Graduation programmes offer an innovative and holistic approach to reducing poverty. By delivering an intensive package of support that includes cash transfers, livelihood assets, access to savings, training and coaching, most participating households move onto an upward trajectory out of extreme poverty. Evaluations of large graduation programmes in Bangladesh and smaller pilot projects in other countries are generating evidence of significant positive impacts across a range of indicators, from household incomes and asset ownership to social inclusion and women’s empowerment. Follow-up surveys confirm that these improvements are sustained, even after households ‘graduate’ and programme support ends.

Nonetheless, graduation programmes are controversial and face many challenges. A new IDS Bulletin, ‘Graduating from Social Protection?’, reviews the rapidly growing evidence base, explores enablers and constraints to graduation, and assesses how graduation fits in the broader social protection and poverty reduction agendas.

You are warmly invited to attend and participate in a presentation of new and exciting work on the conceptualisation and practice of graduation programmes across several countries and diverse contexts, describing what graduation is, how it works, and how to do it.

Lunch will be available from 12:30 - 13:00