Social protection and economic growth in Pacific Island countries

Summary of publication

An emerging evidence base worldwide demonstrates that social protection promotes pro-poor economic growth through a variety of pathways, including: human capital, risk management, livelihoods, women's empowerment, and growth multipliers. The pathways apply equally to the Pacific as to other low and middle income developing countries.

A review of Pacific island experiences documents the applicability of global lessons for the Pacific, in the face of global economic downturns and other shocks.

Social protection is an important complement to economic growth strategies in Pacific Island countries because they are particularly susceptible to the effects of global downturns due to their size (small domestic markets), isolation (high transportation costs and costly reliance on imported food and fuel), and dependence on foreign demand (trade and tourism).