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Do Participatory Learning and Action Women’s Groups Alone or Combined with Cash or Food Transfers Expand Women’s Agency in Rural Nepal?

Author

Listed:
  • Lu Gram
  • Joanna Morrison
  • Naomi Saville
  • Shyam Sundar Yadav
  • Bhim Shrestha
  • Dharma Manandhar
  • Anthony Costello
  • Jolene Skordis-Worrall

Abstract

Participatory learning and action women’s groups (PLA) have proven effective in reducing neonatal mortality in rural, high-mortality settings, but their impacts on women’s agency in the household remain unknown. Cash transfer programmes have also long targeted female beneficiaries in the belief that this empowers women. Drawing on data from 1309 pregnant women in a four-arm cluster-randomised controlled trial in Nepal, we found little evidence for an impact of PLA alone or combined with unconditional food or cash transfers on women’s agency in the household. Caution is advised before assuming PLA women’s groups alone or with resource transfers necessarily empower women.

Suggested Citation

  • Lu Gram & Joanna Morrison & Naomi Saville & Shyam Sundar Yadav & Bhim Shrestha & Dharma Manandhar & Anthony Costello & Jolene Skordis-Worrall, 2019. "Do Participatory Learning and Action Women’s Groups Alone or Combined with Cash or Food Transfers Expand Women’s Agency in Rural Nepal?," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(8), pages 1670-1686, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:55:y:2019:i:8:p:1670-1686
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2018.1448069
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    Cited by:

    1. Kumar, Neha & Raghunathan, Kalyani & Arrieta, Alejandra & Jilani, Amir & Pandey, Shinjini, 2021. "The power of the collective empowers women: Evidence from self-help groups in India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    2. McCarthy, Aine Seitz & Krause, Brooke, 2024. "Age and Agency: Evidence from a Women’s Empowerment Program in Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    3. Harris-Fry, Helen & Saville, Naomi M. & Paudel, Puskar & Manandhar, Dharma S. & Cortina-Borja, Mario & Skordis, Jolene, 2022. "Relative power: Explaining the effects of food and cash transfers on allocative behaviour in rural Nepalese households," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    4. Hatcher, Abigail M & McBride, Ruari-Santiago & Rebombo, Dumisani & Munshi, Shehnaz & Khumalo, Mzwakhe & Christofides, Nicola, 2020. "Process evaluation of a community mobilization intervention for preventing men’s partner violence use in peri-urban South Africa," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    5. Laszlo, Sonia & Grantham, Kate & Oskay, Ecem & Zhang, Tingting, 2020. "Grappling with the challenges of measuring women's economic empowerment in intrahousehold settings," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).

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