The direct empowerment of mothers also has broader developmental impact on children and poor communities. Such institutional and design complexities are an initial fixed cost that can be recuperated over the long-term as the programmes lead to more structured systems of social protection. Indeed, governments in Asia that were hit by the crisis found it highly convenient to have CCT programmes in place that could provide minimum immediate relief to the poorest populations. They primarily address issues of chronic poverty, rather than the vulnerabilities created or exacerbated by sudden shocks in income.