This article evaluates the impact of a large cash transfer program in South Africa on children's nutritional status and investigates whether the gender of the recipient affects that impact. The study focuses on the South African old-age pension program, which was expanded for the black population in the early 1990s. The benefits were about twice the median per capita income in rural areas, and more than a quarter of black South African children under five live with a pension recipient. The analysis compares the effects of pensions received by women and men on the anthropometric status of girls and boys. The results suggest that pensions received by women had a significant positive impact on the weight for height and height for age of girls, while pensions received by men had no significant effect on either girls' or boys' nutritional status. This indicates that the efficiency of public transfer programs may depend on the gender of the recipient. The study also examines the potential confounding factors, such as endogenous household composition and other government programs, and finds that the results are robust. The findings suggest that targeting public transfers to women might be more effective in improving children's nutrition.This article evaluates the impact of a large cash transfer program in South Africa on children's nutritional status and investigates whether the gender of the recipient affects that impact. The study focuses on the South African old-age pension program, which was expanded for the black population in the early 1990s. The benefits were about twice the median per capita income in rural areas, and more than a quarter of black South African children under five live with a pension recipient. The analysis compares the effects of pensions received by women and men on the anthropometric status of girls and boys. The results suggest that pensions received by women had a significant positive impact on the weight for height and height for age of girls, while pensions received by men had no significant effect on either girls' or boys' nutritional status. This indicates that the efficiency of public transfer programs may depend on the gender of the recipient. The study also examines the potential confounding factors, such as endogenous household composition and other government programs, and finds that the results are robust. The findings suggest that targeting public transfers to women might be more effective in improving children's nutrition.