Since March 2015, the Government of Egypt has been providing cash to poor households through the ... more Since March 2015, the Government of Egypt has been providing cash to poor households through the Takaful and Karama program. The program is run by the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MoSS). Takaful supports poor families with children under 18 years of age, while Karama supports the poor elderly and disabled. For Takaful, the amount of cash that households receive depends on the number of children and their school level, while the Karama transfer is a set rate per individual. In 2018, Takaful will also begin requiring households in the program to make sure their children attend school and participate in health screenings. The program was evaluated by IFPRI, an international research organization, using both quantitative statistical methods (simple questions asked to many households during a survey) and qualitative methods (more in-depth questions asked to fewer households in longer interviews). The main goal of this evaluation was to measure and explain how the transfers affected the...
This paper evaluates whether politician identity, and in particular, the party affiliation of leg... more This paper evaluates whether politician identity, and in particular, the party affiliation of legislators affects employment and welfare outcomes for minorities in India. I combine data on the outcome of close elections to state legislative assemblies over 18 years for 19 Indian states with data on employment and access to social security benefits to determine whether an increase in political representation by legislators belonging to India's right-wing, Hindu nationalist party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has a meaningful and causal effect on Muslim development outcomes. Close elections provide a unique window of opportunity to capture random variation in the assignment of legislators to certain districts in India. This natural experiment allows me to isolate the effect of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This thesis would not have been possible without the continuous support and feedback from my mentors, friends and family. I am grateful to my thesis advisor, Alan de Brauw, for his invaluable comments, suggestions and guidance throughout the research process. I also owe a special debt of gratitude to UC Berkeley PhD students Abhay Aneja and Ritadhi Chakravarti for their ideas, time and support, and for facilitating access to data. Finally, I am thankful to my parents for providing encouragement and constant support throughout my time at Georgetown University.
According to the World Bank's State of Economic Inclusion Report 2021, graduation (also known as ... more According to the World Bank's State of Economic Inclusion Report 2021, graduation (also known as economic inclusion) programs are underway in over 75 countries, reaching approximately 20 million households and benefiting nearly 92 million individuals. 3 Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA). 2020. Philippines RECOVR Survey Analysis. Unpublished. This survey covered a nationally representative sample of 1,389 phone numbers in one mobile network. In an ADB Brief produced in early 2020, 1 we introduced compelling global evidence from an innovation in social protection: the graduation approach. In that brief we also outlined a pilot project in the Philippines to test different variations of this approach. We wanted to know if we could effectively build on existing government social assistance programs to reduce multidimensional poverty, diversify income sources, and build household resilience, all while reducing program costs. 2 The pilot project ended in September 2020, in the midst of an unanticipated global pandemic with far-reaching impacts, especially on poor and vulnerable families. As in many other countries, the socioeconomic impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the Philippines were swift and deep, with reports indicating high rates of joblessness, reduction in working hours and earnings, and a rise in risky coping behaviors. In a nationwide mobile phone survey, 70% of the respondents indicated depleting their savings to pay for food, more than 20% reduced the number of meals eaten in a day, and 35% reduced the kinds of food eaten in a day. 3 These adverse impacts have accelerated the search and need for evidence-driven policies and programs to protect household incomes and welfare. In this brief, we highlight the findings and results at the end of the pilot's implementation period, including promising new evidence from a September 2020 mobile phone survey of 1,243 households. The survey assessed resilience during the pandemic by comparing the experiences of pilot project households with households that only received government cash transfers.
* Ultra-poor households are those with PMT scores below 3900; threshold household scores range fr... more * Ultra-poor households are those with PMT scores below 3900; threshold household scores range from 3900 to 5100. While levels differ, ultra-poor households generally have per capita expenditures of EGP100-300; threshold households have per capita expenditures of EGP400-600. figure 1 Program satisfaction with Takaful and Karama Very satisfied 68.07% Somewhat satisfied 21.08% Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 3.61% Somewhat unsatisfied 1.81% Very unsatisfied 5.42%
Inclusive agricultural growth is important for overall economic growth and particularly critical ... more Inclusive agricultural growth is important for overall economic growth and particularly critical for rural socio-economic stability and poverty reduction in Pakistan. The majority of Pakistan‘s population and 44 percent of the overall labour force are dependent upon agriculture which only accounts for a little over 20 percent of national GDP. The paper highlights some basic constraints that have not been explicitly addressed in the policy research and implementation and have impeded inclusive agriculture growth. A descriptive analysis based on data from the Agriculture Census of Pakistan and the Pakistan Household Income and Economic Survey—both of which were conducted in 2010-11—is used to show how high levels of poverty and its disparity across regions, combined with the declining size of operated holdings and associated fragmentation especially in the smallest size categories which now form over 60 percent of the agricultural holdings in Pakistan, are fundamental constraints. Pov...
established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and e... more established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI's strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute's work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI's research from action to impact. The Institute's regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.
Background Interaction within mothers’ social networks can theoretically diffuse messages from in... more Background Interaction within mothers’ social networks can theoretically diffuse messages from interventions and campaigns into norms and practices for infant and young child feeding (IYCF). Objectives We hypothesized that mothers’ social networks, diffusion of information, and social norms differed in intensive [intensive interpersonal counseling (IPC), community mobilization (CM), and mass media (MM)] compared with nonintensive (standard IPC and less-intensive CM and MM) intervention areas, were associated with IYCF practices, and partly explained practice improvement. Methods We conducted household surveys at endline in 2014 and follow-up in 2016 (n = ∼2000 each round). We used multiple regression to test differences and changes in networks, diffusion, and norms within intervention areas. We analyzed paths from intervention exposure to IYCF practices through networks, diffusion, and norms. Results Mothers’ networks were larger in intensive than in nonintensive areas in 2014 and i...
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), established in 1975, provides research-... more The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI's strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute's work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI's research from action to impact. The Institute's regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.
Since March 2015, the Government of Egypt has been providing cash to poor households through the ... more Since March 2015, the Government of Egypt has been providing cash to poor households through the Takaful and Karama program. The program is run by the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MoSS). Takaful supports poor families with children under 18 years of age, while Karama supports the poor elderly and disabled. For Takaful, the amount of cash that households receive depends on the number of children and their school level, while the Karama transfer is a set rate per individual. In 2018, Takaful will also begin requiring households in the program to make sure their children attend school and participate in health screenings. The program was evaluated by IFPRI, an international research organization, using both quantitative statistical methods (simple questions asked to many households during a survey) and qualitative methods (more in-depth questions asked to fewer households in longer interviews). The main goal of this evaluation was to measure and explain how the transfers affected the...
This paper evaluates whether politician identity, and in particular, the party affiliation of leg... more This paper evaluates whether politician identity, and in particular, the party affiliation of legislators affects employment and welfare outcomes for minorities in India. I combine data on the outcome of close elections to state legislative assemblies over 18 years for 19 Indian states with data on employment and access to social security benefits to determine whether an increase in political representation by legislators belonging to India's right-wing, Hindu nationalist party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has a meaningful and causal effect on Muslim development outcomes. Close elections provide a unique window of opportunity to capture random variation in the assignment of legislators to certain districts in India. This natural experiment allows me to isolate the effect of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This thesis would not have been possible without the continuous support and feedback from my mentors, friends and family. I am grateful to my thesis advisor, Alan de Brauw, for his invaluable comments, suggestions and guidance throughout the research process. I also owe a special debt of gratitude to UC Berkeley PhD students Abhay Aneja and Ritadhi Chakravarti for their ideas, time and support, and for facilitating access to data. Finally, I am thankful to my parents for providing encouragement and constant support throughout my time at Georgetown University.
According to the World Bank's State of Economic Inclusion Report 2021, graduation (also known as ... more According to the World Bank's State of Economic Inclusion Report 2021, graduation (also known as economic inclusion) programs are underway in over 75 countries, reaching approximately 20 million households and benefiting nearly 92 million individuals. 3 Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA). 2020. Philippines RECOVR Survey Analysis. Unpublished. This survey covered a nationally representative sample of 1,389 phone numbers in one mobile network. In an ADB Brief produced in early 2020, 1 we introduced compelling global evidence from an innovation in social protection: the graduation approach. In that brief we also outlined a pilot project in the Philippines to test different variations of this approach. We wanted to know if we could effectively build on existing government social assistance programs to reduce multidimensional poverty, diversify income sources, and build household resilience, all while reducing program costs. 2 The pilot project ended in September 2020, in the midst of an unanticipated global pandemic with far-reaching impacts, especially on poor and vulnerable families. As in many other countries, the socioeconomic impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the Philippines were swift and deep, with reports indicating high rates of joblessness, reduction in working hours and earnings, and a rise in risky coping behaviors. In a nationwide mobile phone survey, 70% of the respondents indicated depleting their savings to pay for food, more than 20% reduced the number of meals eaten in a day, and 35% reduced the kinds of food eaten in a day. 3 These adverse impacts have accelerated the search and need for evidence-driven policies and programs to protect household incomes and welfare. In this brief, we highlight the findings and results at the end of the pilot's implementation period, including promising new evidence from a September 2020 mobile phone survey of 1,243 households. The survey assessed resilience during the pandemic by comparing the experiences of pilot project households with households that only received government cash transfers.
* Ultra-poor households are those with PMT scores below 3900; threshold household scores range fr... more * Ultra-poor households are those with PMT scores below 3900; threshold household scores range from 3900 to 5100. While levels differ, ultra-poor households generally have per capita expenditures of EGP100-300; threshold households have per capita expenditures of EGP400-600. figure 1 Program satisfaction with Takaful and Karama Very satisfied 68.07% Somewhat satisfied 21.08% Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 3.61% Somewhat unsatisfied 1.81% Very unsatisfied 5.42%
Inclusive agricultural growth is important for overall economic growth and particularly critical ... more Inclusive agricultural growth is important for overall economic growth and particularly critical for rural socio-economic stability and poverty reduction in Pakistan. The majority of Pakistan‘s population and 44 percent of the overall labour force are dependent upon agriculture which only accounts for a little over 20 percent of national GDP. The paper highlights some basic constraints that have not been explicitly addressed in the policy research and implementation and have impeded inclusive agriculture growth. A descriptive analysis based on data from the Agriculture Census of Pakistan and the Pakistan Household Income and Economic Survey—both of which were conducted in 2010-11—is used to show how high levels of poverty and its disparity across regions, combined with the declining size of operated holdings and associated fragmentation especially in the smallest size categories which now form over 60 percent of the agricultural holdings in Pakistan, are fundamental constraints. Pov...
established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and e... more established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI's strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute's work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI's research from action to impact. The Institute's regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.
Background Interaction within mothers’ social networks can theoretically diffuse messages from in... more Background Interaction within mothers’ social networks can theoretically diffuse messages from interventions and campaigns into norms and practices for infant and young child feeding (IYCF). Objectives We hypothesized that mothers’ social networks, diffusion of information, and social norms differed in intensive [intensive interpersonal counseling (IPC), community mobilization (CM), and mass media (MM)] compared with nonintensive (standard IPC and less-intensive CM and MM) intervention areas, were associated with IYCF practices, and partly explained practice improvement. Methods We conducted household surveys at endline in 2014 and follow-up in 2016 (n = ∼2000 each round). We used multiple regression to test differences and changes in networks, diffusion, and norms within intervention areas. We analyzed paths from intervention exposure to IYCF practices through networks, diffusion, and norms. Results Mothers’ networks were larger in intensive than in nonintensive areas in 2014 and i...
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), established in 1975, provides research-... more The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI's strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute's work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI's research from action to impact. The Institute's regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.
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Papers by Amir Jilani