The pandemic drove 97 million additional people into extreme poverty in 2020, according to a World Bank estimate, prompting more countries to start cash transfer programs. Direct cash transfers have been shown to improve school attendance, nutrition and use of health services. The new study is the first to examine the effect of cash transfers on death rates worldwide, the researchers said. The findings suggest that cash transfers may be helpful not just to women, but to families and entire communities. Cash transfers are often accompanied by improvements to health care services or other infrastructure that helps communities, he noted.

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Persons: ”, Harsha Thirumurthy, Thirumurthy, Audrey Pettifor, Pettifor, ” Berk Organizations: University of Pennsylvania, University of North, Chapel Hill Locations: Saharan Africa, Africa, Asia, Pacific, America, Caribbean, U.S, University of North Carolina, South Africa