Engaging men for women鈥檚 economic empowerment: overview of the evidence
This overview examines evidence on the effectiveness of 3 different types of approaches that have been tested.
Abstract
Promoting women鈥檚 socioeconomic empowerment means increasing women鈥檚 control over the resources and decisions that are important for their well-being. Achieving these goals requires engaging men, since men often have influence over the lives of women in t heir households and communities. This overview examines evidence on the effectiveness of 3 different types of approaches that have been tested: Adding an engaging men intervention to complement a program designed to support women鈥檚 individual economic activities: Studies of these interventions show mixed results. Some have had success while others highlight the risk that this type of intervention could reduce women鈥檚 autonomy; Complementing support for household production or consumption with programming that encourages cooperative management or joint planning: These types of interventions are promising, especially for increasing women鈥檚 role in the management of household resources, although they have had limited impact on women鈥檚 individual-level economic outcomes; and Encouraging men to recognize or enhance their wives鈥� rights to ownership of important assets: There is very limited research available on this category of intervention, although available evidence is promising. Additional research in other contexts is necessary.
This is an output from the Africa Gender Innovation Lab programme.
Citation
Pierotti, Rachael; Delavallade, Clara; Kaur Brar, Rajdev. Engaging Men for Women鈥檚 Economic Empowerment: Overview of the Evidence. Gender Innovation Lab, September 2023. World Bank, Washington, 2023