GENDER WISE ANALYSIS OF

ACCESS TO AND CONTROL

OVER ASSETS AND

RESOURCES IN RURAL

HOUSEHOLDS OF TELANGANA

(DROUGHT PRONE AREAS)

Presented by

M. Milcah Paul

College of Home Science

Hyderabad

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to extend my thanks to Dr. Bantilan, Dr. R. Padmaja, Mrs. K.Kavitha, Mr. Anil, Village Assistants (Mr. Mazid and Ms. Yadamma) and otheradministrative staff of ICRISAT for providing me an opportunity to work in thisesteemed organization along with providing their valuable suggestions and financialassistance in carrying out my dissertation study.

I would also like to thank Dr. P. Radha Rani and my other advisors fromCollege of Home Science, ANGRAU for providing me their guidance.

I would also extend my regards to my parents and friends for their valuablesupport throughout my study.

INTRODUCTION

• Every human being irrespective of gender have the right to prosper, avail opportunities andparticipate in development process both at the family and community level.

• In rural areas of India, there are no equal opportunities and facilities provided for women eitherat the household, community or occupational level.

• The distribution and availability of resources and assets depend on the gender roles andconditions fixed in a particular society of an area/ region with relation to its social, cultural,economic and environmental conditions.

• Unequal and inadequate access and use of land, water and other resources in semi-arid areascontinues to pose challenge for agricultural growth, occupational mobility and gender equity.

• Considering this complex situation, there is a need to explore about the gender differences inrural areas.

• This may help the planners to design programmes and projects that are effective, efficient andequitable which promotes their empowerment and also gender equality in the society.

REVIEW OF LITERATUREFindings Authors

Asset Access and Control• The assets were majorly owned by men.• Assets owned by women were of lower quality and value than men’s assets.• Women were poorer educated than men and had little access to assets.• The ownership, access and control over productive assets will provide decision making

capacity and empowerment.

• Agarwal (2001)• Kumari and Singh

(2004)• Puri (2002) • Dick et al. (2011)

Resource Access and Control• Women had less access and control over the resources, mainly the productive ones.• Active policies that supported women's access and participation were essential if these gaps

were to be closed.

• Arora and Sabharwal (2006)

• Croppenstedt et al. (2013)

Empowerment Status• Educational status, economic status, income, managerial abilities, income generating

capabilities, social participation, social mobilization, self- orientation, extension contact,extension participation, and mass media exposure and access to basic facilities had shownsignificant positive relationship with gender equity and gender empowerment.

• Women should be empowered so that they become conscious to cross the boundary createdby socially constructed gender ideology and negotiate in order to reduce the existing gendergap to make themselves free for participation in decision making level.

• Milkah (2006)• Thapa (2009)• Enete and Amusa

(2010)

Decision Making• The decisions regarding the household activities, finances, marketing and expenditure both at

the household and occupational level was majorly taken up by men.• Though women participated in occupational activities, mainly the agriculture, the decision

making was mostly in the hands of men.

• Bansal and Choudhary (2004)

• Nosheen et al. (2008)

• Pawar (2010)

AREAS COVERED UNDER THE STUDY

• Gender differences in Asset access and control

• Gender differences in Resource access and control

• Gender differences in Decision making of the household

• Status of social and economic empowerment of the male and female respondents

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

• To find out the non-human resources and fixed assets available in the families of theselected sample.

• To study the access and control over assets by gender in the families of selectedsample.

• To explore the accessibility and control over resources by gender in the families ofselected sample.

• To document the empowerment status of gender with respect to access and controlover assets and resources.

METHODOLOGY

• Research design: An exploratory research design was adapted for the study.

• Location of the study: The study was conducted in Dokur and Aurepalle villages ofMahbubnagar district, Telangana.

• Sample Size: The total number of households selected for the study was 112 (66households from Aurepalle and 46 from Dokur).

• The survey was done on male and female respondents in a household bothseparately (Total sample: 112 male respondents + 112 female respondents = 224individuals)

• Sample selection: The samples were selected using simple random sampling.

• As the study is part of the ICRISAT VLS, the samples were selected from the VLSmembers list based on the requirements.

• The survey was conducted only in the households where both the husband andwife are alive.

• Tool used for the study: The tool used for the study was interview schedule.

PROFILE OF THE RESPONDENTS

Population and Gender

Men– 52.32%

Women – 47.68%

Type of family

Nuclear family – 80.35%

Extended nuclear family –17.86%

Joint family – 1.78%

Caste

Forward caste- 19.64%

Backward caste – 60.72%

Schedules caste – 19.64%

Educational status of family members

Educated – 81.22%

Uneducated – 18.78%

Religion

Hindus – 99.10 %

Muslims – 0.90%

Age (M,F)

Early adulthood -18.75%,34.82%

Middle adulthood - 58.04%, 55.36%

Late adulthood - 23.21%, 9.82%

Education of respondents

Educated (Male) – 50.90%

Educated (Female) – 23.25%

Source of income

Primary source – Agriculture (Majority – 74.12%)

Secondary source – Farm Labour (Majority – 31.06%)

Size of the familySmall (2-4 members) –

64.28%Medium (4-6 members) –

32.14%Large (<7) – 3.58%

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ACCESS TO ASSETS

1. LAND/ DWELLING ASSETS 2. FARM ASSETS

3. HOUSEHOLD ASSETS

0102030405060708090

100

Television Furniture Refrigerator Cell Phone Sewing Machine

Stove Electric Fan Radio Other Appliances

Men 84.82 95.54 27.68 90.18 1.79 86.61 92.86 1.79 6.25

Women 0 95.54 27.68 42.86 10.71 86.61 92.86 1.79 6.25

% o

f A

cce

ss

0102030405060708090

100

Vacant lands/Plots

House

Men 21.43 98.21

Women 12.5 98.21

% o

f A

cce

ss

0102030405060708090

Tractor Wells Cattle Shed Pump and Storage

Shed

Agricultural Land

Barren Land

Men 3.57 8.92 16.07 34.82 81.25 0.89

Women 0 4.46 9.82 14.28 55.36 0.89

% o

f A

cce

ss

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN CONTROL OVER ASSETS

Asset Men (N=112) Women (N=112)

Full Partial No Full Partial No

Dwelling/ Land Assets

Vacant Lands/ Plots 0.00 19.64 80.36 0.00 19.64 80.36

House 0.00 96.42 3.58 0.00 96.42 3.58

Farm Assets

Tractor 0.90 2.68 96.42 0.00 2.68 96.42

Wells 0.00 8.92 91.08 0.00 8.92 91.08

Cattle Shed 0.00 16.08 83.92 0.00 16.08 83.92

Pump and Storage Shed 0.00 34.82 65.18 0.00 34.82 65.18

Agricultural land 0.00 81.26 18.76 0.00 81.26 18.76

Barren land 0.00 0.90 99.10 0.00 0.90 99.10

Household Assets

Television 0.00 83.92 16.08 0.00 83.92 16.08

Furniture 0.00 94.64 5.36 0.00 94.64 5.36

Refrigerator 0.00 26.78 73.22 0.00 26.78 73.22

Cell phone 0.00 97.32 2.68 0.00 96.42 3.58

Sewing Machine 0.00 11.60 88.40 0.90 84.82 14.28

Stove 0.00 84.82 15.18 0.90 84.82 14.28

Electric Fan 0.00 91.96 8.04 0.00 91.96 8.04

Radio 0.00 1.78 98.22 0.00 1.78 98.22

Other Appliances 0.00 6.26 93.76 0.00 6.26 93.76

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ACCESS TO AND CONTROL OVER RESOURCES

Access Control Access Control

Men Women

100% 100%

33.03% 29.46%38.39% 40.17%

100% 100%

INCOME

Income earned by men Income earned by women

01020304050607080

Access Control Access Control

Men WomenBanks 2.67 4.64 0 4.64

SHG's 24.1 26.78 71.42 71.42

Others 32.14 32.14 9.82 31.26

% o

f re

spo

nd

ents

SAVINGS AVAILABILITY

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Institutionalised loans

Govt. Schemes Money Lenders Any other

Men Access 44.64 1.78 50 35.71

Men Control 41.08 2.67 50 42.85

Women Access 9.82 0.89 39.28 31.25

Women Control 20.53 2.67 43.75 31.25

% o

f re

spo

nd

en

ts

LOAN AVAILABILITY

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ACCESS TO AND CONTROL OVER RESOURCES

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Access Control Access Control

Men WomenFarm inputs (Seeds, Pesticides, Fertilisers, ImplementsWater

75.89 74.1 36.6 19.64

Agricultural Loans 36.6 41.08 23.21 36.6

Subsidy 3.57 3.57 2.67 0.89

% o

f re

spo

nd

en

ts

FARM RESOURCES

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100

Access Control Access Control

Men WomenFood 100 27.68 100 100

Clothing 100 33.92 100 94

% o

f re

spo

nd

en

ts

HOUSEHOLD RESOURCES

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN DECISION MAKING

MALE DECISION FEMALE DECISION JOINT DECISION

Household Activities

• Cooking decisions• Amount to be spent and

purchasing food items• expenditure for festivals

• Renovation/ construction of house

• Purchase of clothes• Expenditure on healthcare

and children

Farm Activities

• No. of labours to be hired• Vaccination and treatment of

livestock• Purchase of farm inputs and

implements• Selling of food grains and

vegetables

• Labour allocation • All the agricultural process activities

• Buying or selling of land and livestock

• Deciding others and own work outside the home

Financial activities (Household related)

• Selling or keeping produce for domestic consumption

• Amount allocated for market and domestic consumption

• Saving for next period

• Credit related• Loan related• Savings related

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN DECISION MAKING

MALE DECISION FEMALE DECISION JOINT DECISION

Financial and marketing activities (Farm related)

• Where and How to market?• How much quantity to

market?• Use of by-products

• Loan related• Credit related

Socio-religious activities

• Giving and taking small amount

of grains/ seasonal vegetables• Giving and taking small

• non-interest loans

• Giving small amount in cash orkind to a visiting daughter/neighbour

• Gifts to be given• Visit to a near-by mela,

religious gatherings• Attending marriages/ birth/

death ceremonies/ courtesycalls

• Amount of charity anddonations to be given

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT STATUS

3 assets 2 assets 1 asset No assets

Men 1.78 33.92 56.26 8.04

Women 0 6.25 33.04 60.72

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

% o

f O

wn

ersh

ipOWNERSHIP OF PRODUCTIVE ASSETS

3 Sources 2 Sources 1 SourceNo

Contribution

Men 7.14 53.58 38.4 0.9

Women 1.78 18.75 60.71 18.75

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

% o

f P

eo

ple

INCOME CONTRIBUTION

(a) Allowed(b) Not

Allowed(a) Allowed

(b) Not Allowed

Men 99.1 0.9 98.22 1.78

Women 96.42 3.58 98.22 1.78

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

% o

f A

cce

ss

CONTROL OVER SPENDINGS AND SAVINGS

SAVINGSSPENDING

CONCLUSION

• The results of this study also proved that there were gender differences with regardto asset and resource access and control in the rural households selected for thisstudy.

• The study also gave an indication to strengthen women’s access to productive assetsand resources.

• However, there were positive signs like some land were reported to be jointlyowned by husbands and wives, who make joint decisions to use, sell, or mortgagethe land.

• The lack of access to and control over productive resources is the main factorlimiting women’s equal participation in economic activities, thereby hampering thehuman development process.

• Hence, equal access to resources and assets both at household and occupationallevel will lead to empowering women of all different strata (age, education, class,caste, etc.) and is critical not only for their welfare but also for the development ofthe country as a whole.

IMPLICATIONS

• The findings of the study are useful for the policy makers to identify the genderdifferences in rural areas for implementing gender based strategic programmes.

• The results can be used as gender disaggregated database in drought prone areasof Mahbubnagar district.

• Gender based programmes can be introduced to sensitize the community ongender issues and to empower women both socially and economically.

• Strategic interventions are required to sensitise the community of which theconcept of SHG’s is one of the effective tools for mobilising and motivating the ruralfolk.

• All public and private organisations which extend their hand for womenempowerment should be encouraged to take up research, extension andeducational activities to achieve gender equality.

WAY FORWARD

• I’m planning to join my Ph. D. in the next academic year.

• I am also in the process of writing a research articles for journal publication.

• As I’m already a holder of UGC-NET, I am planning to prepare for UGC-JRF, ICAR-NET and other competitive exams.

“Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a pre-condition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and

building good governance”.- Kofi Annan

THANK YOU