This Briefing Paper draws on multi-country primary research on the incorporation of gender issues into the design and implementation of a range of social protection instruments. The research, funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), was carried out with national partners in Africa, Asia and Latin America. A mixed methods approach combined key informant interviews, household surveys, focus group discussions and life histories with men, women and children across the lifecycle.