Women who save: A comparative analysis of Ecuador, Ghana and Karnataka, India
Description
Ownership of financial assets is a key component of women’s economic empowerment. Savings provide a reliable and flexible means of coping with economic shocks, while also enabling women to accumulate resources for acquiring productive assets. A woman with her own savings is better positioned to exercise bargaining power and decision-making autonomy within the household. This, in turn, may allow her to build individual wealth, invest in her children’s education and nutrition, or leave an abusive relationship. Despite its importance, there has been no comprehensive, large-scale comparative study examining patterns of women’s savings. While some research has focused on the marginal impacts of women becoming savers, broader patterns of saving behavior remain poorly understood. Several important questions therefore remain unanswered: Do urban women save more than their rural counterparts? How does household wealth influence women’s savings behavior? What insights can be gained by comparing savings patterns across countries at different levels of development? Additionally, what relationships exist between savings and ownership of other key assets, such as housing, agricultural land, and businesses?
Copyright Date
January 2014
Publication Date
1-1-2014
Keywords
Women's empowerment, Women's security, Social security, Gender, Financial assets, Immovable property
Conference
International Association for Feminist Economics, 20th June, 2014, Ghana
