Intra-household Gender Roles

Gender relations and the status of men and women can be analysed on various levels – at the ‘macro’ level of national policies, institutions and census data; the ‘meso’ level of local community, village or region, and at the ‘micro’ level of intra-household dynamics.  Research has shown that contrary to assumptions, households do not always act as one when making decisions, but are often divided along gender lines.  Not all household members receive fair treatment or share equally in benefits.  Examining intra-household gender roles enables researchers to identify the different contributions men and women make to the household in terms of their assets, labor and income, how household resources are distributed, who controls what, who takes responsibility for what, who makes decisions and how decision are made.  Intra-household gender analysis can build a picture of the different demands that family responsibilities place on men and women, how power is shared or negotiated within the household, whether gender inequality resides at the micro level, how and why, and the relationship to gender roles and relations in the wider community or society.  Analysis of intra-household gender roles and resource allocation can also help to assess whether the benefits of development are reaching all members of the household and can shed light on the gender dimensions of poverty and the effectiveness of poverty-alleviation strategies. 

Methods and tools available to analyse intra-household gender roles are mostly derived from gender analysis frameworks which take the household as the starting point to investigating gender issues in a population.  Intra-household gender analysis typically examines the assets held by women and men and asks whether the individual resources they bring to the household or the responsibilities they fulfil give them bargaining power in deciding how household resources will be allocated.  Participants in surveys and focus groups are asked to reflect on a range of questions about how household decisions are made. Do men and women pool their income and assets or do they allocate them individually according to their preferences?  Do men control and determine the use all household resources, including women’s income? Do husbands and wives get equal share of resources such as food? Are sons and daughters treated differently or given different levels of access to resources or responsibilities?  What impact does income dependency, extended family networks, dowry, inherited assets or bride-price have on gender roles and bargaining power within the household?  Do men and women invest and allocate resources differently – such as on children’s education and welfare?  What is the influence of income, education, religion, ethnicity or culture on intra-household gender roles?

How men and women share and divide household resources and responsibilities may significantly influence the outcome of development programs or services which target either women or men or appear to be ‘gender-neutral’.  Without investigating the dynamics of intra-household gender roles, poverty assessments and development initiatives risk being ‘gender blind’ and producing adverse consequences, particularly for women or marginalized household members, who may have little influence over how income or benefits are accessed, distributed or invested.  As a consequence, some commentators have suggested that intra-household analysis should form an integral part of the impact assessment and the evaluation of development programs.

Sources and online resources:

Bolt, V. J., & Bird, K. (2003), ‘The Intra-household Disadvantages Framework: A Framework for the Analysis of Intra-household Difference and Inequality’, Office of Development Assistance Chronic Poverty Research Centre Working Paper No.23, (Accessed 9 Feb. 08)
http://www.chronicpoverty.org/pdfs/32Bolt_Bird.pdf

Gammage, S. (2006) A Menu of Options for Intra-Household Poverty Assessment, Washington DC: USAID, http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADH568.pdf (Accessed 7 Jan. 08)

Malusi, M. (2004) ‘Gender and rural households in Malawi’, Laurentian University, Canada, (Accessed 9 Feb. 08) www.prgaprogram.org/modules/DownloadsPlus/uploads/Hosted_documents/gender_analysis_in_Malawi.pdf

Mayoux, L. (2004) ‘Intra-household Impact Assessment: Issues and Participatory Tools’, EDIAIS Tool Box Resources, (Accessed 7 Jan. 08) http://www.enterprise-impact.org.uk/pdf/IntrahouseholdIA.pdf

‘Intra-household and Gender Inequality Papers’, World Bank PovertyNet, (Accessed 7 Jan. 08) http://poverty2.forumone.com/library/topic/3362/12829/

Quisumbing, A.R. & McClafferty, B. (2006) Food Security in Practice: Using Gender Research in Development, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), (Accessed 23 Nov. 07) http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/fspractice/sp2.asp

Quisumbing, A.R. & Maluccio, J. A (1999) ‘Intrahousehold Allocation and Gender Relations: New Empirical Evidence’, World Bank Development Research Group, (Accessed 23 Nov. 07) http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTGENDER/Resources/wp2.pdf