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Acceptability of conditions in a community-led cash transfer programme for orphaned and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe

Author

Listed:
  • Skovdal, Morten
  • Robertson, Laura
  • Mushati, Phyllis
  • Dumba, Lovemore
  • Sherr, Lorraine
  • Nyamukapa, Constance
  • Gregson, Simon

Abstract

Evidence suggests that a regular and reliable transfer of cash to households with orphaned and vulnerable children has a strong and positive effect on child outcomes. However, conditional cash transfers are considered by some as particularly intrusive and the question on whether or not to apply conditions to cash transfers is an issue of controversy. Contributing to policy debates on the appropriateness of conditions, this article sets out to investigate the overall buy-in of conditions by different stakeholders and to identify pathways that contribute to an acceptability of conditions. The article draws on data from a cluster-randomized trial of a community-led cash transfer programme in Manicaland, eastern Zimbabwe. An endpoint survey distributed to 5167 households assessed community members’ acceptance of conditions and 35 in-depth interviews and 3 focus groups with a total of 58 adults and 4 youth examined local perceptions of conditions. The study found a significant and widespread acceptance of conditions primarily because they were seen as fair and a proxy for good parenting or guardianship. In a socio-economic context where child grants are not considered a citizen entitlement, community members and cash transfer recipients valued the conditions associated with these grants. The community members interpreted the fulfilment of the conditions as a proxy for achievement and merit, enabling them to participate rather than sit back as passive recipients of aid. Although conditions have a paternalistic undertone and engender the sceptics’ view of conditions being pernicious and even abominable, it is important to recognize that community members, when given the opportunity to participate in programme design and implementation, can take advantage of conditions and appropriate them in a way that helps them manage change and overcome the social divisiveness or conflict that otherwise may arise when some people are identified to benefit and others not.

Suggested Citation

  • Skovdal, Morten & Robertson, Laura & Mushati, Phyllis & Dumba, Lovemore & Sherr, Lorraine & Nyamukapa, Constance & Gregson, Simon, 2013. "Acceptability of conditions in a community-led cash transfer programme for orphaned and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 52945, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:52945
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Handa, Sudhanshu & Davis, Benjamin, 2006. "The experience of conditional cash transfers in Latin America and the Caribbean," ESA Working Papers 289060, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA).
    2. Forde, I. & Bell, R. & Marmot, M.G., 2011. "Using conditionality as a solution to the problem of low uptake of essential services among disadvantaged communities: A social determinants view," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 101(8), pages 1365-1369.
    3. Marie Gaarder, 2012. "Conditional versus unconditional cash: a commentary," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(1), pages 130-133, March.
    4. Bernd Schubert & Rachel Slater, 2006. "Social Cash Transfers in Low-Income African Countries: Conditional or Unconditional?," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 24(5), pages 571-578, September.
    5. Robertson, Laura & Mushati, Phyllis & Eaton, Jeffrey W. & Sherr, Lorraine & Makoni, Jeremiah C. & Skovdal, Morten & Crea, Tom & Mavise, Gideon & Dumba, Lovemore & Schumacher, Christina & Munyati, Shun, 2012. "Household-based cash transfer targeting strategies in Zimbabwe: Are we reaching the most vulnerable children?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2503-2508.
    6. Campbell, Catherine & Skovdal, Morten & Mupambireyi, Zivai & Gregson, Simon, 2010. "Exploring children's stigmatisation of AIDS-affected children in Zimbabwe through drawings and stories," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(5), pages 975-985, September.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    cash transfers; conditions; community acceptability; orphaned children; social protection;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E6 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook

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