A recent study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has revealed that poverty intervention programs in Bangladesh may inadvertently reinforce gender disparities. The research, published in the Journal of Development Studies, focuses on the impact of the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee-Targeting the Ultra Poor (BRAC-TUP) program, which aims to assist ultra-poor rural families in escaping extreme poverty.
The study, titled “How Does a Rural Poverty Alleviation Program Affect Parents’ Aspirations About Their Children? Evidence from BRAC-TUP in Bangladesh,” explores the influence of such interventions on parental expectations regarding their children’s education and future occupations. Lead author Alejandro Montoya Castaño highlighted the significance of understanding how these programs might affect aspirations, particularly in a society characterized by substantial gender disparities.
Mechanics of the BRAC-TUP Program
The BRAC-TUP program employs a “graduation approach,” providing families with livestock assets, technical training, life-skills coaching, and monetary stipends. This multifaceted intervention targets families in 13 of the poorest districts of Bangladesh, but it does not specifically focus on educational outcomes. The researchers analyzed data from over 7,300 households surveyed across 1,309 villages at three intervals over four years, asking parents about their expectations for the occupations of their eldest son and daughter.
The findings reveal a troubling trend: parents involved in the BRAC-TUP program became 6 to 10% more likely to envision their sons pursuing careers that require a high school diploma. In contrast, expectations for daughters remained stagnant, with parents continuing to foresee them engaged in traditional roles such as household or on-farm work.
Concerns Over Reinforcing Gender Roles
These results raise concerns regarding the unintentional reinforcement of traditional gender roles through development initiatives. Co-author Mary Arends-Kuenning, a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, noted that increased resources for families could lead to a greater acceptance of girls working in domestic roles, such as home-based entrepreneurship. This situation contrasts sharply with other educational initiatives in Bangladesh, which aim to promote female education, such as scholarship programs for secondary school attendance.
While some women in Bangladesh engage with microlenders, including programs like BRAC, to enhance their financial independence, cultural norms frequently limit their opportunities for external engagement. Arends-Kuenning emphasized that changing deeply rooted gender norms is a gradual process that requires sustained effort.
Despite the positive shifts in aspirations for boys, the study found that these changes do not guarantee tangible educational advancements. Montoya Castaño pointed out that while there were indications of increased educational spending, the research did not observe a corresponding rise in high school enrollment rates. He acknowledged that the study focused only on the eldest child, suggesting that subsequent children might experience different outcomes.
The research also highlighted that while programs like BRAC-TUP can help lift families out of poverty, they do not benefit everyone equally. Approximately 30% of the households in the study lost their livestock assets after a few years and reverted to their previous living conditions, remaining trapped in poverty.
The study’s authors propose that enhancements to the training and coaching components of such programs could facilitate broader changes. They noted that participants in the BRAC-TUP program demonstrated increased awareness of political and health issues. Interventions that explicitly address gender norms and emphasize career paths for girls may yield significant changes without necessitating substantial additional investment.
In conclusion, while programs like BRAC-TUP show promise in alleviating poverty, their impacts on gender equity require careful consideration. The findings from this research serve as a cautionary reminder that development initiatives must intentionally address gender disparities to achieve holistic and sustainable improvements for all members of society.
