International NGO Journal

  • Abbreviation: Int. NGOJ
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1993-8225
  • DOI: 10.5897/INGOJ
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 264

Full Length Research Paper

Are grassroots Non-governmental organization actors’ policies pro-poor? Questioning inclusive beneficiary targeting and people-centred policy rhetoric in Ethiopia

Hando Filmon Hadaro
  • Hando Filmon Hadaro
  • Centre for Urban Regional and Local Development Studies, College of Development Studies, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Dinkisa Daniel Kusa
  • Dinkisa Daniel Kusa
  • Centre for Urban Regional and Local Development Studies, College of Development Studies, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
  • Google Scholar


  •  Received: 04 June 2022
  •  Accepted: 27 June 2022
  •  Published: 30 June 2022

Abstract

The study analysed the interface among pro-poor targeting, gender inequality and women beneficiaries of programme-based grassroots level intervention in urban setting in Ethiopia. Using feminist lenses of service delivery, social capital, intersectionality and change theories, a quasi-experimental time design was employed to assess the intervention impacts. From desk review, questionnaire and interviews data, the impact of the much-advocated pro-poor grassroots urban agriculture programme prove mixed results. The study result shows that grassroots interventions are neither inclusive in targeting nor it prove pro-poor purpose. The evidence shows a widening gender gap even among beneficiaries. The study thus concludes that interventions by grassroots non-governmental organizations are neither pro-poor in purpose nor the actors are inclusive in targeting. The study revealed doubts on people-centeredness of grassroots interventions and actors. Thus, a feminist rights-based inclusion framework should inform grassroots interventions since such framework is based on intersectional perspectives, gender-sensitive indices and critical of categorical targeting of beneficiaries. The grassroots evidence finally brings new insights on agriculture – programme-based urban agriculture and women empowerment in agriculture index and brings new insight on intervention logic of women rights in policy design and evaluation.

 

Key words: Feminist women empowerment, pro-poor intervention, people-centred targeting, grassroots actors, women rights.