The effects of engendered intra-household power dynamics on household food security and nutrition in Malawi

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper examines the effects of intra-household power dynamics particularly on food security and household nutrition. The novelty of this paper is that, beyond the standard approach, engendered intra-household power has been coined as the interactive effect of engendered household headship and ‘voice’ of household members. Further, this paper determines the effects of intra-household power dynamics and various extra-household variables on food security and nutrition. Using the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition, the underlying causes of the gender disparity particularly in food nutrition between female-led and male-led households (in terms of headship and voice) are established. Having confirmed the existence of engendered intra-household power dynamics in both food security and nutrition, the study finds, among other things, that male-headed households have better nutrition than female-headed households; households with a female-dominant voice have better nutrition than those with a male-dominant voice; and male-headed households with female-dominant voice have better nutrition than other households. The findings provide insights into the existing gender inequality in the context of household decision making.