This new report provides a rigorous review of what the latest research says about the power of social protection to combat child labour. Providing families with direct assistance to help them weather crises can help reduce negative coping strategies like child labour and child marriage. The report also shows that the impact of social protection measures is even greater if countries also put in place integrated systems that provide social protection benefits across the lifecycle. Unfortunately, too little progress has been made in expanding social protection services to reach the families in greatest need – and the children at greatest risk. Worldwide, the families of approximately 1.5 billion children 14 and under receive no family or child cash benefits at all. Authored jointly by the ILO and UNICEF, this report is intended to inform discussion at the 5th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, in South Africa in May 2022 – and to spur urgent action by governments to build comprehensive, child-sensitive social protection systems. The joint endeavour of Alliance 8.7 and the Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection (USP2030) could also be an important vehicle to advance this effort and support Member State