Unconditional Cash Transfers and Child Mortality: Experimental Evidence from Kenya
We estimate the intergenerational health impacts of large-scale unconditional cash transfers. One-time transfers of USD 1000 were provided to over 10,500 poor households across 653 randomized villages in Kenya. We collected regional census data on over 100,000 births, including on mortality and cause of death, and detailed data on household health behaviors. In the study’s main finding, the cash transfer treatment leads to a sharp reduction in infant deaths before age one and in child deaths before age five. Data on the location of health facilities, as well as the cause of death and transfer timing relative to birth, indicate that unconditional cash transfers and access to delivery services are complements in generating mortality reductions: the largest gains are estimated among households living close to health facilities who receive the transfer around the time of the birth, and treatment leads to a large overall increase in hospital deliveries. Infant and child mortality then largely revert to pre-program levels after cash transfers end. Despite not being the main aim of the original program, we show that unconditional cash transfers in this setting may be a cost-effective way to reduce infant and child deaths.

Written with Michael Walker (University of California, Berkeley), Nick Shankar (University of California, Berkeley), Dennis Egger (University of Oxford), and Grady Killeen (University of California, Berkeley)
Date: 4 June 2025, 12:30
Venue: Manor Road Building, Manor Road OX1 3UQ
Venue Details: Seminar Room G (third floor)
Speaker: Edward Miguel (University of California, Berkeley)
Organising department: Department of Economics
Organisers: Niccolo Meriggi (University of Oxford), Dennis Egger (University of Oxford), Rocco Zizzamia (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address: suzanne.george@economics.ox.ac.uk
Part of: CSAE Lunchtime Seminars
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Public
Editors: Suzanne George, Fiona Morsia, Claire Goode