Impacts of the global economic crisis and national policy responses on children in Cameroon

Abstract

The impacts of the 2008–2009 global economic crisis and various policy responses on child monetary and caloric poverty in Cameroon are simulated. For this purpose, a macro-micro methodology is adopted. A dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model takes into account the different transmission channels of the global crisis and macro policy responses to Cameroon's economy. The results of the CGE model are then introduced into a micro-econometric module to trace the ultimate impacts on households in general and children in particular. The global crisis is simulated to raise child monetary poverty by roughly two percentage points and caloric poverty by up to 0.56 percentage points. A targeted child cash transfer and school feeding programs are found to be the best policy responses in terms of cost-effectively protecting children from the crisis.