Safety Nets and Opportunity Ladders: Addressing Vulnerability and Enhancing Productivity in South Asia

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to review the literature on social protection measures in the context of India and Bangladesh, with a view to exploring some of these issues. It will bring together some of the lessons from various responses to the problem of vulnerability and explore the extent to which these responses also lend themselves to the notion of ‘investment’ in broader development goals. The structure of the paper is as follows. Chapter 2 provides a broad overview of the nature of poverty and vulnerability in the context of India and Bangladesh. Chapter 3 describes the main social protection measures in operation in the two countries. Chapter 4 draws out some key lessons from this experience and offers some concluding comments.

Citation

Naila Kabeer. Safety Nets and Opportunity Ladders: Addressing Vulnerability and Enhancing Productivity in South Asia. Overseas Development Institute, London, UK (2002) 55 pp. ISBN 0 85003 573 2 [Working Paper 159]

Safety Nets and Opportunity Ladders: Addressing Vulnerability and Enhancing Productivity in South Asia

Published 1 January 2002