Resource information
Many key development outcomes depend on
women's ability to negotiate favorable intrahousehold
allocations of resources. Yet it has been difficult to
clearly identify which policies can increase women's
bargaining power and result in better outcomes. This paper
reviews both the analytical frameworks and the empirical
evidence on the importance of women's bargaining power.
It argues that there is sufficient evidence from rigorous
studies to conclude that women's bargaining power does
affect outcomes. But in many specific instances, the
quantitative evidence cannot rigorously identify causality.
In these cases, a combination of quantitative and
qualitative evidence may suggest policy levers. Taken
together, there are sufficient data in place to support a
greatly expanded focus on intrahousehold outcomes and
bargaining power. Additional data at the individual level
will allow for further and more detailed research. A growing
literature supports the current conventional wisdom --
namely, that the patterns of evidence suggest that
women's education, incomes, and assets all are
important aspects of women's bargaining power.
