The context specific factors affecting women empowerment and empowerment's implications for resource allocation, awareness and fertility: an econometric analysis

Abstract

Using data from a survey of Bangladeshi households, this paper constructs an index of women empowerment and explores both the determinants of empowerment of married women and the impacts that empowerment has on various aspects of a woman's life. The findings reveal that female education, her involvement in income generating activities (both formal and informal) and the structure of the household (unit or extended) are important determinants. As regards the impacts of empowerment on the female's life, the paper finds that empowerment affects her food intake and expenditure patterns in quantitative and qualitative terms - it positively impacts women's nutritional status and health care and confers positive impacts on taking family planning measures. Also empowered women’s behavior is less discriminating when it comes to serving food among family members.