Disability and Social Safety Nets in Developing Countries

This paper deals with how social safety nets may reach the poor with disabilities in developing countries. It presents a framework for analyzing the inclusion of disability in social safety nets. The paper first reviews evidence on the relation between disability and poverty, and, discusses the roles that safety nets may play with regard to disability. Safety nets can reach persons with disabilities through inclusive mainstream programs, as well as disability targeted programs. The advantages and challenges of disability targeting are then discussed. The paper proceeds to analyze different ways that can be used to include disability considerations in the implementation of mainstream safety nets, through the reduction of physical, communication, and social barriers surrounding such programs, and through the careful design and evaluation of safety nets. The use of disability targeting versus, or in combination with disability mainstreaming is then discussed.