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Public work programmes and gender-based violence- the case of NREGA in India

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  • Sofia Amaral

    (University of Birmingham, UK.)

  • Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay

    (University of Birmingham, UK.)

  • Rudra Sensarma

    (Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode)

Abstract

NREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) is the Indian government’s flagship anti-poverty programme and is one of the largest public works programmes in the world which aims to increase employment opportunities for the poor and in particular, improve women’s access to the labour market. In this paper we analyse the relationship between female labour participation and violence against women. Using district-time variation in the implementation of this anti-poverty programme we estimate the effect of improved participation and access to employment of women on gender-based violence. We find evidence that increased female labour participation following the NREGS increased total gender-based violence. There are increases in kidnappings, sexual harassment and domestic violence, while dowry deaths decreased.

Suggested Citation

  • Sofia Amaral & Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay & Rudra Sensarma, 2015. "Public work programmes and gender-based violence- the case of NREGA in India," Working papers 176, Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode.
    • Handle: RePEc:iik:wpaper:176
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender-based violence; NREGA; Employment; Female Employment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing

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