Designing Cash Transfer and Graduation Programs to Support Women’s Economic Activity: Synthesis of Recent Literature

Women are particularly vulnerable to poverty, given inequitable gender dynamics that may limit ownership of productive assets, decision-making, control over money, and access to markets. A number of interventions—including graduation programs and cash transfers—have emerged as effective tools to alleviate poverty and improve well-being. However, less is known about how these interventions can simultaneously enhance household well-being while improving women’s empowerment. To better understand how cash transfers and graduation programs can improve the lives of women, this review summarizes the impact of these programs, as well as variations in design and delivery, on economic, and non-economic outcomes among female recipients.