The role of unconditional cash transfers during a nutritional emergency in Maradi region, Niger: a pre–post intervention observational study

To assess the effect of an unconditional cash transfer (CT) implemented as part of an emergency response to food insecurity during a declared state of emergency. Pre-post intervention observational study involving two rounds of data collection, i.e. baseline (April 2012) and final survey (September 2012), on the same cohort of 'poor' and 'very poor' households enrolled by Save the Children in an unconditional CT programme. Aguié district, Maradi, Niger. Households with a non-acutely malnourished child aged 6-36 months (n 412). The study showed that the living standards of 'poor' and 'very poor' households improved, as indicated by a reduction in poverty-related indicators and an improvement in household food security. Anthropometric outcomes for children aged 6-36 months improved significantly, despite a decline in child health and women's well-being and autonomy. Risk factors for becoming acutely malnourished post-intervention were being from a very poor household at baseline, starting the lean season with low weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ