Paper short abstract:

This paper argues that the lack of recognition of women headed households’ vulnerable circumstances in the public works component of Ethiopia's productive safety net program (PSNP) is a major obstacle to supporting their resilience in the face of climate change.

Paper long abstract:

Since 2005, Ethiopia's productive safety net program (PSNP) has worked to protect vulnerable women's livelihoods amidst a range of shocks and stressors. In this paper, we examine whether and how the public works component of PSNP can help strengthen the resilience of women-headed households (WHHs) in the face of climate change. We draw on the participatory qualitative research approach’s methods, such as focus group discussions and key informant interviews, in climate change and conflict-affected areas. Findings indicate that the contributions of PSNP were limited to alleviating temporary chronic food insecurity and ensuring public participation, but that it failed to address structural causes of vulnerability, including those driven by gender-based differences. Notably, the PSNP's public works component failed to recognize vulnerable WHHs’ state of life – the stress of leading their families alone when they get divorced, become widows or lose their family. Due to already excessive domestic household chores and public workloads, this group was unable to participate in building their resilience capacities side by side with public works, in sharp contrast to male-headed households. Even when they have time to make additional income to supplement their low public work pay, they may be subject to sexual violence and labor exploitation. Members of WHHs were also often compelled to migrate to supplement their incomes, further adding to their insecurity. Our research suggests that to support climate resilience, there is a need for the design and implementation of PSNP and other social assistance programs to prioritize gender-sensitive capacities of vulnerable WHHs.