Preventive social protection involves insurance schemes such as pensions, or risk-pooling mechanisms such as health and unemployment insurance, in order to prevent a drop in living standards during crises or at less productive times in an individual’s life. Both protective and preventive measures can help households avoid ill-advised coping strategies in times of crisis, such as selling productive assets or withdrawing children from school. Promotive social protection may include productive transfers, insurance and credit schemes, labour market interventions, investment in public assets and access to education or skills training.