Document Type
Article
Date of Original Version
2019
Department
Economics
Abstract
Literature on household headship has, by and large, tended to homogenize female-headed households (FHHs). We present a mixed methods approach to disaggregating the experiences of female-headed households (FHHs) in the post-conflict period in Nepal. One of four households in Nepal is estimated to be female-headed, either as a result of conflict-related male deaths (de jure, or widow heads) or due to male out-migration (de facto, or wives of migrants). We examine similarities and differences in the work responsibilities and labor market participation of de jure and de facto female heads using quantitative data from the Nepal Living Standards Surveys (NLSS) and qualitative data collected through fieldwork in Nepal. While both types of households share some similar concerns, de jure and de facto female heads face different challenges in negotiating their everyday household and labor market roles. Findings inform policy interventions that can be specifically targeted toward each type of household.
Citation/Publisher Attribution
Pratistha Joshi Rajkarnikar & Smita Ramnarain (2020) Female Headship and Women’s Work in Nepal, Feminist Economics, 26:2, 126 159, DOI: 10.1080/13545701.2019.1689282
Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13545701.2019.1689282
Author Manuscript
This is a pre-publication author manuscript of the final, published article.
Terms of Use
This article is made available under the terms and conditions applicable
towards Open Access Policy Articles, as set forth in our Terms of Use.