IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/povpop/v11y2019i3p178-204.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Impact of Cash Transfers on Women's Empowerment: The Case of the Tanzania Social Action Fund

Author

Listed:
  • Abel Alfred Kinyondo
  • Joseph Magashi

Abstract

Social cash transfer (CT) programs are widely promoted around the world as effective instruments for poverty reduction. Unfortunately, they are rarely examined in a rigorous fashion to determine their purported impact. It is in this context that a mixed method was employed in the present study on a panel data set collected between 2015 and 2017 to examine the impact of the Tanzania Social Action Fund’s (TASAF) CT program on women’s empowerment. Results from a quasi‐experimental design show that TASAF targets poor households and does have an impact within its own sphere. However, the said impact does not spill over outside TASAF domain. These results are corroborated by qualitative data findings used in the study. We thus recommend that TASAF be accompanied by similar programs for a bigger and sustainable impact on women’s empowerment to be realized. Moreover, the study recommends that initiatives such as that of TASAF should go hand‐in‐hand with religious, legal, and cultural reforms. 社会现金转移支付计划（CTs）作为有效减贫工具在全球广泛实行。不幸的是，该计划很少经过严谨的检验，以决定其宣称的影响。以此为背景，现有研究将一种混合方法应用于2015年至2017年收集的一组面板数据，以期检验“坦桑尼亚社会行动基金”（TASAF）的现金转移支付计划对妇女赋权产生的影响。一项准实验设计得出的结果显示，TASAF以贫困家庭为目标，并且的确发挥了作用。然而，这种作用不会出现在TASAF范围之外。这些结果通过本研究中使用的定性数据发现得以证实。因此我们建议，TASAF应与相似的计划一同为妇女赋权发挥更大的、可持续的影响。此外，本研究建议，与TASAF类似的倡议计划应同宗教改革、立法改革和文化改革一并进行。 Los programas sociales de transferencia de dinero (CTs) se promueven ampliamente en todo el mundo como instrumentos efectivos para la reducción de la pobreza. Desafortunadamente, rara vez se examinan de manera rigurosa para determinar su supuesto impacto. Es en este contexto que se empleó un método mixto en el presente estudio sobre un panel de datos recopilados entre 2015 y 2017 para examinar el impacto del programa de transferencia de efectivo del Fondo de Acción Social de Tanzania (TASAF) en el empoderamiento de las mujeres. Los resultados de un diseño de cuasi‐experimento muestran que TASAF se dirige a hogares pobres y tiene impacto dentro de su propia esfera. Sin embargo, dicho impacto no se extiende fuera del dominio TASAF. Estos resultados son corroborados por los hallazgos de datos cualitativos utilizados en el estudio. Por lo tanto, recomendamos que TASAF se acompañe con programas similares para lograr un mayor impacto sostenible en el empoderamiento de las mujeres. Además, el estudio recomienda que iniciativas como la de TASAF deben ir de la mano con reformas religiosas, legales y culturales.

Suggested Citation

  • Abel Alfred Kinyondo & Joseph Magashi, 2019. "The Impact of Cash Transfers on Women's Empowerment: The Case of the Tanzania Social Action Fund," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(3), pages 178-204, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:povpop:v:11:y:2019:i:3:p:178-204
    DOI: 10.1002/pop4.256
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/pop4.256
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/pop4.256?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Barrientos Armando & Villa Juan Miguel, 2015. "Evaluating Antipoverty Transfer Programmes in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Better Policies? Better Politics?," Journal of Globalization and Development, De Gruyter, vol. 6(1), pages 147-179, June.
    2. United Nations UN, 2015. "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Working Papers id:7559, eSocialSciences.
    3. Barrientos Armando & Villa Juan Miguel, 2015. "Evaluating Antipoverty Transfer Programmes in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Better Policies? Better Politics?," Journal of Globalization and Development, De Gruyter, vol. 6(1), pages 147-179, June.
    4. Hanny Cueva Beteta, 2006. "What is missing in measures of Women's Empowerment?," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(2), pages 221-241.
    5. Naila Kabeer, 1999. "Resources, Agency, Achievements: Reflections on the Measurement of Women's Empowerment," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 30(3), pages 435-464, July.
    6. World Bank, 2015. "The State of Social Safety Nets 2015," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 22101, December.
    7. Hulme, David, 2000. "Impact Assessment Methodologies for Microfinance: Theory, Experience and Better Practice," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 79-98, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lu Gram & Joanna Morrison & Jolene Skordis-Worrall, 2019. "Organising Concepts of ‘Women’s Empowerment’ for Measurement: A Typology," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(3), pages 1349-1376, June.
    2. Han, Wenjing & Zhang, Xiaoling & Zhang, Zhengfeng, 2019. "The role of land tenure security in promoting rural women’s empowerment: Empirical evidence from rural China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 280-289.
    3. Gutiérrez-Nieto, Begoña & Serrano-Cinca, Carlos, 2019. "20 years of research in microfinance: An information management approach," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 183-197.
    4. Olga Gorelkina & Ioanna Grypari & Erin Hengel, 2019. "One strike and you’re out! The Master Lever’s effect on senatorial policy-making," Working Papers 201906, University of Liverpool, Department of Economics.
    5. Hare Krisna Kundo & Martin Brueckner & Rochelle Spencer & John Davis, 2021. "Mainstreaming climate adaptation into social protection: The issues yet to be addressed," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(6), pages 953-974, August.
    6. Scarlato, Margherita & D'Agostino, Giorgio, 2016. "The political economy of cash transfers: a comparative analysis of Latin American and sub-Saharan African experiences," IDOS Discussion Papers 6/2016, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    7. Collins, LaPorchia A., 2022. "Identifying Profiles of Empowerment: Does the Empowerment Mix Matter for Food Security?," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322538, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    8. Juan M. Villa, 2014. "Social Transfers and Growth: The Missing Evidence from Luminosity Data," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2014-090, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    9. Juan M. Villa, 2014. "The length of exposure to antipoverty transfer programmes: what is the relevance for children's human capital formation?," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series 20614, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    10. Supriya Garikipati & Rebecca J. Docherty & Penelope A. Phillips-Howard, 2019. "What’s the bleeding problem? Policy and attitudes towards sustainable menstrual hygiene materials in India," Working Papers 201907, University of Liverpool, Department of Economics.
    11. B, Ranjula & Wallentin, Fan Yang, 2008. "Economic or Non-Economic Factors – What Empowers Women?," Working Paper Series 2008:11, Uppsala University, Department of Economics.
    12. Abel Kinyondo & Magashi Joseph, 2021. "Women’s employment status and domestic violence in Tanzania: How do they link?," International Journal of Social Welfare, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(2), pages 216-225, April.
    13. Goldman, Mara J. & Little, Jani S., 2015. "Innovative Grassroots NGOS and the Complex Processes of Women’s Empowerment: An Empirical Investigation from Northern Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 762-777.
    14. Juan M. Villa & Miguel Niño-Zarazúa, 2014. "Poverty Dynamics and Programme Graduation from Social Protection: A Transitional Model for Mexico's Oportunidades Programme," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2014-109, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    15. Villa, Juan M., 2014. "Social transfers and growth: The missing evidence from luminosity data," WIDER Working Paper Series 090, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    16. Abreha, Solomon K. & Walelign, Solomon Z. & Zereyesus, Yacob A., 2020. "Associations between Women’s Empowerment and Child Health Status in Ethiopia," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304174, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    17. Ranjula Bali Swain & Supriya Garikipati, 2019. "Microfinance in the Global South: Examining Evidence on Social Efficacy," Working Papers 201908, University of Liverpool, Department of Economics.
    18. Robin A. Richardson, 2018. "Measuring Women’s Empowerment: A Critical Review of Current Practices and Recommendations for Researchers," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 137(2), pages 539-557, June.
    19. Yount, Kathryn M. & Crandall, AliceAnn & Cheong, Yuk Fai, 2018. "Women’s Age at First Marriage and Long-Term Economic Empowerment in Egypt," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 124-134.
    20. Averi Chakrabarti & Sudhanshu Handa & Malawi and Zambia Cash Transfer Evaluation Teams, 2023. "The impacts of cash transfers on household energy choices," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 105(5), pages 1426-1457, October.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:povpop:v:11:y:2019:i:3:p:178-204. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1002/(ISSN)1944-2858 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.