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Does Gender Tagging Public Works Increase Women's Participation? Experimental Evidence from Haiti, Kenya, and Rwanda

Author

Listed:
  • Tanay Balantrapu
  • Paul Christian
  • Lelys Dinarte-Diaz
  • Felipe Dunsch
  • Jonas Heirman
  • Dahyeon Jeong
  • Erin Kelley
  • Florence Kondylis
  • Gregory Lane
  • John Loeser

Abstract

Public works programs often fail to induce participation by women in dual-headed households, with implications for closing gender gaps in autonomy. We randomize "gender tagging," labeling as "for women" in cash-for-work programs targeting poor households in Haiti, Kenya, and Rwanda. Gender tagging increases women's participation by 11 to 27 percentage points (29–192 percent) in contexts where women have low labor market attachment. We apply recent econometric methods to test heterogeneity across households to show that gender tagging generates catch-up: The women least likely to participate under the status quo program experience the largest increase in participation from gender tagging.

Suggested Citation

  • Tanay Balantrapu & Paul Christian & Lelys Dinarte-Diaz & Felipe Dunsch & Jonas Heirman & Dahyeon Jeong & Erin Kelley & Florence Kondylis & Gregory Lane & John Loeser, 2025. "Does Gender Tagging Public Works Increase Women's Participation? Experimental Evidence from Haiti, Kenya, and Rwanda," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 115, pages 318-323, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:apandp:v:115:y:2025:p:318-23
    DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20251023
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H54 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Infrastructures
    • H76 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Other Expenditure Categories
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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