Cameroon : Social Safety Nets

This report responds to the Government
of Cameroon's strong interest in strengthening its
social safety net system to support the poorest and most
vulnerable households during crises. It is grounded in
extensive discussions with government counterparts in a
collaborative and inclusive process. The report incorporates
detailed comments received from the government as well as
important donors and partners through two participatory
stakeholder workshops. In addition, it is a part of the
World Bank's rapid social response program to support
the Government of Cameroon in making its system of safety
nets more comprehensive, flexible, and suitable to the
country's economic and social conditions. In this
context, the objective of this report is to lay the ground
for a social safety net system that can address the needs of
the poor in Cameroon. The high level of chronic poverty and
high levels of malnutrition (especially in the northern
regions of the country) call for targeted social safety net
program. Therefore, the objective of this report is to: (i)
assess the evolution and extent of poverty levels; (ii)
provide a detailed, updated inventory of existing social
safety net programs; (iii) identify their shortcomings; and
(iv) propose suggestions, based on international experience,
for improving the coverage, efficiency, relevance and
financial sustainability of the most relevant programs to
set the basis for a coherent safety net system.