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The impact of cash transfers on Syrian refugee children in Lebanon

Author

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  • Moussa, Wael
  • Salti, Nisreen
  • Irani, Alexandra
  • Mokdad, Rima Al
  • Jamaluddine, Zeina
  • Chaaban, Jad
  • Ghattas, Hala

Abstract

This paper evaluates the impact of multi-purpose cash assistance on Syrian refugee children living in Lebanon. Using a sharp multidimensional regression discontinuity design, we estimate the program impact of varying cash assistance durations measured over two waves of household survey data collected in 2019. The novel research design enables us to make pairwise comparisons between children from discontinued recipient households (received cash for 12 months then got discontinued in the next cash cycle), short-run cash recipient households (up to 10 months), long-term recipient households (between 16 and 22 months) and non-beneficiary eligible households. Results show that children of any MPC recipient group are transitioning from non-formal to formal schooling while also shifting away from child labor. Cash transfers improve health outcomes for pre-primary and school-aged children and reduce the likelihood of early marriage for girls aged 15–19 years.

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  • Moussa, Wael & Salti, Nisreen & Irani, Alexandra & Mokdad, Rima Al & Jamaluddine, Zeina & Chaaban, Jad & Ghattas, Hala, 2022. "The impact of cash transfers on Syrian refugee children in Lebanon," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:150:y:2022:i:c:s0305750x21003260
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2021.105711
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    Cited by:

    1. Krafft,Caroline Gould & Arango,Diana Jimena & Rubin,Amalia Hadas & Jocelyn,Kelly, 2022. "Conflict and Girl Child Marriage : Global Evidence," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10135, The World Bank.
    2. Kırdar, Murat Güray & Koç, İsmet & Dayıoğlu, Meltem, 2023. "School integration of Syrian refugee children in Turkey," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    3. Murat Guray Kirdar & Ismet Koc & Meltem Dayıoglu, 2021. "School Integration of Refugee Children: Evidence from the Largest Refugee Group in any Country," Koç University-TUSIAD Economic Research Forum Working Papers 2116, Koc University-TUSIAD Economic Research Forum.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cash transfers; Child well-being; Regression discontinuity design; Refugees;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D60 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - General
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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