Publication

This paper focuses on the role that gender plays in the implementation and effectiveness of social protection programs in India. In particular, it focuses on an initiative called the "Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)", which aims to provide a safety net for poor rural households through the provision of wages, and to transform rural livelihoods through the creation of productivity-enhancing infrastructure. This paper assesses the extent to which MGNREGA incorporates an understanding of gender inequality to support the inclusion of women, especially those from marginalized communities, in India's poverty reduction and growth processes.