While there is a substantive literature on the extent to which shared values define welfare institutions in developed countries,5 this literature is scarce in developing countries (Ulriksen & Plagerson, 2016a). Our paper aims to address this gap by contributing to the understanding of how ethical perspectives influence the shape of poverty reduction policies in lower- and middle-income countries. In the main body of the paper, we analyse how ethical perspectives help understand key design features of anti-poverty programmes, and provide three case studies (Brazil, South Africa and Ghana) exploring the role of ethical perspectives in the development of poverty reduction policy and programming in these countries. It pays particular attention to three design features discussed extensively in the literature: targeting, conditions and graduation.