Interest in safety nets and social protection is growing exponentially. Ways of strengthening the mare called for in high-level statements, researched in academic articles, and implemented by practitioners. Such developments are encouraging and may help to shed light on some longstanding humanitarian and development challenges. The concept remains controversial, however,and several issues must be clarified. This paper delineate score are as of tension, and lays out key issues underpinning them at the analytical, policy, institutional and implementation level.