Ample evidence exists that the impact of shocks and crises is not gender neutral, with women more likely to be disadvantaged owing to their limited access to resources, technologies, and services. Asset disposal is often used to smooth consumption, with consequences for long-term poverty trajectories. However, whose assets are disposed of first varies by gender, and if women’s assets are disposed of first, this has implications for their long-term bargaining power and empowerment. This keynote will trace the relationships between gendered control and ownership of assets, empowerment, and resilience, drawing on longitudinal studies in Bangladesh and Uganda. I explore whether a gender- and nutrition-sensitive agricultural program can enhance empowerment and build resilience using data from a follow-up to an impact evaluation of a gender- and nutrition-sensitive agricultural program in Bangladesh. Using the insights from these studies and qualitative work conducted in flood-prone areas of Nepal and Nigeria, I explore how using the “Reach, Benefit, Empower, and Transform” framework can guide anticipatory action programming and other efforts to build resilience.
Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute