Governments such as Bangladesh are offering graduation programmes that provide transfers to extremely poor people for a fixed period in order to ‘graduate’ them out of poverty. Rights-based approaches emphasize a right to social protection that is not time-bound or conditional on certain behaviours. Stephen Devereux puts forward a hypothetical exchange between two NGO workers, ‘The Graduator’ and ‘Mr Right’, who are talking about life, the universe – and graduation.

Hashemi, S. and de Montesquiou, A. (2011) ‘Reaching the poorest: lessons from the graduation model’, Focus Note 69, Washington, DC: CGAP.

Ortiz, I., Cummins, M. and Karunanethy, K. (2015) ‘Fiscal space for social protection: options to expand social investments in 187 countries’, ESS Working Paper, no. 48, Geneva: ILO.

Devereux, S. (2010) ‘Dependency and graduation’, Frontiers of Social Protection Brief, Number 5. Johannesburg: Regional Hunger and Vulnerability Programme (RHVP).

BRAC (2013) ‘An end in sight for ultra-poverty: scaling up BRAC’s Graduation Model for the poorest’, Briefing Note 1: Ending Extreme Poverty, Dhaka: BRAC.

Sen, A. (1990) ‘More than 100 million women are missing’, New York Review of Books, 20 December, pp. 61–6.

Hoddinott, J., Gilligan, D. and Taffesse, A.S. (2011) ‘The impact of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program on schooling and child labor’, in S. Handa, S. Devereux and D. Webb (eds), Social Protection for Africa’s Children, pp. 71–95, London: Routledge.

Holmes, R. and Jones, N. (2013) Gender and Social Protection in the Developing World: Beyond Mothers and Safety Nets. London: Zed Books.

Roelen, K. (2015) ‘The ‘twofold investment trap’: children and their role in sustainable graduation’, IDS Bulletin 46(2): 25–34.

Hashemi, S. and de Montesquiou, A. (2011) ‘Reaching the poorest: lessons from the graduation model’, Focus Note 69, Washington, DC: CGAP.

Ortiz, I., Cummins, M. and Karunanethy, K. (2015) ‘Fiscal space for social protection: options to expand social investments in 187 countries’, ESS Working Paper, no. 48, Geneva: ILO.

Devereux, S. (2010) ‘Dependency and graduation’, Frontiers of Social Protection Brief, Number 5. Johannesburg: Regional Hunger and Vulnerability Programme (RHVP).

BRAC (2013) ‘An end in sight for ultra-poverty: scaling up BRAC’s Graduation Model for the poorest’, Briefing Note 1: Ending Extreme Poverty, Dhaka: BRAC.

Sen, A. (1990) ‘More than 100 million women are missing’, New York Review of Books, 20 December, pp. 61–6.

Hoddinott, J., Gilligan, D. and Taffesse, A.S. (2011) ‘The impact of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program on schooling and child labor’, in S. Handa, S. Devereux and D. Webb (eds), Social Protection for Africa’s Children, pp. 71–95, London: Routledge.

Holmes, R. and Jones, N. (2013) Gender and Social Protection in the Developing World: Beyond Mothers and Safety Nets. London: Zed Books.

Roelen, K. (2015) ‘The ‘twofold investment trap’: children and their role in sustainable graduation’, IDS Bulletin 46(2): 25–34.

Hashemi, S. and de Montesquiou, A. (2011) ‘Reaching the poorest: lessons from the graduation model’, Focus Note 69, Washington, DC: CGAP.

Ortiz, I., Cummins, M. and Karunanethy, K. (2015) ‘Fiscal space for social protection: options to expand social investments in 187 countries’, ESS Working Paper, no. 48, Geneva: ILO.

Devereux, S. (2010) ‘Dependency and graduation’, Frontiers of Social Protection Brief, Number 5. Johannesburg: Regional Hunger and Vulnerability Programme (RHVP).

BRAC (2013) ‘An end in sight for ultra-poverty: scaling up BRAC’s Graduation Model for the poorest’, Briefing Note 1: Ending Extreme Poverty, Dhaka: BRAC.

Sen, A. (1990) ‘More than 100 million women are missing’, New York Review of Books, 20 December, pp. 61–6.

Hoddinott, J., Gilligan, D. and Taffesse, A.S. (2011) ‘The impact of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program on schooling and child labor’, in S. Handa, S. Devereux and D. Webb (eds), Social Protection for Africa’s Children, pp. 71–95, London: Routledge.

Holmes, R. and Jones, N. (2013) Gender and Social Protection in the Developing World: Beyond Mothers and Safety Nets. London: Zed Books.

Roelen, K. (2015) ‘The ‘twofold investment trap’: children and their role in sustainable graduation’, IDS Bulletin 46(2): 25–34.

Hashemi, S. and de Montesquiou, A. (2011) ‘Reaching the poorest: lessons from the graduation model’, Focus Note 69, Washington, DC: CGAP.

Ortiz, I., Cummins, M. and Karunanethy, K. (2015) ‘Fiscal space for social protection: options to expand social investments in 187 countries’, ESS Working Paper, no. 48, Geneva: ILO.

Devereux, S. (2010) ‘Dependency and graduation’, Frontiers of Social Protection Brief, Number 5. Johannesburg: Regional Hunger and Vulnerability Programme (RHVP).

BRAC (2013) ‘An end in sight for ultra-poverty: scaling up BRAC’s Graduation Model for the poorest’, Briefing Note 1: Ending Extreme Poverty, Dhaka: BRAC.

Sen, A. (1990) ‘More than 100 million women are missing’, New York Review of Books, 20 December, pp. 61–6.

Hoddinott, J., Gilligan, D. and Taffesse, A.S. (2011) ‘The impact of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program on schooling and child labor’, in S. Handa, S. Devereux and D. Webb (eds), Social Protection for Africa’s Children, pp. 71–95, London: Routledge.

Holmes, R. and Jones, N. (2013) Gender and Social Protection in the Developing World: Beyond Mothers and Safety Nets. London: Zed Books.

Roelen, K. (2015) ‘The ‘twofold investment trap’: children and their role in sustainable graduation’, IDS Bulletin 46(2): 25–34.