Mali has improved its social and economic policy performance during the past decade. Despite various adverse shocks, such as

exposure to drought, sound macroeconomic management has produced real GDP growth averaging a sturdy 5% per annum from 1994 to 2006. Yet poverty remains widespread and, despite the government’s efforts to increase access to basic services, human development indicators remain low.

As part of a broader study on childhood poverty and social protection in West and Central Africa, this paper provides an overview of poverty, vulnerability and risk in Mali and discusses the extent to which social protection systems and instruments are addressing child-specific experiences of poverty and vulnerability (UNICEF and ODI, 2009).