The causes and consequences of women's status in Himba pastoralists

Abstract

Gender inequalities in status and prestige are common across many populations, but while considerable attention has been paid to understanding the drivers of men's status, the causes and consequences of women's status have received scant attention, particularly outside industrialized contexts. We combine demographic, health and dyadic rating data from an endogamous community to show that women of higher status have improved outcomes for themselves and their children. We find perceptions of generosity, intelligence, and respectfulness best predict women's status. Women of greater status marry higher quality partners and have children with better growth outcomes, results similar to those found for men across cultures, but rarely demonstrated in women. The results suggest women's status can be an important driver of fitness-related outcomes, and should be considered alongside men's status in evolutionary studies.