Child to child relationships in child domestic worker-included households: exploring household power dynamics with and between children

Household dynamics and the bargaining power of women in artisanal and small-scale mining in sub-Saharan Africa: A Ghanaian case study

The role of migration as one potential adaptation to climate change is increasingly recognized, but little is known about whether migration constitutes successful adaptation, under what conditions, and for whom. Based on a review of emerging migration science, we propose that migration is a successful adaptation to climate change if it increases well-being, reduces inequality, and promotes sustainability. Well-being, equity, and sustainability represent entry points for identifying trade-offs within and across different social and temporal scales that could potentially undermine the success of migration as adaptation. We show that assessment of success at various scales requires the incorporation of consequences such as loss of population in migration source areas, climate risk in migration destination, and material and non-material flows and economic synergies between source and destination. These dynamics and evaluation criteria can help make migration visible and tractable to policy as an effective adaptation option.

Abstract: This study explores the multidimensional nature of empowerment by focusing on the household dynamics and the mobility of the members of the Kudumbashree neighbourhood groups in the Thrissur district of Kerala. The study examines if the self-confidence and assertive abilities that women develop as part of their membership translate to a shift in power dynamics and agency within households. To capture the nuances, a qualitative design was chosen for the study. 30 in-depth, semi-structured interviews and 3 focus group discussions were conducted. Participants were recruited through purposive, maximum variation sampling, and the data was analysed using thematic analysis. The active engagement in the neighbourhood groups does not translate to autonomous decision-making within the households. Despite having access to loans, women make decisions regarding loans in consultation with their husbands. Participants from lower income categories as well as nuclear families are more active compared to the others. Due to their active engagement, only the presidents and secretaries of the groups reported a change in mobility because of their membership. It was found that there are slight changes in family dynamics due to membership. However, women’s contribution to family income does not translate to their increased agency within the family. The effect of the membership is also not uniform. The study identifies and recommends ways in which Kudumbashree can be effectively utilised as a platform for women’s empowerment in addition to the financial aid that it provides to its members. Keywords: Agency, decision-making, family dynamics, neighbourhood groups

This article examines the way women's power and its relation to household dynamics have been addressed in the anthropology of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) through the classical works of Deniz Kandiyoti and Camille Lacoste-Dujardin. We argue that the notion of “classic patriarchy” they have elaborated and used is predicated on a “collectivistic” and “culturalist” perspective on living arrangements. We show the perspective's shortcomings and suggest an alternative, “atomistic” framework developed by one of the authors, which we adapt to the MENA. We finally assess the heuristic value of this framework by studying a Tunisian peasant village typical of the feminization of agriculture now taking place, a process through which women have gained power.

Over the past decade, arguments on migration as a livelihood in rural China have focused on labour reallocation, household power dynamics, women’s triple roles, and stayers’ well-being. Wherein, care for the dependent population’s well-being dominates empirical works. This paper explores the strategies employed by the wives of Chinese miners in Ghana who stay behind to cope with the stress caused by their husbands’ migration. The data collection was conducted in January 2023 and produced nine body maps from women stayers in Shanglin County, Guangxi, China. Through body mapping, stayers articulated their physical and psychological stressors and self-care strategies. This paper critiques egalitarian liberal feminism by highlighting how gendered care ideology is deeply embedded in cultural norms and principles which underpin the gendered division of labour of men engaging in paid employment while women in unpaid care work, which neglects self-care. We argue that the destabilisation of household dynamics due to a spouse’s outmigration does not necessarily lead to women stayers’ autonomy; rather, it creates an ambivalent situation where stayers are often burdened and stressed by becoming de facto heads of the transnational household. In coping with these situations, stayers actively choose and utilise their care strategies.

Despite numerous studies of the interrelations among households, gender politics, and power contestations, more attention needs to be given to how specific cultural beliefs and practices influence these social spheres. This article aims to shed light on how moral values in rural Turkey shape household processes and mask relations of domination and subordination. The concept of moral values(2) is used here to refer to commonly held beliefs concerning the way things should be, and I will argue that these moral values, or master narratives, are ways of silencing other voices. This model of prohibition is thus a form of domination. I take a deconstructive approach to households and gender politics by exposing categories of the natural as social constructs, recontextualizing people's links to each other in a way that shows their fragmentary character, and revealing the importance of moral values in both concealing relations of power and imposing an order across an expanse of social encounters. Feminist analysis has made an important contribution in the understanding of women's positions as subsistence producers, privatized laborers, and double-day workers in the household. Many researchers emphasize the household as a central site of women's subordination (e.g., Ghorayshi 1993:202; Barrett and McIntosh 1991; Harris 1984:137; Barrett 1980:201) and a site of conflict between its members (Zinn 1991:121; Wilson 1991; Duffy 1988; Abu-Lughod 1988:81; Beneria and Sen 1986:150-51). Stressing the importance of the household in reproducing gender relations of production and gender hierarchies has shown how women are enmeshed in social dynamics that sometimes further their oppression (see also Marcus 1992a). Recent studies on gender politics within households highlight the importance of cultural belief systems prevailing in developing societies (Ghorayshi In press; Marcus 1992a, 1992b; Guyer 1991; Loizos and Papataxiarchis 1991; Abu-Lughod 1988). This orientation depicts households as products of cultural beliefs that legitimate or perpetuate gender divisions, mobility, and inequality. Some researchers document how these beliefs promote female seclusion, segregation, or avoidance and shape women's positions within and outside households (Warren and Bourque 1991:282-83; Abu-Lughod 1988; Mies 1985:13). In Bedouin society, assertiveness and demeanor - and their links to gender - correspond to hierarchical positions within households and to women's unequal status Abu-Lughod 1988:109-10). Similarly, others emphasize how the values of marriage influence gender segregation, domestic inequality, and general standards of behavior for social life (Loizos and Papataxiarchis 1991:5). Research on cultural beliefs and gender politics in rural Turkish households documents similar findings. Some studies focus on the value of children, especially as it reflects fertility behavior, sex differences, and social structures (Kagitcibasi 1982:166-67). Other studies emphasize the role that marriage values and practices play in influencing women's positions in the household (Kuyas 1982:187-88) and in transforming household composition and dynamics (Ilcan 1994a, 1994b; Delaney 1991; Sirman 1988; Kandiyoti 1987). However, few studies examine the interconnections of culture, power, and gender politics in rural Turkish households, and little work has been done on how morality gives meaning to these fields of relations (Ilcan In press a; Marcus 1992a, 1992b). As an integral part of this investigation, the following section highlights the relevance of a deconstructive method for recontextualizing people's links to each other and showing their fragmentary nature within household processes and power relations. DECONSTRUCTING THE HOUSEHOLD The household is a social grouping that is difficult to define.(3) Some researchers attempt to solve the problems of household definitions, boundaries, and composition by devising criteria to distinguish it from other social units (Sirman 1988; Guyer and Peters 1987; Smith, Wallerstein, and Evers 1984; Stauth 1984). …

Between the Arabs and the Turks: Household, Conversion and Power Dynamics in Early Islamic Bactria

The feminization of agriculture narrative has been reproduced in development literature as an oversimplified metric of empowerment through changes in women’s labor and managerial roles with little attention to individuals’ heterogeneous livelihoods. Grounded in feminist political ecology (FPE), we sought to critically understand how labor and managerial feminization interact with changing agricultural practices. Working with a local NGO as part of an international, donor-funded research-for-development project, we conducted semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation with over 100 farmers in Mid-Western Nepal in 2017. Household structure and headship are dynamic in the context of male out-migration, pushing women to take on new agricultural duties and increasing household labor responsibilities. In this context, decision-making processes related to agricultural management and new cultivation practices illustrate ongoing renegotiations of gender and cultivation practices within and beyond the household. We contend that the heterogeneity of household power dynamics muddies the empowering impacts of migration and emphasize the importance of community spaces as a locus of subjectivity formation and social value. We conclude that FPE can illuminate complexities of power, space, and individual responses to socio-ecological conditions that challenge the current feminization of agriculture framework.

The rising trend of divorce petitions filed by wives following their appointment as Government Employees with Work Agreements (PPPK) in regions such as Blitar and Banten reflects a significant shift in household power dynamics within Muslim families. The transformation in women's social and economic status indicates a reconfiguration of power relations that husbands have traditionally dominated. This study aims to normatively analyze this phenomenon through the lens of Islamic family law as a system of social control. Employing a normative qualitative approach, the research examines Islamic legal texts (nushūṣ), classical and contemporary literature, and national legal frameworks related to divorce and family structure. The findings reveal that social changes marked by increased female autonomy can disrupt established power relations within households, necessitating a reevaluation of Islamic family law as a normative mechanism for maintaining balance and harmony within the Muslim family institution. This study contributes to the development of Islamic family law theory and offers policy recommendations for anticipating the impact of social transformation on family resilience.

This paper explored gender determined roles and their impact to under-five mortality in the study area. A cross-sectional research design was used to collect data from 160 agro-pastoralist households using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected in August 2016 in Handeni District Tanzania mainly through a questionnaire-based survey. Descriptive statistics showed households prevalence of under-five mortality 12 months prior to the survey for Kibaya Msomera Malezi and Kilimilang’ombe villages to be 24.6% 24.6% 31.6% and 19.2% respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that timely household decision control of household income and equal involvement of household members in the subsistence farming had significant influence on reduction of household under-five mortality. The influence was at s = -0.071 p = 0.000 odd ratio = 0.931 s = -1.828 p = 0.032 odd ratio = 0.674 and s = -1.013 p = 0.022 odd ration = 0.362 respectively. The study findings indicate that women involvement in household decision making and use of household income contribute to the reduction of under-five mortality. It is also the same when subsistence farming is considered as a role for all household members rather than considering it as a women’s role alone. Government non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders should create awareness campaigns in form of seminars and workshops on gender equality in agro-pastoralist communities. This paper recommends further studies to explore roles of culture on household power dynamics and their implication to under-five mortality.

We outline the various channels through which women are part of the global trading economy. It focuses on women as consumers, workers, business owners, and informal cross-border traders. Trade theory offers rich implications for the relationship between gender and trade, but depends on patterns of consumption and production that may differ across countries. As an example, we examine the case of agricultural products, a sector in which products are consumed relatively more intensively by women than by men. The evidence shows that tariffs are higher in this sector, which means that women consumers are disadvantaged relative to men. On the other hand, the extension of export opportunities in developing countries in light manufacturing industries, such as apparel, can offer important prospects for women workers; these opportunities are often their entry point into the formal labor market, and provide an independent income that can change household power dynamics in a favorable way. New empirical evidence from developing country firms shows that internationally engaged firms tend to employ a higher proportion of women workers. However, much remains to be done. Discriminatory norms are deeply engrained in all countries, and are reflected in a global gender wage gap. Moreover, women-owned businesses, although active in the international economy, face specific obstacles that make it harder for them to grow and succeed. Although trade has the potential to support gender-inclusive growth and development, it will be important to get domestic regulatory settings right, so that a positive cycle can result.

Reproductive health indicators in many developing countries including Nigeria are poor, and this is due to the less-than-optimum utilization of reproductive healthcare that has been linked to numerous factors including the educational attainment of women and their partners. In societies like Nigeria, marriage is nearly universal and upheld by patriarchal practices, while education is one of the determining factors for the choice of partner in the marriage market, as it also influences household power dynamics. Despite the plethora of studies investigating the link between education and utilization of these services, there is a paucity of research examining educational assortative mating (EAM) and its link to reproductive healthcare utilization. Hence, this study investigated EAM and explored its association with reproductive healthcare utilization from the perspective of family systems theory. Data from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (n = 19,950) was analysed with frequencies presented and binary logistic regression models fitted. The result showed that high-education (34%) and low-education (46%) homogamy are the most prevalent types of EAM, while 40% of the partnered women reported facility delivery, 11% used modern contraceptives and 20% reported 8+ antenatal care visits. The multivariate analysis showed that compared to women in hypergamy, women in both high-education homogamy and hypogamy are more likely to deliver at a health facility but women in low-education are less likely. Women in both high-education homogamy and hypogamy are more likely, but those in low-education homogamy are less likely to use modern contraceptives. For antenatal care, only women in high-education homogamy are more likely to have 8 or more visits during pregnancy compared to women in hypergamy, while women in low-education homogamy and hypogamy are less likely. These findings provide evidence of the importance of an indicator of social stratification for important family decisions like healthcare utilization.

Male out-migration from rural areas means women left behind may have the opportunity to assume roles and responsibilities previously handled by their husbands. This shift in household power dynamics may enable these women to become more empowered which would reflect positively in their asset ownership, productive decision-making, household expenditures, personal autonomy, and exposure to domestic violence. This paper contributes to this emerging literature by evaluating whether the absence of the primary male, due to migration, empowers the women left-behind in rural Bangladesh. To account for self-selection and endogeneity bias arising from migration, we employ propensity score matching and instrument variable techniques, respectively, for efficient estimation. Our results indicate that even though the women left behind enjoy greater ownership of assets, there is no improvement in their decision-making authority over productive utilization of those resources. This also raises concerns over long-term persistency of increased asset ownership. However, we do find the women to experience a better status within the household, facing lower domestic abuse in the absence of their husbands from other household members. Finally, male out-migration also significantly improves women’s control over minor household expenditures and freedom of physical mobility, by providing an opportunity to explore and realize their own potential for empowerment in an otherwise dominant patriarchal society.

We examine the opportunities and challenges in designing for maternal health in low-income, low-resource communities in patriarchal and religious contexts. Pakistan faces a crisis in maternal health with a maternal mortality ratio of 178 deaths per 100,000 live births, as compared to the developed-country average of just 12 deaths per 100,000. Through a 6-month long qualitative, empirical study we examine the prevalent beliefs and practices around maternal health in Pakistan, the access women have to health-care, the existing religious practices that influence them and the agency they exert in their own health-care decision making. We reveal the rampant misinformation among mothers and health workers, house-hold power dynamics that impact maternal health and the deep link between maternal health and religious beliefs. We also show how current maternal health care interventions fit poorly into this context and discuss alternate design recommendations for meeting the maternal health needs of these women.

BackgroundResearch documents married women’s household decision-making autonomy as a critical determinant of a range of sexual and reproductive behaviours in many less developed countries. Despite this importance, however, very few studies explore the prevalence and correlates of women’s household decision-making autonomy in countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Cameroon.MethodsUsing the 2018 Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey, this study employs a binary logistic regression analysis to explore the demographic, locational, and socioeconomic determinants of women’s household decision-making autonomy.ResultsAbout half of respondents (47%) indicate that they are involved in the decision-making process at the household level. We find that women in polygamous marriages are less likely to be involved in the decision-making process in comparison to their monogamous counterparts (aOR = 0.69, p < 0.001). Similarly, compared to traditional women, Muslim women (aOR = 0.27, p < 0.001) and women with no religious affiliation (aOR = 0.35, p < 0.01) are less likely to be involved in the decision-making process. Also, our analysis shows that married women aged 15–19 (aOR = 0.27, p < 0.001), 20–24 (aOR = 0.43, p < 0.001), 25–29 (aOR = 0.51, p < 0.001), 30–34 (aOR = 0.75, p < 0.01), and 35–39 (aOR = 0.71, p < 0.01) are less likely to be involved in decision-making process in comparison to their counterparts aged 45–49. Finally, poorer, less educated, and unemployed women are less likely to be involved in the decision-making process in comparison to their wealthier, more educated, and employed counterparts.ConclusionsBased on these findings, policymakers must be cognisant of the household power dynamics in polygamous relationships when implementing programs that promote gender equality and women’s autonomy. Furthermore, the government should prioritize initiatives and socioeconomic support programs focusing specifically on marginalized groups. Investing in education and raising awareness about women’s rights, gender equality, and the importance of inclusive decision-making can be instrumental in challenging societal attitudes and promoting women’s autonomy.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12905-025-03914-w.