Studies Archive - Page 2 of 19 - BRAC Institute of Governance and Development

Tertiary Education Loan

BRAC-Microfinance (BRAC-MF) is piloting an education loan product targeting all levels of education. This study aims to find out how loans can be made accessible specifically to tertiary-level students and the uptake can be improved without compromising the repayment collection.

Researchers: Khandker Wahedur Rahman; Abu S. Shonchoy; Sergio Barrera; Shaila Ahmed; Marjan Hossain

Partners: BRAC-Microfinance (BRAC-MF)

Timeline: 2023-2024

Status: Ongoing

Contact: Marjan Hossain; marjan.hossain@bracu.ac.bd

Context

Even though tertiary education has higher economic returns, the gross enrollment rate in tertiary education institutes in Bangladesh is much lower compared to higher secondary enrollment. The enrollment disparity is more pronounced between rural and urban families and poor and non-poor households. The principal reason for the enrollment gap, especially for disadvantaged rural students is the lack of credit access. Although public tertiary education is heavily subsidized, the out-of-pocket expense is substantially costly for rural families. Further, there are limited merit-based scholarships and no public/private education loan opportunities for tertiary education. Given this situation, BRAC-MF is currently piloting an education loan product (called Alokito Reen or Enlightenment Credit) targeting all levels of education, including tertiary education.

Objectives

The primary goal of the study is to investigate how loan information, other financial aid information, and possibilities of part-time earning information shape loan uptake. The aim is to explore how to make the loan more functional and targeted to tertiary-level students and how to improve the uptake and usability of the loan (by altering the loan contract and benefit features) without compromising the repayment collection.

This study is relevant to SDG 4 (quality education), which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Methodology

The study will use a cluster randomized control trial (cRCT) design by randomly assigning different loan contracts to different BRAC-MF groups, cross-cutting with earning and scholarship information treatment with potential borrowers while stratifying by gender.

Findings and Recommendations

Forthcoming

Parenting-For-Adolescent (PFA) Program

Interviews with the Ultra Poor Graduation Program (UPGP) beneficiaries in 2022 revealed that they display a strong resolve to graduate out of poverty, additionally recognizing that education can facilitate upward social mobility. This study, conducted in partnership with the Center for Global Development (CGD) aims to understand whether the rate of child marriage can be reduced and enrollment for girls in primary and secondary education can be increased through the provision of counseling.

Researchers: Khandker Wahedur Rahman; Shaila Ahmed; Marjan Hossain; Md. Rohmotul Islam; Gabriella Smarelli; Radhika Nagesh

Partners: Center for Global Development (CGD)

Timeline: 2021-2023

Status: Completed

Contact: Marjan Hossain; marjan.hossain@bracu.ac.bd

Context

Despite having high aspirations for their children’s education and viewing it as the key to better life prospects, interviews with the Ultra Poor Graduation Program (UPGP) beneficiaries in 2022 revealed that parents marry off their adolescent daughters in their early or late teenage years. The generation gap causing mistrust and conflict is particularly salient for parents and adolescent girls due to concerns about dishonorable behavior and the resulting reputation concerns. Further, religious, gender, and societal norms prevent girls from discussing their growth and agency with their parents, deepening the parent-adolescent gap. Girls’ voices are often excluded from marriage decisions, and asserting agency threatens patriarchal authority, leading to stigma. Hence, despite awareness of the dangers of child marriage and high education goals, parents consent to early marriage for adolescent girls out of fear of the child’s misconduct and consequential social ramifications.

Objectives

The main research objective is to investigate whether bridging the parent-adolescent gap through the provision of counseling can reduce their conflict and lead to a healthier dynamic, thus resulting in a decrease in the rate of early marriage and an increase in the rate of enrollment for girls in secondary and higher secondary levels. In addition, other outcomes that will be measured include perceived parental support and parent-adolescent conflict, conflict styles, and the proportion of female students receiving private tutoring.

Methodology

The counseling sessions will be adapted from the CONNECT parenting support program, involving both parents and adolescents. UPG groups will be randomly assigned to the intervention. The study sample will consist of 200 groups with 100 groups randomly assigned into the treatment group, and the rest constituting the control group. The treatment group will receive this additional PFA intervention, while the control group will receive the standard UPG intervention.

Findings and Recommendations

Forthcoming

Social Empowerment and Legal Protection Programme (SELP)

Despite Bangladesh enacting several strict regulations against child marriage, such as setting a minimum age of marriage, limited legal repercussions are observed within communities (Akter et al., 2022). Enforcement failures and entrenched societal norms are likely enabling its prevalence. The BRAC Social Empowerment and Legal Protection (SELP) program is implementing a set of multi-layered interventions to reduce child marriage as well as piloting conditional cash transfers. A rigorous evaluation of the two-year SELP interventions and the cash transfer has been developed in partnership between SELP and BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD).

Researchers: Munshi Sulaiman, PhD; Shaila Ahmed, PhD; Khandker Wahedur Rahman, PhD; Sakib Mahmood, PhD; Md. Johirul Islam; Prof Ben D’Excelle; Prof Pieter Serneels

Partners: BRAC Social Empowerment and Legal Protection Programme (SELP)

Timeline: 2022-2025

Status: Ongoing

Contact: Marjan Hossain; marjan.hossain@bracu.ac.bd

Context

The interventions to combat child marriage are wide-ranging and varied, including empowering individuals socially, providing economic incentives, and educating communities about the risks. Evidence suggests that conditional cash and asset transfers, job opportunities, and livelihood training for girls have been most successful in addressing child marriage. However, community-level factors also influence child marriage rates, emphasizing the importance of prevailing social norms. In this context, BRAC’s SELP program is implementing various interventions to reduce child marriage and BIGD will evaluate how combinations of community-led and economic incentives can interact to reduce child marriage.

Objectives

The primary goal of the study is to evaluate the overall impact of the SELP program on addressing child marriage practices. Further, the study will also focus on how these outcomes vary between treatment arms when economic incentive is layered as an additional component in the form of conditional cash transfer or livelihood support. In addition, a relative cost-effectiveness analysis will be conducted for the economic incentive vis-à-vis the core SELP model.

The study is relevant to SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), particularly to the goal of promoting sustained, inclusive, full, and productive employment and decent work for all.

Methodology

The study uses a four-arm cluster-level randomized controlled trial (RCT) to investigate the causal relationship between the program variations and outcome measures. A total 450 villages (clusters) from randomly selected upazilas will also randomly be assigned into the study arms.

For upazilas receiving the high cash intervention

A group of 100 cluster villages from 10 upazilas will receive the SELP interventions (Palli Samaj and Girls Brigade and a high cash transfer. On the other hand, a group of 50 cluster villages within the upazilas that do not receive the high cash intervention will serve as control and be monitored for any potential spillover effects.

For upazilas not receiving the high cash intervention

A group of 140 cluster villages from 30 upalizas will only receive the SELP intervention and not any economic incentive. A group of 100 cluster villages from 30 upazilas, on the other hand, will receive the SELP intervention and a conditional low cash transfer. A group of 60 cluster villages will act as control with no SELP interventions conducted in them.

Findings and Recommendations

Forthcoming

Education Research in Conflict and Crisis: Bilateral Research Chairs

This study, conducted in collaboration with Swansea University, BRAC Institute of Educational Development (BRAC IED), The British Academy, and BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), explores how a play-based approach to education can contribute to the holistic development of children affected by conflicts and crises.

Researchers: Justine Howard; Shaila Ahmed; Sakila Yesmin; Shamma Tasnim; Muhammad Towkir Hossain; Md Johirul Islam; Subrina Sultana

Partners: Swansea University, BRAC Institute of Educational Development (BRAC IED), BRAC University, The British Academy

Timeline: 2021-2024

Status: Ongoing

Contact: Muhammad Towkir Hossain; towkir.hossain@bracu.ac.bd

Context

UNICEF reports that children represent 50% of refugee populations. The impact of displacement on children is significant, impacting mental health and development across all domains. Given the developmental and therapeutic benefits of play, this project builds on the work that has already been done by BRAC IED and BIGD in the Rohingya camps and host communities, in order to explore a culturally embedded play-based approach to supporting the mental health, development, and education of children affected by conflict and crisis.

Objectives

The study aims to explore how to successfully integrate effective play interventions in education for Rohingya and host community children aged 0-18 years. Further, it also aims to investigate whether this integration of authentic and culturally contextualized play in educational contexts will lead to improved learning, social-emotional development, and psychosocial well-being outcomes for children and adolescents in crisis and conflict settings.

Methodology

The study employs a Randomized Controlled Trial experimental method to understand the impact of creating adolescent playlabs for children, especially for sixth-grade students whether such clubs increase their mental well-being. The design employs ten schools (100 students) for the treatment group and ten schools (100 students) for the control group consisting of a total of 200 students using two treatment arms respectively. The study requires one pilot, one baseline, and one endline in-person survey. The surveys will collect information on development tools, learning outcomes, and mental health metrics.

Findings and Recommendations

Forthcoming

Partnership for Research on Progress and Resilience in Education (PREPARE)

Funded by the Malala Fund and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this study was conducted as part of the Partnership for Research on Progress and Resilience in Education (PREPARE) project, a collaboration between the Center for Global Development (CGD) and the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Brac University. It examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters on children’s education and learning outcomes.

Researchers: Marjan Hossain; Md. Johirul Islam; Khandker Wahedur Rahman; Shaila Ahmed

Partners: Center for Global Development (CGD), Malala Fund, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)

Timeline: 2022 – 2023

Status: Completed

Contact: Marjan Hossain; marjan.hossain@bracu.ac.bd

Publications

Policy brief: Partnership for Research on Progress and Resilience in Education (PREPARE): Round 1 Policy Brief

Blog: The Learning Crisis Persists in Bangladesh: Findings from a Two-stage Study

Blog: Unravelling the Association between Shocks and Education in Bangladesh

Context

The education system in Bangladesh is highly susceptible to shocks, particularly affecting children in climate-vulnerable regions. These children face direct consequences such as the destruction or severe damage of school infrastructure during major calamities, as well as indirect consequences such as economic strain on their households, loss of livelihoods, and inadequate nutritional support. With schools being closed for 18 consecutive months, the COVID-19 pandemic only worsened the negative effects on children’s education and learning progression. Even before the pandemic, Bangladeshi children had poor educational outcomes. The prolonged disengagement from learning during the pandemic further raised concerns about learning gaps or even learning loss. Unfortunately, there is limited data on children’s learning status (foundational and grade-level) for both pre-and post-pandemic periods, with most assessments conducted solely within schools (only foundational tests were done at household levels). Data on children’s learning outcomes for the period of school closures are even scarcer.

This study utilized phone-based assessments to measure foundational literacy and numeracy skills among children aged 5-18. The findings reveal the negative effects of the pandemic on enrollment status and learning outcomes, exacerbated by the susceptibility of the education system to shocks in climate-vulnerable regions. Limited pre-pandemic data and scarce information on learning outcomes during school closures highlight the need for additional support and interventions to address learning gaps and ensure children reach their grade-level potential.

Objectives

The primary goal of the study is to assess the current state of foundational literacy (Bangla and English) and numeracy among children aged 5–18 years. PREPARE aims to understand the impact of shocks like COVID-19 and natural disasters on children’s education prospects and outcomes in Bangladesh.

Methodology

The study was conducted using the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) tool, adapted for Bangladesh, over the phone. The sample used in this study was drawn from the Back to School (B2S) survey, a nationally representative household survey conducted in October 2021. The researchers randomly selected and surveyed a subsample of households and the findings of the study are based on the responses of 2,957 households with 4,002 children who were within the mentioned age range.

Findings and Recommendations

The study found that enrollment is higher for younger children and girls while non-enrolment is associated with children’s reduced learning motivation and the economic capacity of households. Additionally, it was found that enrollment is correlated with better foundational learning outcomes. A larger share of children has better foundational Bangla literacy skills compared to English and Mathematics. Girls and older children perform better. However, learning gaps persist in all three subjects as students progress to higher levels of education, particularly in English and Mathematics.

While it is not possible to determine whether COVID-19 has exacerbated the urban-rural divide in children’s learning outcomes, it was found that students from private schools demonstrate advanced foundational skills. Across all three subjects, rural children consistently underperform compared to their urban peers. The learning gap in English may persist into adulthood for rural children. The study also found that major catastrophes are associated with diminished educational outcomes and prospects for children. Children who have experienced shocks (natural disasters, poverty shocks, and the pandemic) have difficulty retaining their foundational skills as they progress through grade levels, especially in English and Mathematics.

The findings of the study emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive education quality reforms to accelerate children’s post-pandemic learning recovery. Further, the study highlights the need to build more resilient education systems that can withstand and recover from such shocks.

Rapid Assessment of BRAC’s UPG-SDP Integrated Model

BRAC Utra-Poor Graduation (UPG) program collaborated with BRAC Skills Development Program (SDP) to provide a joint intervention to the urban ultra-poor population in order to address intergenerational poverty in vulnerable urban pockets by socially and economically empowering the households and by better equipping the vulnerable youth with skills required to participate in the job market. This study offers an assessment of the integrated model to identify the impacts of integrating skills-development interventions within the urban UPG program.

Researchers: Mohima Gomes, Suranjit Paul, Nabila Tahsin

Partners: BRAC Ultra-Poor Graduation Program and BRAC Skills Development Program

Timeline: January-July 2024

Status: Ongoing

Contact: Mohima Gomes; mohima.gomes@bracu.ac.bd

Context

Bangladesh has been experiencing rapid unplanned urbanization over the recent decades. Currently, over 36% of the population live in urban areas, and this is projected to increase to more than 50% by 2050. The growth of the urban poor is closely connected to income poverty and climate change. Besides, the growing youth is also disproportionately unskilled and un(der)employed (World Bank, 2018). Urban poverty tends to be intergenerational perpetuating a cycle of poverty from one generation to the next. The new generation living in urban settlements does not have an adequate level of education and skills required for decent employment. As a result, the households struggle to shift to an upward trajectory of income flow which allows the long-term poverty cycle to persist. As urbanization continues, it is essential to address these challenges and implement policies that promote inclusive and sustainable development to improve the lives of the urban poor and vulnerable groups in Bangladesh.

BRAC UPG collaborated with BRAC Skills Development Program (SDP) to provide a joint intervention to the urban ultra-poor population in order to address intergenerational poverty in vulnerable urban pockets by socially and economically empowering the households and by better equipping the vulnerable youth with skills required to participate in the job market. In the integrated model, SDP’s 10-month long STAR (Skills Training for Advancing Resources) program is incorporated within UPG’s regular 18-month graduation cycle. The joint intervention conducts enterprise development activities with the households by engaging the main female household members as the program participants to promote livelihood development. In alignment with the four pillars of UPG’s graduation approach, the integrated version provides the following support: enterprise development training, cash transfer, enterprise, skills training to the second generation, matched savings, hands-on coaching, healthcare services, and community mobilization. This study, conducted by BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) aims to inform the ongoing efforts to integrate skills-development interventions within the urban UPG program.

Objectives

While there are several areas to be looked at for evidence generation, including assessing effectiveness of the program in the medium to long term as well as generating insights that can inform program tweaking, this particular study is focused on answering some of the questions in the short-term. The study will try to understand if the types of trades provided by the STAR intervention are aligned with the economic opportunities in the contexts of participants vis-à-vis those who are relatively better-off in their communities. It will also look into the differences between the children of UPG participant households who participated as opposed to those who did not participate in the skills training, the factors influencing non-participation of children, the short-terms effects of participating in skills training for adolescent/youth participants on their economic aspirations, and the “forgone’ income amount of participating in the training.

Methodology

The study will deploy a mixed-method strategy, a blend of qualitative and quantitative techniques, to address the research questions. A survey will be conducted and will include the branch offices in Dhaka and Chattogram where the layering of skill training started in 2023. A comparison between the 2022 UPG participants and non-participants will be used to identify their general scope of economic opportunities and skills training as well as to understand the overall UPG targeting effectiveness. Furthermore, the three groups within the UPG 2022 cohort participants will be compared to understand the skills training selection-related dynamics. Additionally, the UPG 2022 cohort participants and non-participants will be compared to assess the short-term impact of the program.

Findings and Recommendations

Forthcoming

Durdiner Diaries

There is limited understanding of the coping strategies, constraints, and trajectories of new-poor households who remained poor even three years after COVID-19 hit. This study aims to fill the gap of in-depth qualitative understanding of how social, economic, and political factors affect new-poor households’ ability to recover from the pandemic.

Researchers: Sohela Nazneen; Syeda Salina Aziz; Raihan Ahamed; Anuradha Joshi; Miguel Loureiro; Niranjan Nampoothiri; Jahid Nur; Nowshin Sharmila; Rabeena Sultana Ananna; Shahaduz Zaman

Partner(s): Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex

Timeline: 2022-2024

Method: Governance Diaries (A qualitative longitudinal method)

Status: Completed

Contact: Syeda Salina Aziz; salina@bracu.ac.bd

Context

Bangladesh witnessed a significant rise in poverty rates during the pandemic. Even households that had stable livelihoods faced severe livelihood shocks and were pushed into poverty, creating a large segment of the population one might call the ‘new poor’. Many of these households are trapped in poverty as the usual coping strategies are not effective and support structures are severely strained. Research on the new poor in Bangladesh have documented livelihood shifts, coping strategies, and access to social protection mainly through a quantitative approach. The current body of research lacks an in-depth qualitative understanding of how social, economic, and political factors affect new-poor households’ ability to recover. Furthermore, there is limited understanding of the coping strategies, constraints, and trajectories of new-poor households who remain poor even after three years of the pandemic. This study attempts to answer how the new poor are attempting to recover, the strategies they have they been using to cope, the constraints they face, and the implications for governance of their efforts.

Publications

Working Paper

Title: Being New Poor in Bangladesh: Coping Strategies, Constraints, and Trajectories

Conference Presentations

Title: Being New Poor in Bangladesh: Coping Strategies, Constraints, and Trajectories
Presented at the CLEAR final conference and the 1st Development Studies International Conference 2024

Blog/Opinion

Media

Pandemic’s new poor unable to recover: study

Methodology

To explore which coping strategies new-poor households used in their attempt to survive the pandemic and bounce back to their pre-pandemic economic status, we used a household-level qualitative panel survey. We refer to this approach as ‘governance diaries’, an iterative alternative to ethnographic studies and large-n surveys that often lack comparability and sensitivity respectively, to gather qualitative information over time. As such, the method brings together the strengths of ethnographic, longitudinal, and comparative approaches to study changes in complex behaviour. It uses qualitative panel data that identifies the lived experiences of governance and service provision, and how that plays out over time in relation to unfolding events or processes – such as the effects of a pandemic.

Findings

The research found two types of new poor based on their pre-pandemic economic position— never poor and vulnerable non-poor. Key factors influencing recovery included having strong networks, access to loans, and not being limited by social norms of honour and shame. The key strategies employed by households included financial, livelihood, cost-reduction, and social safety strategies. We found that intermediaries were key to accessing social safety nets. Importantly, having political affiliations with the ruling party helped several households in getting documentation and accessing social protection schemes.

New-poor households’ strategies of recovery faced a variety of constraints in the form of asset depletion and debt traps, not having access to the ‘right’ networks, distrust and low expectations of the state, and health-related hazards. The never-poor households were generally recovering while the vulnerable non-poor were not. Networks played an important role in their ability to recover apart from their general solvency compared to that of the vulnerable non-poor.

Recommendations

Building shock-responsive social protection measures that can cover new-poor households emerges as an important policy step. NGOs such as BRAC are designing interventions to assist the new poor with credit plus interventions (Gomes et al. 2023), which can be further scaled up to provide livelihood support to the new poor. The process of acquiring documents the new poor need to access social safety nets, migration, and other services must be less cumbersome. The government-run digital platforms for acquiring these documents need better interfaces, and processes at the local level need to be simplified.

Gatekeeping and elite capture of state resources at the local level remain key areas of concern with respect to accessing state support. The absence of complaints from the new poor is telling. It is important to build citizens’ voice at the local level. Formal mechanisms for citizen engagement exist at the local level. These platforms need to be strengthened.

Changing Village

This ethnographic study by the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Brac University, explores the dynamic transformations in rural Bangladesh over the past three decades. Focusing on eight selected villages across the country, it aims to understand cultural, economic, and environmental changes through narrative inquiry. The study employs qualitative tools to gather comprehensive data, facilitating a deeper understanding of rural life.

Researchers: Shahaduz Zaman; Tanvir Shatil; Khondokar Shakhawat Ali; Mirza M. Hassan; Salina Aziz; Asif Shahan; Afsan Chowdhury; Rohini Kamal; Fariza Rahman; and Khondaker Hasibul Kabir

Timeline: 2023–2024

Status: Ongoing

Contact: Tanvir Shatil; tanvir.shatil@bracu.ac.bd

Context

Bangladesh has seen significant changes in its rural areas over the last few decades. Previous studies, such as the Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey and the Dynamics of Rural Poverty Study, offer quantitative insights but lack the detailed thick descriptions necessary to grasp the nuances of rural transformation—what and how shifts in culture, economy, environment, and social structures have occurred in rural communities. This study aims to fill this gap by employing ethnographic methods to explore the lived experiences of individuals in eight villages across Bangladesh.

Objectives

The study’s primary objective is to analyze village-level changes in Bangladesh, focusing on seven key themes: cultural transformations, financial inclusion, agricultural practices, built environment, migration patterns, environmental impacts, and institutional arrangements. Additionally, the study will address cross-cutting themes such as digitization, gender and gender-based violence, road and transport, environment and climate change, occupation, and family dynamics. By investigating these areas, the study aims to understand the evolving dynamics within rural areas over the past three decades.

Methodology

Before proceeding with the final ethnographic fieldwork, one month of piloting was conducted to identify major themes of change and some of the drivers behind these changes. To capture and interpret the changes in rural Bangladesh, this ethnographic study utilizes narrative inquiry, which allows for a comprehensive understanding of human perceptions and experiences through storytelling, examining these within broader cultural, social, and institutional narratives. The ethnographic fieldwork will be conducted using different anthropological research tools such as in-depth interviews, participant observations, and various participatory tools.

Based on their geographical locations and different aspects that complement the selected themes, eight villages have been selected as research sites. These eight villages are located across Sunamganj, Cumilla, Cox’s Bazar, Shariatpur, Jamalpur, Khulna, Lalmonirhat, and Satkhira. The study will involve approximately six households per village, selected to ensure diversity and representativeness through a maximum variation sampling technique, with multiple visits to each household over three months. The data collection process will focus on capturing the voices and perspectives of a diverse range of participants to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the changes occurring in these communities.

Findings

The forthcoming findings of this study will be divided into seven chapters, each focusing on one of the selected seven themes: cultural transformations, financial inclusion, agricultural practices, built environment, migration patterns, environmental impacts, and institutional arrangements.

The Determinants of Domestic Violence in Bangladesh: A Randomized Control Trial

In Bangladesh, 1 in 2 married women report suffering from some form of physical or sexual violence during their lives, and 1 in 4 reports having endured it in the previous 12 months (BBS, 2016). A large body of empirical evidence suggests that low-income women are at a higher risk (Aizer, 2010), but the link between poverty and violence remains poorly understood. In this study, we ask whether violence is independent of or contingent on wife transgression—a frequently cited justification for violent punishment—and the extent to which concerns over self- or social image may incite violence.

Researchers: Nina Buchmann; Atonu Rabbani; Paula Lopez; Sakib Mahmood; Hasibul Hasan Emon; Maisha Maliha Rahman; Farzin Mumtahena

Partners: IPV, Stanford University, Queen’s University, BIGD, BRAC JPGSPH, University of Dhaka, World Bank, SVRI, Grand Challenges Canada, National Science Foundation, Weiss Foundation, Stanford King Center on Global Development, Development Innovation Ventures, USAID, Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA), CRI Foundation, Graduate Research, Opportunity fund (GRO), George P. Shultz Dissertation Fund, The Agency Fund, GDI, Solutions, LLC

Timeline: 2019-2025

Status: Ongoing

Contact: Hasibul Hasan; hasibul.hasan@bracu.ac.bd

Context

Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of victimization and justification of domestic violence in the world: One in every two married women reports having endured such an experience during their lifetime, and one in every four reports having endured it in the past year (Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 2016). Wife transgression is widely accepted as a reason for spousal violence in many parts of the country (Sarkar, 2010; Yount et al., 2013). Understanding what drives spousal abuse, and its complex relationship with income, is essential for designing effective anti-violence interventions and avoiding a potential backlash against victims. And yet, evidence on causal links and pathways of change remains limited.

Lifetime exposure to domestic violence is correlated with impaired cognitive function and adverse economic and health outcomes (Erten and Keskin, 2018), including acute pain, difficulty walking, gynecological disorders, memory loss, and suicidal attempts (Ellsberg et al., 2008; Campbell, 2002). In addition, children raised in abusive households are more likely to experience poor developmental outcomes (Aizer, 2011; Carrell and Hoekstra, 2010; Koenen et al., 2003; Huth-Bocks et al., 2001). A large body of empirical evidence suggests that low-income women are at a higher risk (Aizer, 2010), but the link between poverty and violence remains poorly understood. In this paper, we ask whether violence is independent of or contingent on wife transgression, a frequently cited justification for violent punishment – and the extent to which concerns over self- or social image may incite violence. This study aims to assess the relative importance of different motives for which husbands might use violence against their wives as well as the reasons for which low-income husbands use more violence than high-income husbands in Bangladesh. In addition, the study tests different interventions to reduce intimate partner violence.

Objectives

This study aims to assess the relative importance of different motives for which husbands might use violence against their wives as well as the reasons for which low-income husbands use more violence than high-income husbands in Bangladesh. In addition, the study tests different interventions to reduce intimate partner violence.

This study is relevant to SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

Methodology

The data will be collected through behavioral games and quantitative interviews, supplemented by qualitative surveys and focus group discussions.

The participants are selected following a two-stage sampling strategy. The study is conducted in two districts (Naogaon and Natore), which were selected based on three criteria: i) availability of BRAC Health Nutrition and Population Programme (BRAC HNPP) staff to help recruit and train (compensated) volunteers to deliver the intervention; ii) logistical feasibility (e.g., low risk of natural disasters); and iii) ruralness (at least 80% of the district population lives in rural areas). The treatment assignment is stratified at the union level, the smallest administrative rural unit. A total of 88 unions from the two districts combined are selected using Probability Proportional to Size (PPS). Each stratum (union) contains five clusters (villages) each, yielding a total of 440 clusters. In each of the selected villages, 20 married couples aged 18-65 are randomly sampled.

Findings and Recommendations

Forthcoming

Improving Women’s Economic Empowerment Through Mobile Phones and Training in Malawi

Motivation:

In Malawi, societal norms can limit women’s ownership of assets and control over family finances. As a result, women often have less household bargaining power than their husbands. While digital financial services (DFS) can benefit women’s economic empowerment, access to mobile phones significantly influences uptake and use. This project builds on prior research examining how mobile phone ownership and training on technical efficacy and property rights, benchmarked against unconditional cash transfers, impact women’s use of DFS and economic outcomes in Malawi.

Objective:

Motivated by promising results at midline, this round of data collection will capture longer-term impacts on empowerment, and more broadly, the impact of financial capital versus technology on low-income households’ economic well-being in a developing country. Importantly, this survey will capture the longest-term impacts of any smartphone distribution program evaluated in the Global South to date. Finally, this round of data collection will conduct interviews with both women and their spouses, enabling researchers to better understand the economic impacts of both cash grants and smartphone distribution within the household.

Proposed Impact:

As one of the first and only randomized controlled trials on mobile phone ownership, this study promises to generate valuable evidence regarding the causal impact of mobile connectivity on economic livelihoods. Specifically, quantifying the relative impacts of providing low-income households with financial capital versus technology, combined with a deeper understanding of how husbands’ beliefs influence women’s control of mobile phones, will offer actionable insights for development programming and policy. Ultimately, these results will help inform the design of effective strategies to reduce mobile gender gaps and ensure that women benefit from digital financial inclusion.

Improving Women's Economic Empowerment through Mobile Phones and Training in Malawi

Overview

Associated Institute: William & Mary, Claremont Graduate University, University of Michigan, University of Texas-Austin

Associated Investigators: Philip Roessler, Tanu Kumar, Shreya Bhattacharya, Peter Carroll, Boniface Dulani, Daniel Nielson

Country: Malawi

Implementation Partners: Institute of Public Opinion and Research (IPOR), Girls Empowerment Network (GENET)

WEE-DiFine Thematic Areas: Household bargaining power, enacting preferences, digital financial services, mobile phone ownership