This synthesis report presents qualitative and participatory research findings on beneficiary and community perceptions of five unconditional cash transfer programmes: two in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region (the Palestinian National Cash Transfer Programme (PNCTP) in Gaza and the West Bank, and the Social Welfare Fund (SWF) in Yemen); and three in sub-Saharan Africa (Kenya’s Cash Transfers for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC) programme, Mozambique’s Basic Social Subsidy Programme (PSSB), and Uganda’s Senior Citizen Grant (SCG), part of the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) programme).

The report summarises key features of the cash transfer programme in each country and the extent to which programme objectives address empowerment, social justice, social cohesion and citizenship alongside economic vulnerability. It considers positive experiences and concerns at the individual, household and community levels, as well as beneficiary and community views on programme governance and accountability.

The overarching aim is to help identify gaps and entry points for more tailored support in the context of ongoing national-level social protection reform processes, as well as to offer insights into the potential role of beneficiary participation in monitoring and evaluation in improving the effectiveness of cash transfer programmes.

The study did not aim to make comparisons across the programmes since they are all implemented in very different settings, and have distinct implementation processes and procedures. It is nevertheless useful to highlight and reflect on similarities and differences in order to better identify the entry points and barriers to strengthening policy and programme effectiveness.