Widowers and Cash Transfers in Eastern Africa: ComparativeInsights from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Uganda(2005–2014)

Abstract

This study investigates widowers’ participation in cash transfer programs across Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Uganda between 2005 and 2014. It documents enrollment trends, compares delivery mechanisms, and assesses the adequacy of support using secondary data and comparative analysis. The framework draws on testimonial justice and gender equity to situate widowers’ experiences within debates on social protection and male vulnerability. Findings reveal that widowers remain largely invisible in welfare statistics and policy discourse. While women’s empowerment initiatives expanded, widowers encountered stigma around male dependency, limited institutional recognition, and feelings of diminished masculinity when accessing aid. Comparative insights show that cultural norms, delivery innovations such as mobile money, and policy frameworks shaped experiences differently across countries. Despite improved enrollment and accessibility, transfers were inadequate to meet basic household needs. The study recommends reforms that explicitly recognize widowers as a vulnerable group, align transfer amounts with household needs, and integrate testimonial justice into programme design.