Social protection can strengthen the ties that hold a community together. It can also strain them. Our new explainer breaks down what social cohesion is, and what decides which way it goes. New evidence coming soon.

PRESTO is celebrating five years! Founded in 2021, PRESTO was created to meet the evolving needs of evidence generation and policy research.

How do you study disability inclusion within a mainstream cash-plus trial? This carousel breaks down the methodology of the Ujana Salama RCT in Tanzania, including how validated disability measures were embedded into a national program evaluation. Link: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

More than halfway through 2026, our evidence has traveled from Bangkok to Washington to Nairobi, alongside new findings on cash plus programmes and adolescents with disabilities. Plenty more briefs and publications ahead. Read more on our website: policyresearchsolutions.com

Fund a few things rigorous evidence proves work, at scale. That's the call from two former US and UK aid chief economists, and cash transfers make their shortlist. Read about it at: CGD piece: www.cgdev.org/blog/we-advi... The evidence, across Africa: transfer.cpc.unc.edu/evidence-sum...

New on the blog: health economist Jacob Novignon on cash transfers and health. Why the myth that people spend transfers on alcohol and tobacco does not hold up in the evidence, and why research has to be waiting for policymakers before they come looking.

PRESTO's Tia Palermo, is on the teaching team for the 2026 Impact Evaluation Retooling Workshop in Nairobi, leading several sessions this week. Organised by AERC with AIR, UNC, UNICEF & The Transfer Project, it's training 29 faculty in rigorous evaluation methods. Capacity building in action.

From evidence to impact, we do the research that moves the needle. PRESTO offers a full suite of services to help you design smarter policies, evaluate what works, and communicate it to the people who need to hear it. Let's build something meaningful together. 🔗 www.policyresearchsolutions.com

socialprotection.org has a new look and an AI-powered discovery feature. PRESTO's research is part of the library: cash plus, gender and cash transfers, adolescent transitions, and more. A few additions for your reading list: socialprotection.org/stakeholders...

Quick myth-bust: social protection isn't a handout – it’s a right. Here is a breakdown of what it includes, who it's for, and why design (not just funding) decides whether it works. Let us know what you think the most common misconception is.

"Where were their voices in this conversation?" Public health researcher Leah kept asking why young people hit hardest by the climate crisis were missing from the research. Our new Q&A covers her answer: climate distress, youth mental health, and evidence people can use.

This is what good research looks like up close: not just data points, but genuine care for the people behind them. Full story on maternal and child nutrition research in Tanzania: www.policyresearchsolutions.com/post/they-co...

In the #Sahel, poverty and competition over resources strain social bonds and fuel conflict. Can #SocialProtection build #SocialCohesion? New joint research by World Bank, UNICEF & WFP in #Chad and #Mauritania looks at design, perceptions, and the State's role. Full presentation 🔗 lnkd.in/eZ7dybwu

This week, PRESTO joined UNICEF and INE to share findings on violence against children in São Tomé and Príncipe, with senior officials including Ministers of Education and Labour in attendance. Evidence only matters if it reaches decision-makers. #ChildProtection #PolicyResearch

What drives violence against children in São Tomé and Príncipe? Swipe to see the findings and what needs to change ➡️ Evidence is the first step toward protecting children. #ChildProtection #ViolenceAgainstChildren #UNICEF #EvidenceBasedPolicy

Earlier this week at the World Bank #FragilityForum, PRESTO President Tia Palermo joined fellow panelists to discuss how #SocialProtection shapes social cohesion in the Sahel. A conversation at the heart of our evidence work on programmes that improve lives across Africa.

We're at the World Bank Fragility Forum 2026. Say hi if you're here. 👋

World Environment Day is a moment to reflect. Evidence-informed policy is one of the most powerful tools we have for protecting our environment. More to come from PRESTO. Stay tuned.

If you will be there, we would love to connect. #ImpactEvaluation #CapacityBuilding #AERC #PolicyResearch #AfricaResearch #EvidenceBasedPolicy #PRESTO

A bilingual storybook. Refugee and host kids. And a friendship that changed everything. PRESTO's Social Cohesion Series starts here. 🔗 www.policyresearchsolutions.com/post/social-... #SocialCohesion #EarlyChildhood #RefugeeInclusion #Bibliotherapy

From evidence to impact, we do the research that moves the needle. PRESTO offers a full suite of services to help you design smarter policies, evaluate what works, and communicate it to the people who need to hear it. Let's build something meaningful together. 🔗 www.policyresearchsolutions.com

We are headed to the World Bank Fragility Forum in Washington D.C. (June 8-10)! Tia Palermo will be participating in a session on Social Protection to Build Social Cohesion on Wednesday, June 10. Attending the Forum? Come find us. We would love to connect. #FragilityForum #SocialProtection

We asked Stephen Okiya to reflect on his work in his own words. The result is worth reading. Full piece here 👇 www.policyresearchsolutions.com/post/researc...

Myths about cash transfers and gender equality persist, even when the evidence says otherwise. PRESTO's Tia Palermo and Maja Gavrilovic joined UNICEF and Ghana's Ministry of Gender to present findings that challenge those assumptions and offer real recommendations for gender-responsive programming.

"Continuous learning, meaningful collaboration, and a commitment to global health." That is how Dr. Amel Hashim Salim describes what drives her work. Meet the researchers behind PRESTO's work: policyresearchsolutions.com

Cash alone won't cut it. The Ujana Salama trial is clear: if programmes aren't designed with young people with disabilities from the start, inclusion is just a talking point. Build it in. Scale it up. Leave no one behind. 🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.ja...

Evidence-based policy is not just about today. It is about building a future that lasts. Learn more about our approach at www.policyresearchsolutions.com

These data shows what is possible and what needs to change in how we design more inclusive programmes. Read the full article below for more insights into the impact of the Ujana Salama Cash Plus program. 🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2026.01.023 #DisabilityInclusion #SocialProtection

Early-life adversity shapes who benefits from youth livelihood programs, and who gets left behind. Evidence from Tanzania shows why trauma-informed design is essential for social protection programs targeting adolescents. Read the full blog 🔗 www.policyresearchsolutions.com/post/why-chi...

From evidence to impact, we do the research that moves the needle. PRESTO offers a full suite of services to help you design smarter policies, evaluate what works, and communicate it to the people who need to hear it. Let's build something meaningful together. 🔗 www.policyresearchsolutions.com