Multi-faceted programs, including those referred to as graduation programs, have shown considerable promise for graduating poor and ultra-poor households out of poverty. The logic is simple. The poor and ultra-poor face multiple constraints and resolving one constraint at a time will hinder long-term program effectiveness. Most graduation programs, globally, include some combination of short term consumption support (or are linked to an existing cash transfer program), asset transfer, savings program, skills training, coaching or mentoring and health and/or education information. These programs, by and large, have significantly improved the material wellbeing of households around the world, as documented in Banerjee et al. (2015) who evaluate the impacts
of graduation programs in 6 countries. Although these programs typically target women, either disproportionately or exclusively, their effects on women’s non-economic outcomes are both relatively understudied or show mixed results. Yet, among graduation practitioners, and the international development community more broadly (Global Affairs Canada, 2018), there is both a recognition that promoting women and girls is critical for poverty reduction and that efforts need to move beyond simply providing them with cash or assets. To explore the potential of graduation programs to transform the lives of poor and ultra-poor women and girls, we conducted a review of the evidence of the effects that these programs have had on non-economic outcomes. The review considers both quantitative and qualitative work, combined with insights obtained through conversations with practitioners, to evaluate the current state of knowledge and to identify knowledge gaps.