How effective are Public Works Programmes in stimulating local economic transformation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries? A Systematic Review

A systematic review and contextualisation report of review findings to South Asia, particulary to Nepal

Abstract

This systematic review summarises and amalgamates the available evidence on how effective are public works programmes (PWPs) in stimulating local economic transformation in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). The research also aimed to summarise the factors responsible for improving or reducing the efficacy of PWPs on local economic transformation in LMICs and if community involvement in PWPs improve the effectiveness of the programmes on local economic transformation in LMICs.

The systematic review provides information on the different PWPs in LMICs globally. The public works programmes looked in this review are Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGS) and Cash transfer programmes.

This report was commissioned under the Department for International Development’s Systematic Review Programme for South Asia.

Citation

Nair N.S, Venkatesh B.T., Bhageerathy R, Karan A, Unnikrishnan B., Sindhu S.U., Pundir P., Sebastian, A.M., Krishnan, J.B., Guddattu, V., Vijayamma, R., Das U., and Sequeria, S.M. (2017). Public Works Programmes: How effective are public works programmes in stimulating local economic transformation in low and middle income countries? A systematic review. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, UCL Institute of Education, University College London.

Updates to this page

Published 1 March 2018