Across low- and middle-income countries, social protection systems play an essential role in reducing poverty, strengthening resilience, and helping households meet basic needs. Cash transfers—whether conditional or unconditional—have been shown to improve food security, support investments in health and education, and protect vulnerable populations from economic shocks. As governments and donors expand these programs, there is a growing need for robust evidence on what works, for whom, and under what conditions.
Our Work
AIR is a global leader in generating this evidence. Through its international development portfolio, AIR conducts rigorous research and evaluation to help governments and partners measure the effectiveness of social protection policies and programs and use that evidence to inform decision-making.
AIR’s work is distinguished by the use of advanced methodologies—including randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental designs, and mixed-methods approaches—that enable credible, policy-relevant findings on program impact, implementation fidelity, and cost-effectiveness.
Through rigorous evaluation and applied research, AIR advances the global evidence base on social protection while supporting countries to design more effective, inclusive, and sustainable programs that improve lives at scale.
