Sustainability of IPV impacts from cash transfers and behavior change communication: Mixed-method evidence from an eight-year post-program follow-up

SUSTAINABILITY OF IPV IMPACTS FROM CASH TRANSFERS AND BEHAVIOR CHANGE COMMUNICATION: MIXED-METHOD EVIDENCE FROM AN EIGHT-YEAR POST-PROGRAM FOLLOW-UP

Study description

While cash transfer programs have been shown to reduce IPV, less is known about sustainability of reductions or the role of design features (e.g., modality or complementary programming) in contributing to sustainability. We propose to address this knowledge gap using a mixed-method exploration of how design features of a cash transfer program contribute to sustained impacts on IPV. TMRI was a pilot program implemented by the World Food Program from 2012-2014 in two regions of Bangladesh. Following an RCT design, TMRI provided cash or food transfers, with or without nutrition behavior change communication (BCC), to mothers of young children in poor rural households. Results from 6-10 months post-program showed sustained reductions in physical IPV from a combination of transfers and BCC (Cash+BCC in the North, Food+BCC in the South), but no sustained impact from transfers only (Cash in the North, Food in the South). At four years post-program, Cash+BCC in the North led to a persistent 14 percentage point reduction in physical IPV – but Food+BCC in the South no longer had impacts. Analysis at four years post-program also suggested Cash+BCC caused sustained impacts on several plausible pathways for reducing IPV: women’s bargaining power, men’s costs of perpetrating IPV, and poverty-related emotional well-being. This study will use eight-year post-program quantitative and qualitative data to answer the following questions: (1) Are reductions in IPV from Cash+BCC sustained at eight years post-program? (2) How did the BCC contribute to enhancing sustained impacts of cash transfers on IPV – which features of BCC mattered, and through which pathways? (3) How have impacts on IPV from different treatment arms evolved over time, including during shocks?

For more information: See project webpage on the IFPRI site.

Lead researchers

Shalini Roy, Melissa Hidrobo, Akhter Ahmed (IFPRI); John Hoddinott (Cornell University); Meghna Ranganathan (LSHTM); Nasrin Sultana (Independent)

Intervention (country)

Transfer Modality Research Initiative (TMRI) (Bangladesh)

Study design

Randomized control trial and embedded qualitative research

Related Publications

cover image of publication
Can transfers and complementary nutrition programming reduce intimate partner violence four years post-program? Experimental evidence from Bangladesh
Roy, Shalini; Hidrobo, Melissa; Hoddinott, John F.; Koch, Bastien; Ahmed, Akhter. 2022

Series: Journal of Human Resources
IFPRI descriptor:Bangladesh: TMRI
Countries/Regions:BANGLADESH; SOUTH ASIA; ASIA
Journal article
Using a randomized controlled trial, we find that women in rural Bangladesh who received cash transfers with complementary nutrition programming experienced sustained reductions in intimate partner violence four years after the program ended.

Detail | View

cover image of publication
Food and cash transfers coupled with nutrition behavior change communication lead to sustained reductions in intimate partner violence in Bangladesh
Cash Transfer and Intimate Partner Violence Research Collaborative. 2019

Series:
IFPRI descriptor:Bangladesh: TMRI
Countries/Regions:BANGLADESH; SOUTH ASIA; ASIA
Brief
This case study from Bangladesh summarizes findings from a transfer program that—when paired with nutrition behavior change communication—led to a 26 percent reduction in physical intimate partner violence that was sustained after the program ended.

Detail | View

cover image of publication
Transfers, behavior change communication, and intimate partner violence: Postprogram evidence from rural Bangladesh
Roy, Shalini; Hidrobo, Melissa; Hoddinott, John F.; Ahmed, Akhter. 2019

Series: Review of Economics and Statistics
IFPRI descriptor:Bangladesh: TMRI
Countries/Regions:BANGLADESH; SOUTH ASIA; ASIA
Journal article
We assess postprogram impacts on intimate partner violence of randomly assigning women in Bangladesh to receive cash or food, with or without nutrition behavior change communication.

Detail | View

cover image of publication
Can transfers and behavior change communication reduce intimate partner violence four years post-program? Experimental evidence from Bangladesh
Roy, Shalini; Hidrobo, Melissa; Hoddinott, John F.; Koch, Bastien; Ahmed, Akhter. 2019

Series: IFPRI Discussion Paper
IFPRI descriptor:Bangladesh: TMRI
Countries/Regions:BANGLADESH; SOUTH ASIA; ASIA
Working Paper
Using a randomized controlled trial, we find that women in rural Bangladesh who received cash transfers with complementary nutrition programming experienced sustained reductions in intimate partner violence four years after the program ended.

Detail | View

cover image of publication
Transfers, behavior change communication, and intimate partner violence: Postprogram evidence from rural Bangladesh
Roy, Shalini; Hidrobo, Melissa; Hoddinott, John F.; Ahmed, Akhter. 2017

Series: IFPRI Discussion Paper
IFPRI descriptor:Bangladesh: TMRI
Countries/Regions:BANGLADESH; SOUTH ASIA; ASIA
Working Paper
We assess postprogram impacts on intimate partner violence of randomly assigning women in Bangladesh to receive cash or food, with or without nutrition behavior change communication.

Detail | View