世界银行-反思减贫——在喀麦隆建立有效的安全网（英）

SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR DISCUSSION PAPERNo. 2603 | July 2025Rethinking Poverty Reduction: Building an Effective Safety Net in CameroonIoana Botea Hrishikesh TMM IyengarPublic Disclosure AuthorizedPublic Disclosure AuthorizedPublic Disclosure AuthorizedPublic Disclosure Authorized© 2025 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433 Telephone: +1 (202) 473 1000; Internet: www.worldbank.org.This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent.The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries.RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONSThe material in this work is subject to copyright. Because The World Bank encourages dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncommercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given.Any queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax: +1 (202) 522 2625; e-mail: pubrights@worldbank.org. 1 Official Use Only Rethinking Poverty Reduction: Building an Effective Safety Net in Cameroon Ioana Botea and Hrishikesh TMM Iyengar1 July 2025 Abstract This policy note examines the role of social safety nets in addressing persistent poverty and inequality in Cameroon. Building on over a decade of implementation, Cameroon’s main safety nets initiative—the Projet Filets Sociaux (PFS)—has laid important foundations but remains limited in scale and reliant on external financing. Using administrative data and the 2021–2022 ECAM5 household survey, the analysis assesses PFS performance along key dimensions: expenditure, coverage, adequacy, and effectiveness. The findings show that while PFS has reached over 370,000 households, its poverty reduction impact is constrained by fragmented coverage, low benefit levels, and time-bound support. Microsimulations indicate that increasing both the size of transfers and the number of beneficiaries could substantially reduce poverty and help close the gap toward national targets. The note outlines five actionable recommendations to support the development of a national safety nets program: (1) establish a permanent institutional structure, (2) secure predictable financing, (3) expand coverage, (4) improve benefit adequacy, and (5) modernize delivery systems. These reforms would strengthen Cameroon’s ability to protect vulnerable populations, foster economic inclusion, and accelerate p