Discussions around the post-2015 development goals and the proposed ‘leave no-one behind’ principle have revived global interest in inequality and the role of social protection in promoting social inclusion. But is there too much emphasis on the potential of social protection alone to address broader goals of equity, social justice and empowerment? Can social protection tackle the wider structural drivers that perpetuate poverty and inequality?

This ODI Briefing discusses the answers to these questions, drawing on primary ODI research from four South Asian countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal – which examined whether social protection and labour programmes can tackle the drivers of social exclusion that generate poverty.