The Design of Conditional Cash Transfers: Experiences from Argentina's Universal Child Allowance

Abstract

Conditional cash transfers (CCTs) have spread rapidly in developing countries in the past decade. While there is extensive literature assessing their impacts health, education and other outcomes, little attention has been paid to beneficiaries' subjective experiences of CCT design. This article addresses this issue by exploring how beneficiaries of Argentina's flagship CCT, the Universal Child Allowance, perceive the programme's unique design features. We find male and female beneficiaries tend to support targeted transfers to female carers, and that confusion about payment schedules has important implications for beneficiary engagement. Analysis of these findings offers useful insights into how CCT programme design may affect outcomes.

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