Social safety nets, women’s economic achievements and agency – a new study published in Nature Human Behaviour by Peterman, Wang, Sonke, and Steinert
In a systematic review and meta-analysis of 45 countries, Amber Peterman (UNC), Jingying Wang (SUZ), Kevin Kamto Sonke (Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy), and Janina Isabel Steinert (TUM) investigate the extent to which Social Safety Nets (SSN), such as unconditional cash transfers or social care services, empower women economically and socially.
Social safety nets, women’s economic achievements and agency in 45 countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Amber Peterman (UNC), Jingying Wang (SUZ), Kevin Kamto Sonke (Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy) & Janina Isabel Steinert (TUM)
First published online February, 5 2026 in Nature Human Behaviour
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02394-0
Abstract
There are increasing calls for economic assistance in the form of social safety nets (SSNs) to be designed and implemented to promote women’s economic inclusion and agency, contributing to closing gender disparities globally. Here we investigate the extent to which SSNs affect women’s economic achievements and agency through a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials implemented in low- and middle-income countries. We searched six databases utilizing search strings in English, French and Spanish through December 2024. Studies were assessed for risk of bias using an adapted version of the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool. Our sample includes 1,307 effect sizes from 93 studies, representing 218,828 women across 45 low- and middle-income countries. Using robust variance estimation meta-analysis, we show significant overall pooled effects (Hedges’ g = 0.107, P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.085–0.129), driven by increases in economic achievements (productive work, savings, assets and expenditures) and agency (voice, autonomy and decision-making). We find significant treatment effects for unconditional cash transfers (Hedges’ g = 0.128, P < 0.001, 95% CI 0.097 to 0.159), social care services (Hedges’ g = 0.122, P < 0.001, 95% CI 0.071 to 0.174), asset transfers (Hedges’ g = 0.115, P < 0.001, 95% CI 0.071 to 0.160) and public work programmes (Hedges’ g = 0.127, P = 0.031, 95% CI 0.015 to 0.239). We find comparatively smaller effects for conditional cash transfers (Hedges’ g = 0.059, P = 0.019, 95% CI 0.011 to 0.108) and found no evidence of effects for in-kind transfers. SSNs can empower women economically and socially; however, limitations and evidence gaps remain, including the need for further rigorous testing of design and operational components, the role of contextual factors and cost–benefit analysis with a gender lens.
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