gender inequality and women’s empowerment 2005-06 national family health survey (nfhs-3)

Gender Inequality and Gender Inequality and Women’s EmpowermentWomen’s Empowerment

2005-06 National Family Health 2005-06 National Family Health SurveySurvey

(NFHS-3)(NFHS-3)

NFHS-3, India, 2005-06

Why Measure Gender Inequality and Why Measure Gender Inequality and Women’s Empowerment in NFHS-3?Women’s Empowerment in NFHS-3?

Important Important public health consequencespublic health consequences for women for women and childrenand children

Strategic themeStrategic theme of NPP 2000 of NPP 2000

Theme: Empowering women for improved Theme: Empowering women for improved health and nutritionhealth and nutrition

Millennium Development Goals 3 & 4Millennium Development Goals 3 & 4

MDG3: Promote gender equality and empower MDG3: Promote gender equality and empower womenwomen

MDG4: Eliminate gender disparity in educationMDG4: Eliminate gender disparity in education


Content of PresentationContent of Presentation

Selected indicators of gender disparity Selected indicators of gender disparity

Access and control over resourcesAccess and control over resources

Women’s decision making roleWomen’s decision making role

Freedom of movementFreedom of movement

Acceptance of gender unequal normsAcceptance of gender unequal norms


Gender Disparity in LiteracyGender Disparity in Literacy

AgeAge

SexSex

Literacy Literacy rate (%)rate (%)

Gender Gender Disparity Disparity

15-4915-49 MaleMale

FemalFemalee

7878

555529%29%

20-2420-24 MaleMale

FemalFemalee

8484

646423%23%

15-1915-19 MaleMale

FemalFemalee

8989

747417%17%


Gender Disparity in Media Gender Disparity in Media ExposureExposure

Not only are fewer women than men Not only are fewer women than men literate but fewer are also regularly literate but fewer are also regularly exposed to mediaexposed to media

Percentage of men and women age 15-19 Percentage of men and women age 15-19

regularly exposed to print media, TV, radio, or regularly exposed to print media, TV, radio, or

cinemacinema

Men Men 88%88%

Women Women 71% 71%

Gender DisparityGender Disparity 19%19%


Employment: Another Area of Employment: Another Area of Gender DisparityGender Disparity

43

29

8779

Employed Employed forcash

Women Men

Among the population age 15-49 Men are 2 times as likely to

be employed Men are 2.7 times as likely

to be employed for cash

Among the employed, 64% of women vs. 91% of men earn cash

Female share of population employed for cash in non-agricultural occupations is 22%

Percent


The majority of employed women The majority of employed women are engaged in agricultural workare engaged in agricultural work

Type of Type of workerworker

Occupational Distribution (%)Occupational Distribution (%)

WomenWomen MenMen

ProfessionalProfessional 77 77

SalesSales 44 1414

Service Service 77 55

Production Production 2222 3737

AgriculturalAgricultural 5959 3333

Other Other 22 44


Does employment empower Does employment empower women financially?women financially?

NFHS-3 asked married employed women NFHS-3 asked married employed women and men who controlled their own and men who controlled their own earnings and who controlled the spouse’s earnings and who controlled the spouse’s earnings (if relevant)earnings (if relevant)

20% of employed married women said 20% of employed married women said they earned at least as much as their they earned at least as much as their husbandhusband

24% of men with an employed wife said 24% of men with an employed wife said that their wife earned at least as much as that their wife earned at least as much as themthem


Control over Women’s Earnings as Control over Women’s Earnings as Reported by Currently Married Women Reported by Currently Married Women and Menand Men

24 20

57 63

1615

Women’s report about Women’s report about their own earningstheir own earnings

Men’s report about Men’s report about their wife’s earningstheir wife’s earnings

Mainly wife

Husband & wife jointly

Mainly husband

Percent


Are some women more likely than others to NOT Are some women more likely than others to NOT participate in the use of their earnings?participate in the use of their earnings?

8

39

13 10

21 21

6

21

15-19 40-49 Urban Rural None 12+ Lowest Highest

Percent of currently married women

Residence Wealth IndexEducationEducationAge


Do married women have access to Do married women have access to any other financial resources?any other financial resources?

68

45

15

5

Participate in decision on howhusband's earnings are used

Have money which they candecide how to use

Have a bank or savings accountthat they themselve use

Have taken loan frommicrocredit program

Percentage of women who:


Education, employment, or wealth do not Education, employment, or wealth do not ensure that women have money that they ensure that women have money that they controlcontrol

60

55

56

Have 12+ years education

Are employed for cash

Belong to the highestwealth quintile

Percentage of women age 15-49 who have money which they can decide how to use


Do married women participate in other Do married women participate in other household decision making?household decision making?

DecisionsDecisions

Make Make decision decision alone or alone or

jointly with jointly with husbandhusband

Own health careOwn health care 6262Making major household Making major household purchasespurchases 5353Making purchases for daily Making purchases for daily household needshousehold needs 6060

Visits to her family or relativesVisits to her family or relatives 6161

All four All four 3737

None of aboveNone of above 2121


46 45 41 39 45

Age 40-49 Urban 12+ yrs ofeducation

Employed Wealthiest

• Older women are much more likely than Older women are much more likely than younger women to participate in household younger women to participate in household decisionsdecisions

• Differentials by other characteristics are smallDifferentials by other characteristics are small

• However, less than half of even the oldest, However, less than half of even the oldest, urban, more educated, employed or wealthier urban, more educated, employed or wealthier women participate in all four decisionswomen participate in all four decisions


What are some of the other hurdles What are some of the other hurdles that prevent women from attaining that prevent women from attaining

gender equalitygender equality??

Limited freedom of movementLimited freedom of movement

Gender norms that promote men’s Gender norms that promote men’s control over women. NFHS-3 asked control over women. NFHS-3 asked women and men questions about norms women and men questions about norms regardingregarding

Wife beatingWife beating A husband’s right to have sex with his wife A husband’s right to have sex with his wife

irrespective of his wife’s wishesirrespective of his wife’s wishes


Percentage of women age 15-49 who Percentage of women age 15-49 who are allowed to go alone to:are allowed to go alone to:

51

48

38

33

4

Market

Health facility

Places outside thevillage/community

All three places

None of the threeplaces

The majority of women have little freedom of movement. Only one-third go alone to all three destinations: the market, health facility and outside the village or community.


Percentage who agree that a husband is Percentage who agree that a husband is justified in hitting or beating his wife if she:justified in hitting or beating his wife if she:

54

29

35

30

14

20

25

4137

24

13

8

26

29

23

51At least one reason

Goes out without telling him

Neglects the house or children

Argues with him

Refuses to have sex

Doesn’t cook properly

He suspects she is unfaithful

Shows disrespect for in-laws

Women Men


Percentage who agree with at least one reason Percentage who agree with at least one reason for wife beatingfor wife beating

WomenWomen MenMenAge 15-19Age 15-19 5353 5757

Urban Urban 4444 4343

12+ years education12+ years education 3131 3434

Employed for cashEmployed for cash 5959 6262

WealthiestWealthiest 3737 3535

Delhi: Delhi: A highly A highly urbanized stateurbanized state 3232 2828

Although urban, educated, employed and wealthier persons are less likely to agree with wife beating, these characteristics are not sufficient to supplant beliefs in gender inegalitarian norms


Attitude towards refusing sex with husband Attitude towards refusing sex with husband by Situation, Women and Menby Situation, Women and Men

79

82

79

84

70

78

68

77

Knows husband has a sexuallytransmitted disease

Knows husband has sex withother women

Is tired or not in the mood

All reasons

Women Men

Percentage who agree that a wife is justified in refusing to have sex with her husband when she:


Percentage of men age 15-49 who Percentage of men age 15-49 who consider that, when a woman refuses to consider that, when a woman refuses to have sex with him when he wants, he have sex with him when he wants, he has the right to:has the right to:

Get angry and reprimand her - 20%Get angry and reprimand her - 20%

Refuse her financial support - 6%Refuse her financial support - 6%

Use force to have sex - 6%Use force to have sex - 6%

Have sex with another woman - 4% Have sex with another woman - 4%


Key FindingsKey Findings

Women are disadvantaged absolutely and Women are disadvantaged absolutely and

relative to men in terms of access to education, relative to men in terms of access to education,

media exposure, and employment for cash.media exposure, and employment for cash.

The majority of married women do not have the The majority of married women do not have the

final say on the use of their own earnings or all final say on the use of their own earnings or all

other household decisions asked about.other household decisions asked about.

Traditional gender norms, particularly those Traditional gender norms, particularly those

concerning wife beating, remain strongly concerning wife beating, remain strongly

entrenched. entrenched.


Thank YouThank You

gender inequality and women’s empowerment 2005-06 national family health survey (nfhs-3)

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