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Last updated: 22/7/2021

Programme Details

Programme objectives

The objectives of the Single Women's Allowance (SWA) programme are social security allowances in Nepal (including the old-age pension, single woman’s pension, the child grant, disability grant, and endangered ethnicity grant) aim to assist groups considered socially and/or economically vulnerable. In Nepal, it is very common that daughters whose fathers pass away before they marry are left in a rather precarious situation, neither being able to marry nor to provide for themselves as single women—a phenomenon that is more dramatic among poor families and which is believed to be one of the main drivers of female child labour. Hence, a Nepali Supreme Court decision of 2010 acknowledged this peculiarity and determined the creation of a grant for young single women, the Single Women’s Allowance (SWA). Until then, the country only had grants to widows and single women aged 60 years and over (Women’s UN Report Network 2011). 

References
[2] World Bank. 2016. “International Development Association Project Appraisal Document on A Proposed Credit in The Amount of SDR107.6 Million (US$150 Million Equivalent) To Nepal For A Strengthening Systems For Social Protection And Civil Registration Project’”. World Bank. <https://bit.ly/2NP6aA7>. Accessed 16 May 2018. [9] Arruda, P.; Markhof, Y.; Franciscon, I.; Silva, W. and Bilo, C. 2020. Overview of non-contributory social protection programmes in South Asia from a child and equity perspective. Research Report No. 46. International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth and UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia. <https://socialprotection.org/discover/publications/overview-non-contributory-social-protection-programmes-south-asia-child-and>. Accessed 22 February 2021.
Programme components
The Single Women's Allowance (SWA) represents a single-component programme that provides a monthly cash transfer to single women.
References
[9] Arruda, P.; Markhof, Y.; Franciscon, I.; Silva, W. and Bilo, C. 2020. Overview of non-contributory social protection programmes in South Asia from a child and equity perspective. Research Report No. 46. International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth and UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia. <https://socialprotection.org/discover/publications/overview-non-contributory-social-protection-programmes-south-asia-child-and>. Accessed 22 February 2021.
Start date
1997
References
[1] Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development. 2013. “Expression od Interest”. Government of Nepal. <http://mofald.gov.np/mofald/userfiles/docs_131.pdf>
Previous programme name (if any)
Widow's Allowance
Coverage
659,336 women (according the 2015-16 fiscal year budget)
References
[4] World Bank. n.d. Universal old-age and disability pensions, and other universal allowances in Nepal. Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group. <https://bit.ly/2QYco2v>. Accessed 16 May 2018.
Programme expenditure
Expenditure: NPR 38,735,182 (budget estimate for all social security allowances during the 2017-18 fiscal year)
References
[3] MoF 2017. “Budget Speech of Fiscal Year 2017/18”. Government of Nepal Ministry of Finance. <https://bit.ly/2PCIjFb>. Accessed 16 May 2018. [9] Arruda, P.; Markhof, Y.; Franciscon, I.; Silva, W. and Bilo, C. 2020. Overview of non-contributory social protection programmes in South Asia from a child and equity perspective. Research Report No. 46. International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth and UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia. <https://socialprotection.org/discover/publications/overview-non-contributory-social-protection-programmes-south-asia-child-and>. Accessed 22 February 2021.

Targeting and eligiblity

Targeting methods
Categorical Targeting
References
[9] Arruda, P.; Markhof, Y.; Franciscon, I.; Silva, W. and Bilo, C. 2020. Overview of non-contributory social protection programmes in South Asia from a child and equity perspective. Research Report No. 46. International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth and UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia. <https://socialprotection.org/discover/publications/overview-non-contributory-social-protection-programmes-south-asia-child-and>. Accessed 22 February 2021.
Targeted areas
Nationwide
References
[2] World Bank. 2016. “International Development Association Project Appraisal Document on A Proposed Credit in The Amount of SDR107.6 Million (US$150 Million Equivalent) To Nepal For A Strengthening Systems For Social Protection And Civil Registration Project’”. World Bank. <https://bit.ly/2NP6aA7>. Accessed 16 May 2018.
Target groups
Women (Widows)
References
[9] Arruda, P.; Markhof, Y.; Franciscon, I.; Silva, W. and Bilo, C. 2020. Overview of non-contributory social protection programmes in South Asia from a child and equity perspective. Research Report No. 46. International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth and UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia. <https://socialprotection.org/discover/publications/overview-non-contributory-social-protection-programmes-south-asia-child-and>. Accessed 22 February 2021.
Eligibility criteria
Widows of all ages and single women aged 60 or older are eligible for the grant
References
[2] World Bank. 2016. “International Development Association Project Appraisal Document on A Proposed Credit in The Amount of SDR107.6 Million (US$150 Million Equivalent) To Nepal For A Strengthening Systems For Social Protection And Civil Registration Project’”. World Bank. <https://bit.ly/2NP6aA7>. Accessed 16 May 2018. [9] Arruda, P.; Markhof, Y.; Franciscon, I.; Silva, W. and Bilo, C. 2020. Overview of non-contributory social protection programmes in South Asia from a child and equity perspective. Research Report No. 46. International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth and UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia. <https://socialprotection.org/discover/publications/overview-non-contributory-social-protection-programmes-south-asia-child-and>. Accessed 22 February 2021.

Coverage and other information

Type of benefits
Cash
References
[9] Arruda, P.; Markhof, Y.; Franciscon, I.; Silva, W. and Bilo, C. 2020. Overview of non-contributory social protection programmes in South Asia from a child and equity perspective. Research Report No. 46. International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth and UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia. <https://socialprotection.org/discover/publications/overview-non-contributory-social-protection-programmes-south-asia-child-and>. Accessed 22 February 2021.
Amount of benefits
NPR1,000 per month
References
[2] World Bank. 2016. “International Development Association Project Appraisal Document on A Proposed Credit in The Amount of SDR107.6 Million (US$150 Million Equivalent) To Nepal For A Strengthening Systems For Social Protection And Civil Registration Project’”. World Bank. <https://bit.ly/2NP6aA7>. Accessed 16 May 2018. [9] Arruda, P.; Markhof, Y.; Franciscon, I.; Silva, W. and Bilo, C. 2020. Overview of non-contributory social protection programmes in South Asia from a child and equity perspective. Research Report No. 46. International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth and UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia. <https://socialprotection.org/discover/publications/overview-non-contributory-social-protection-programmes-south-asia-child-and>. Accessed 22 February 2021.
Payment/delivery frequency
Benefits are distributed by Village Development Committees (VDCs) and municipalities every four months
References
[2] World Bank. 2016. “International Development Association Project Appraisal Document on A Proposed Credit in The Amount of SDR107.6 Million (US$150 Million Equivalent) To Nepal For A Strengthening Systems For Social Protection And Civil Registration Project’”. World Bank. <https://bit.ly/2NP6aA7>. Accessed 16 May 2018.
Benefit delivery mechanism
VDCs and municipalities distribute the money. The government plans to expand Postal Saving Banks to all local levels and use them as the delivery mechanism for the country's social security allowances
Benefit recipients
Beneficiaries themselves
Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and frequency
Social Security Distric Coordination Committees, in coordination with District Development Committees, oversee the monitoring of the programme. A number of monitoring and evaluation measures are foreseen under the Strengthening Systems for Social Protection and Civil Registration Project, including three rounds of beneficiary surveys, as well as activities supporting citizen engagement and accountability for the country's social security allowances
References
[2] World Bank. 2016. “International Development Association Project Appraisal Document on A Proposed Credit in The Amount of SDR107.6 Million (US$150 Million Equivalent) To Nepal For A Strengthening Systems For Social Protection And Civil Registration Project’”. World Bank. <https://bit.ly/2NP6aA7>. Accessed 16 May 2018. [5] LWF Nepal. 2017. “A report on Participatory Food Security Policy Mapping in Nepal”. Lutheran World Federation Nepal and Right to Food National Network Nepal. <https://bit.ly/2CTzp3I>. Accessed 16 May 2018.
Legal Framework
Social Welfare Act, 2049 (1992)
References
[8] Government of Nepal. 2017. “Social Welfare Act, 2049 (1992)”. Government of Nepal. <http://www.swc.org.np/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/SWC-Act.pdf>
MIS
The MIS is responsible for registration and for the benefit distribution. It manages data on vital events and cash transfers and monitors payments
References
[6] Bikas Udhyami. 2018. “A Study into Development Data in Nepal”. Bikas Udhyami. <https://www.nepalindata.com/media/resources/items/19/bA_Study_Into_Development_Data_in_Nepal.pdf> [7] United Nations Development Programme. 2014. “Development Advocate”. United Nations Development Programme. <http://www.undp.org/content/dam/nepal/docs/reports/development_advocate/UNDP_NP_Development-Advocate-Nepal-April2014-September2014.pdf>

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