Working Paper: NBER ID: w27583
Authors: Lasse Brune; Dean Karlan; Sikandra Kurdi; Christopher R. Udry
Abstract: Social protection programs are needed more than ever during periods of social upheaval, but are also likely to be even harder to implement successfully. Furthermore, social upheaval makes measuring the impact of such policies all the more difficult. We study the impact of a multi-faceted social protection program, often referred to as a “graduation” model program, in Yemen during a period of civil unrest. We are unable to measure outcomes for four years, thus much remains unknown about what transpired in the intermediary time. After four years we find positive impacts on savings behavior and asset accumulation, albeit substantially less than the amount the household originally received.
Keywords: conflict; social protection; poverty; transfer programs
JEL Codes: C93; F51; I30; J24; O12
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| civil unrest (D74) | graduation program effectiveness (A23) |
| graduation program (A23) | household head mortality (I12) |
| graduation program (A23) | household asset accumulation (D14) |
| graduation program (A23) | household savings behavior (D14) |
| graduation program (A23) | household income (D19) |
| graduation program (A23) | per capita consumption (E20) |