2021
Language:
English

Uplifting the ultra poor through transfer program: Evidence from Bangladesh

The thesis focuses on the effects of a targeted transfer program on social, economic and behavioural outcomes of the rural ultra-poor in Bangladesh. In a unique contribution, this thesis combines secondary data from a large scale randomized controlled trial with primary experimental data. Using rigorous econometric methods, the research provides the first-of-its-kind causal evidence that the transfer to ultra-poor women improves their children’s occupational and educational outcomes in the long-run, and promotes patience, risk-tolerance and socio-economic empowerment among the women. This work highlights that a targeted anti-poverty intervention may confer far-reaching behavioural, social and labour market benefits, with significant policy implications.