Conference on Working Women: Better Outcomes for Growth November 18, 2009 Gender Impact of Cash for Work Programs (in West and Central Africa) Quentin Wodon Development Dialogue on Values and Ethics Human Development Network

Context – West Africa hard hit by food price increase in Increase in population share in poverty from 50% increase in selected food prices

Main responses – Tax cuts on food imports & cash for work programs Tax cuts poorly targeted in most countries Cash for work potentially better targeted Gender Action Plan funding for testing light evaluation instruments and gender focus 2 main case studies for the light evaluation instrument: Liberia and Sierra Leone Analysis of labor markets in both countries (and a few other West African countries) Emphasis on gender aspects

Liberia CfWTEP US$10m from GFRP to Support vulnerable women and children with WFP to feed up to 62,000 children (3m) Support agricultural supply response to reduce post- harvest losses and increase productivity (4m) Provide temporary employment through cash for work program (CfWTEP 3m) by creating 680,000 person/days labor in 2 years (17,000 workers) Implementation arrangements Management by Liberian Agency for Community Empowerement (LACE) Local LACE Implementing Partners by county ECOBANK payments (branches or mobile teams)

Liberia CfWTEP Post-conflict setting – basic infrastructure needs Perception of high unemployment; CWIQ 2007: 11% unemployed, 8% undermployed Half of workforce in unpaid/low productivity work (may weaken targeting of CfW) Women with substantially lower earnings Features of CfW program 2007 minimum wage US$ 2.5/day. Pressure to increase wages in CfW to $ working days per person. 75% of project cost to labor/materials costs.

Some working tools

Beneficiary Workers Duport Waterside Community – Monserrado county

Light evaluation instrument 3 objectives of survey instrument Measurement of targeting performance Impact of programs on ind/hh income (taking substitution effects into account) Use of wages received by individuals and households through cash for work Status of implementation Liberia: data collection completed; preliminary analysis by end December SL: data collection on-going

Light evaluation instrument Features of survey instrunment Length: 5 page questionnaire Sections on characteristics of households and individual program participant; detailed employment history; solidarity mechanisms; program assessment/impact; household assets; other income sources Sample size: 1,000 Cost: only $20,000/country for data collection and entry

Gender aspects of evaluation Uptake of programs & HH structure Comparison: male vs. female participants Targeting performance Wage substitution effects Use of funds (light analysis of intra- household allocation mechanisms) Perceptions/other aspects (ID, Bank, …) Comparison with national survey data Ex post vs ex ante simulated performance Values – religion, culture, etc. as factors

Conclusion Potentially innovative and low cost light evaluation instrument Close collaboration between anchor and regional unit with government agencies Ability to replicate in other countries and to adapt to other types of programs Interest of HDN’s Development Dialogue on Values and Ethics to work with you Thank you !