Relative power: Explaining the effects of food and cash transfers on allocative behaviour in rural Nepalese households

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Harris-Fry, Helen; Saville, Naomi M.; Paudel, Puskar; Manandhar, Dharma S.; Cortina-Borja, Mario; Skordis, Jolene
• 署名单位: University of London; London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine; University of London; University College London; University of London; University College London
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0304-3878
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2021.102784
• 发表日期: 2022
• 关键词: Nepal; Bargaining power; Intra-household food allocation; diet; equity

摘要

We estimate the effects of antenatal food and cash transfers with women's groups on household allocative behaviour and explore whether these effects are explained by intergenerational bargaining among women. Interventions were tested in randomised-controlled trial in rural Nepal, in a food-insecure context where pregnant women are allocated the least adequate diets. We show households enrolled in a cash transfer intervention allocated pregnant women with 2-3 pp larger shares of multiple foods (versus their mothers-in-law and male household heads) than households in a control group. Households in a food transfer intervention only increased pregnant women's allocation of staple foods (by 2 pp). Intergenerational bargaining power may partly mediate the effects of the cash transfers but not food transfers, whereas household food budget and nutrition knowledge do not mediate any effects. Our findings highlight the role of intergenerational bargaining in determining the effectiveness of interventions aiming to reach and/or empower junior women.