Designing Social Assistance Programmes for Displaced People

Social assistance programmes for displaced people are likely to be more effective if they take the circumstances and preferences of displaced people into account, yet very few do. Most research tends to focus on those who deliver assistance rather than those who receive it. This Policy Briefing provides options for filling the gaps in consultations with displaced people. It draws on research with displaced people in camp and urban locations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Lebanon and Pakistan to identify key design principles that need to be considered. It also demonstrates the value of using displaced personas as a tool for considering the impact of particular policy choices.