In recent years, social protection has gained substantial attention as a long-term development measure for its potential to address poverty and other forms of vulnerability. Despite this growing popularity, social protection is also being criticised for failing to pay adequate attention to social difference, and the different access opportunities that social- or age-specific groups have to various forms of social provision.
The article draws on these criticisms and takes a gender perspective to understand the specific vulnerabilities of children and their carers. It is argued that a child sensitive approach to social protection that incorporates carer concerns must respond to three types of vulnerability 1) physical and biological; 2) dependency-related; and 3) institutionalised disadvantage by building in safeguards and instruments that minimise and counteract these vulnerabilities. The authors argue that this requires a multi-dimensional, gender- and age-specific focus on issues of well-being to ensure that both practical and strategic needs are met.
Adapted from authors’ summary.