BRAC pioneered the Graduation approach by launching the Ultra-Poor Graduation Programme in 2002. The programme works to sustainably lift ultra-poor households from poverty while keeping women at the centre of economic activities. 69,242 participants were enrolled for the 2023 cohort in 38 districts across Bangladesh. The report shares additional highlights from 2023.
This is a playbook based on the largest government-led scale of the Graduation Approach in the world, Satat Jeevikoparjan Yojana (SJY). The programme is implemented and led by JEEViKA and is run in close collaboration with NGO Bandhan-Konnagar as the technical advisor and J-PAL South Asia as the knowledge and learning partner. This knowledge product—which … Continued
This report provides a rundown of ADB’s work with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) during 2022 to help developing member countries (DMCs) recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and give stronger social protection and economic support to some of the region’s poorest. Under Operational Priority 1: Addressing Remaining Poverty and Reducing Inequalities, the report highlights promoting social … Continued
This resource highlights considerations to be made when designing, implementing, and evaluating a Disability Inclusive Ultra-Poor Graduation Approach encompasses learnings taken from the Disability Inclusive Graduation (DIG) project in Uganda implemented by BRAC, Humanity and Inclusion, and the National Union of Women with Disabilities of Uganda (NUWODU). This Implementation Best Practices Considerations (hereafter referred to … Continued
Maxwell Gollin, Carolina de Miranda, Taddeo Muriuki, Steve Commins While governments face significant obstacles in designing and delivering approaches for people living in extreme poverty, a substantial body of research shows that programs can achieve transformative impact by addressing the socioeconomic barriers that often exclude this population. An increasing number of governments are adopting and … Continued
This case study explores BRAC’s experience evolving the graduation approach over the last 20 years, paying special attention to the lessons for governments and NGOs alike that have emerged from the most recent periods of implementation. Specifically, this case study looks at how, since the program started in 2002, BRAC has sought to ensure high … Continued
The ultra-poor need to stop being invisible to policymakers. We need to pay closer attention to the poorest and the unique set of challenges they face, for without a better understanding of the lived reality of ultra-poverty, we will fail to live up to the promise of “leaving no one behind.” Without programs tailored for … Continued
The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) cites the Graduation approach as a leading innovation for families beyond the reach of traditional development programs (March 2011). Syed M. Hashemi and Aude de Montesquiou (March 2011)
Clare Balboni, Oriana Bandiera, Robin Burgess, Upaasna Kaul (December 2015) A livelihood programme providing productive assets and skills training to the poorest women in Bangladesh village economies helps them move into more stable self-employment and achieves significant reductions in poverty…
Fundación Capital (December 2019) Multifaceted social protection programs have been shown to significantly enhance the material well being of the poor and ultra-poor, globally. To what extent have these improvements meaningfully changed the lives of poor women in non-material ways?