvador's conditional cash transfer programme with attention to family integration