Conference on Working Women: Better Outcomes for Growth November 18, 2009

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

2. Context – West Africa hard hit by food price increase in 2007-08 Increase in population share in poverty from 50% increase in selected food prices

3. 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

4. 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 LiberianAgency for CommunityEmpowerement (LACE) • Local LACE Implementing Partners by county • ECOBANK payments (branches or mobile teams)

5. 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 $3.0 • 40 working days per person. • 75% of project cost to labor/materials costs.

6. Some working tools

7. Beneficiary Workers Duport Waterside Community – Monserrado county

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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 !