In recent years, over 860 million poor people in developing countries have been covered by various types of social protection system, including child benefit and old age pensions. For the countries concerned and for the donors, investment in social protection means a paradigm shift. Food subsidies and other forms of “safety net”are being replaced by a reliable and predictable way of giving people money straight into their hands, making it possible for them to meet their own immediate needs themselves. This changed approach is sometimes referred to as a “silent revolution”.