Many countries have launched unprecedented relief packages to cushion the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This short review considers some initial lessons emerging from selected countries around the use of digital technology to implement these government-to-people (G2P) social transfer programs. Information is still limited on how well the programs have functioned; in particular, there is a dearth of rapid demand-side survey evidence on the experience of beneficiaries receiving transfers and the likely magnitudes of inclusion and exclusion errors.
Impact / Outcome
By July 2020, 200 countries and territories had either implemented
or announced social protection measures reaching over 1 billion people. The majority of these programs in developing countries are in the form of social
assistance—conditional and unconditional transfers, child support grants and social
pensions—broadly termed Government-to-People or G2P payments.
Funding sources
Government or other public organization
Key Metrics
Number of recipients; Number of social protection measures; Use of digitalized systems for social assistance transfers
Operating model
Fully publicYear published
02 September 2020 
Center for Global Development NGOs and other non-profit