Women and poverty: Rural-urban dimensions

Abstract

This paper is about the gender dimensions of poverty with focus on rural and urban variations. The issues probed are wide-ranging: what are the implications of poverty for women's lives; is the impact of poverty on women distinct, and in what ways are poor women more vulnerable than others? So far, most of the attention has been on rural poverty, however, shifting more recently towards the concerns for urban poor. The question remains whether urban poverty is a spillover of rural poor through the process of migration? What are the characteristic features of urban poor and how do they differ from rural poor, especially in terms of the implications for women's lives. Does the association of women-headed households with poverty hold true in the Indian context? How different are the characteristics of women heads in rural and urban areas and what are its implications on poverty among such households?

These issues are taken up by analysing women-headed households in terms of their marital status, educational levels and employment status across the rural-urban divide.

Gender-based deprivations and discriminations are additions to poverty related vulnerabilities. The twin and combined impact of gender and poverty are examined through women's demographic, educational and employment statuses. Also, the differences between men and women in terms of the nature of employment is compared across the consumption expenditure quintiles to view both gender and poverty interface.