Our recent cash transfer initiative funded by the ACT Alliance has managed to put financial control in the hands of women, helping them support their families amid the El Nino-induced drought challenges and break cycles of Gender Based Violence (GBV) through economic independence.
During the project registration phase, messaging underscored that women were the intended transfer recipients, thereby increasing the likelihood that women were able to retain control over the funds while minimising any risk of backlash. Paying cash transfers digitally directly into women’s accounts has allowed them to retain greater control over the funds and conceal them from violent partners where necessary.
Cash transfers have provided women with a regular income, enabling them to meet their basic needs and those of their families. As women began to establish Internal Savings and Lending (ISAL) and Rotating Savings and Credit Association (ROSCA) groups to save and improve their livelihoods, their financial inclusion also increased. This economic independence has reduced women’s reliance on abusive partners and increased their bargaining power within households.
The program monitoring found that women overwhelmingly reported that the cash transfer had helped regenerate community bonds, rebuilt social networks, and provided relief from isolation and boredom. The evidence also suggested that social capital created helped challenge harmful and restrictive constructions of masculinity and femininity that drive inequality and lead to GBV.
ACT Alliance Christian Aid Christian Aid Zimbabwe UnitingWorld Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Small and Medium Enterprises Development
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