Emergency cash transfers and women’s economic empowerment in post-earthquake Nepal

In April 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, killing almost 9,000 people, injuring more than 22,000, and leaving over half a million people homeless. The government, international and national aid agencies, and NGOs responded through in-kind assistance and cash transfers. As humanitarian cash-based programmes become an increasing focus in urban areas, this paper explores how they can influence gender equality and women’s economic empowerment by analysing the different experiences of the beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of emergency cash transfer programmes in Kathmandu Valley.