Codebook of the Global Dataset of Child Benefits

This codebook is an updated and extended version of the previously published Codebook of the Historical Dataset of Child Benefit (HDCB) from 2021 (Tonelli et al. 2021). The current version extends coverage of countries and includes more detailed information. Users are strongly encouraged to refer to this updated codebook when working with the data to ensure they are using the most accurate and comprehensive information available.

The Global Dataset of Child Benefits (GDCB) constitutes the most comprehensive and systematic longitudinal compilation of child benefit policies worldwide, spanning from 1926 to 2021. Developed within the framework of the Global Welfare State Information System (WeSIS), this dataset includes institutional and legal coverage data, as well as data on the scope of benefits across 120 countries, including both statutory entitlements and nationally administered cash transfer programs which have not been enacted into legal frameworks. Through an extensive data collection process, the GDCB captures the global diffusion, evolution, and institutional diversity of child benefit schemes. It distinguishes between employment-based and citizenship- or residency-based benefits and systematically documents targeting mechanisms and conditionalities. Particular attention is devoted to capturing the extension of child-related transfers in the Global South, integrating measures of effective coverage, poverty-targeted interventions and behavioral conditionalities. The dataset harmonizes national administrative data, legal texts, and international sources, offering standardized, cross-nationally comparable indicators. It thus provides a critical empirical foundation for scholarly inquiry into the historical development of welfare state institutions, the stratification of social protection regimes, and the pathways to universalism in family policy.