Jennifer Twyman

Asset Ownership and Egalitarian Decision Making in Dual-headed Households in Ecuador

Most studies of household decision making focus on the factors associated with women’s ability to make decisions autonomously. This paper is concerned with egalitarian decision making, defined as where both men and women consider that they themselves make decisions jointly, and where they agree that their spouses participate in decisions in a similar fashion. We offer evidence that in Ecuador women’s command over resources is associated with egalitarian decision making among couples. Women’s share of couples’ wealth is positively and significantly associated with the likelihood of joint decision making regarding their decision to work and to spend income. JEL classification: J16; D13; D31; 054

Gendered Perceptions of Land Ownership and Agricultural Decision-making in Ecuador: Who Are the Farm Managers?

This paper challenges standard analyses of gender differences in agriculture, which typically focus on the sex of household heads or landholders, by considering who makes decisions on land owned by married women. We show that joint ownership and joint decision-making by couples is common in Ecuador but would be overlooked in studies focusing on only one farm manager. We also show that there are gender differences in perceptions about land ownership and agricultural decision-making, with men reporting lower levels of women’s participation compared to their wives’ report. Moreover, perceptions about the factors affecting women’s participation in agricultural decision-making also differ. (JEL D63, Q15)

Patrimonial Violence A Study of Women’s Property Rights in Ecuador

Patrimonial violence, defined minimally as the violation of women’s property rights, is increasingly recognized as a form of gender violence, along with physical, psychological, and sexual violence. Research in Ecuador on the extent to which women are aware of their property rights and the situations in which patrimonial violence is most likely to occur shows that, while most women seem to be aware of certain fundamentals, there are many misconceptions, particularly regarding the status of individual property. Women’s lack of legal knowledge often undermines their ability to obtain their rightful share of the division of property upon separation, divorce, or widowhood. Moreover, patrimonial violence is often aggravated by the presence of other forms of violence against women. La violencia patrimonial, definida mínimamente como la violación de los derechos de propiedad de las mujeres, se reconoce cada vez más como una forma de violencia de género, a la par que la violencia física, psicológica y sexual. Investigaciones sobre el grado en que las mujeres son conscientes de sus derechos de propiedad y las situaciones en las que es más probable que se produzca violencia patrimonial en Ecuador muestran que, mientras que la mayoría de las mujeres parece estar conscientes de ciertos fundamentos, manejan muchas ideas equivocadas, particularmente con respecto al estado de la propiedad individual. Su falta de conocimiento legal a menudo socava su capacidad de obtener una parte justa de la división de bienes ocurrida a raíz de una separación, divorcio o viudez. Lo que es más, la violencia patrimonial a menudo se ve agravada por la presencia de otras formas de violencia contra la mujer.

Sugar, fat, or protein: are all food insecure households eating the same? The case of small rice producers in Peru

Abstract Purpose We examine the joint demand for components of a household’s diet diversity and its relationship with household and regional characteristics that embody diverse food access and utilization constraints within the framework of the dietary patterns of rice producers in Peru. Methodology/approach We use multivariate probit regression to account for the simultaneous nature of the choice of different dietary group components. Findings There are diverse food intake patterns for households, depending on their wealth, education, demographic structure, market access and geographic location, as well as past shocks. There are also several obesogenic foods that are complements to consumption, with milk being a strong substitute for some of them. Of particular concern is the high vulnerability of female-headed households to low consumption of micronutrient-rich foods as well as the high vulnerability of households with children to high consumption of beverages with added sugars. Climate shocks are also highly associated with poor diet quality. Practical implications Results show the important influence of trade on household nutrition and food security. They indicate that policy and program recommendations should focus on nutrition information (such as labeling requirements) and education so that consumers can make informed decisions. They also suggest that policy makers should focus on how to make healthy foods available during crises to prevent health issues after economic and climatic shocks.