Women's property, mobility, and decisionmaking: evidence from rural Karnataka, India

Description

Recent research has highlighted a substantial gender gap in asset ownership between men and women. This paper examines the impact of rural women’s property ownership on their mobility and decision-making autonomy using data from the Karnataka Household Asset Survey (2010–11), which provides individual-level information on asset ownership and valuation. Employing logistic regression models, the study finds that ownership of a house or agricultural land significantly enhances women’s ability to travel independently to markets, health centres and other locations, and strengthens their autonomy in decisions related to employment, health and financial management. These improvements not only benefit women’s individual well-being but also contribute positively to overall household welfare, particularly in improving children’s nutritional outcomes. The findings underscore the importance of expanding women’s access to productive assets and highlight the need for targeted policy interventions to bridge the gender asset gap and promote inclusive development.

Publication Date

1-1-2012

Publisher

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

Keywords

Gender, Property rights, Decisionmaking, Mobility, Autonomy, India

Source Link URL

https://www.ifpri.org/publication/women%E2%80%99s-property-mobility-and-decisionmaking-evidence-rural-karnataka-india

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