Retracted - Cash Transfer Program: Between Empowering Women, Quality of Education and Reducing Child Labor in Cocoa-growing Communities in Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract

While the literature seldom establishes a direct link between cash transfers and improvements in children's foundational skills, this mixed-methods study examines the combined impact of an economic intervention (cash transfers through Village Savings and Loan Associations, VSLAs) and an educational one (Teaching at the Right Level, TaRL/PEC) on women's empowerment, children's learning, and child labour, in two cocoa-growing regions of Côte d'Ivoire (Bouaflé and Daloa). Drawing on a randomised controlled trial with four groups (beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of each intervention), it involves 2,451 pupils in grades CE1–CE2 at baseline and 3,808 at endline (including CM1), analyzed through ANOVA, independent-samples t-tests and Cohen's d, and complemented by interviews with 30 women and 27 teachers. The findings show a marked impact on women's economic and social empowerment. For learning outcomes, the effects are modest and differentiated: in reading, they remain weak and confined to CE1 (d = 0.22; p < 0.01), without generalizing; in numeracy, they are significant across all grades but limited in magnitude (d = 0.20 to 0.39; p < 0.001). This effectiveness depends largely on implementation conditions, teachers' knowledge of the program eroding from 78% to 67% over the school year. Finally, the transfer does not act directly on child labour, but moderates it indirectly through the joint mediation of the VSLAs and the school. The study thus documents the indirect, socially mediated pathways through which such interventions operate.

Classification JEL: M12

Paper type: Empirical research

Reasons for Retraction

The International Journal of Accounting, Finance, Auditing, Management and Economics (IJAFAME) is issuing this notice to inform readers of the retraction of the article entitled “Cash Transfer Program: Between Empowering Women, Quality of Education and Reducing Child Labor in Cocoa-growing Communities in Côte d'Ivoire?? published in Volume 7, Issue 10 (2026), pages 54–81.

This retraction follows a formal request submitted by the author to the editorial board after the article's publication.

The retraction request highlights two primary grounds:

1. Authorization for Data Usage

The study relies on data derived from the research project “Promoting Learning and Reducing Child Labor in Côte d’Ivoire Through Family- and School-based Interventions?? (SEME Project), led by Professors Kaja Jasinska (University of Toronto), Amy Ogan (Carnegie Mellon University), Sharon Wolf (University of Pennsylvania), and Dr. Samuel Kembou (Jacobs Foundation). Although the author contributed to this research project, the necessary authorizations for the independent use and publication of these data within the context of the article were not secured prior to publication.

1. Reuse of Previously Published Material

The editorial board was further informed of the presence within the article of elements and materials that had been subject to prior publication.

In light of these factors and at the formal request of the author, the editorial board of IJAFAME has decided to retract the article in its entirety.

This decision is made to safeguard the integrity of the journal’s scholarly record, maintain publication traceability, and uphold ethical principles regarding research data governance and academic publishing.

The original article remains accessible in the journal’s archives to preserve transparency and the integrity of the publication record. However, the document is now clearly designated as “RETRACTED?? and bears a prominent watermark across its pages.

The title of the notice and its associated metadata have also been modified to explicitly reflect its retracted status.

This notice constitutes the official record of retraction and should be consulted in conjunction with the article in question.

This notice is published in compliance with the editorial best practices recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) regarding retractions and transparency in scholarly publishing.

Notice Publication Date : September 20, 2026