Microfinance programs and domestic violence in northern Cameroon; the case of the Familial Rural Income Improvement Program

The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between female participation to the familial rural income improvement program (PARFAR) and domestic violence in the rural northern Cameroon. To achieve this, two hypothesis based respectively on the theory of marital bargaining and the theory of men’s backslash are tested applying propensity score matching to survey data from a sample of households in the area, to consider the possibility of sampling bias. A battery of test and estimation methods is used to check the robustness of findings. The results support the backslash theory. PARFAR participation leads to an improvement in the contribution of women in decision-making within the targeted households. This effect is associated with a reduction in violence acceptability but an increase in violence prevalence. This double result which embedded household dynamics in an adversarial logic then raises the question of prior cultural adjustment program for targeted households. Among actions to undertake for such attitudinal change about gender considerations in Cameroon, besides those mobilizing local government, non-governmental organizations and community based organizations, an additional challenge for policymakers could be improving policies facilitating access to legal institutions for victims of domestic violence.