This study led by Oxford Policy Management (OPM) investigates when and how social protection systems in low-income countries and fragile and conflict-affected states (FCAS) can scale-up in response to shocks. The work was funded by DFID’s Shock-Responsive Social Protection Systems research programme.

We contributed to the synthesis report that consolidates the evidence and lessons learned, drawing on six country case studies and an international literature review (among other outputs). The report:

• highlights the key ways in which social protection systems may contribute to mitigate the effect of, or respond to, large-scale shocks
• presents the features of programme design and implementation that determine the efficiency and effectiveness of the response, and
• summarises lessons on achieving a successful collaboration between the humanitarian, disaster risk management (DRM) and social protection systems.