Kartik C. Roy

Property rights in women’s empowerment in rural India: a review

This paper examines the importance of property rights in women’s empowerment in rural India. Arguments justifying the need for granting property rights to women are presented and the distinction is made between legal (formal) and customary (informal) rights. The ineffectiveness of legal right in absence of customary rights has been discussed. Customary rights also become ineffective due to other institutional impediments. These impediments have been discussed. The results of extensive field work in rural West Bengal and Orissa have been presented to illustrate the pattern of development process that poor rural women want and in which the property right is only one component, not the only component.

Good governance in sustainable development: the impact of institutions

The possibilities for good governance depends on institutional structures and the economic resources available for ensuring governance. In some cases centralised governance structures are inefficient. In other cases, decentralised structures turn out to be inadequate. In India decentralisation of power to village level has not improved the efficiency of rural development. Decentralisation of power, it is said, by facilitating the empowerment of people in local communities can contribute to more sustainable development. On the other hand, in India, the delegation of power to the states in some cases has resulted in the destruction of the environment. Thus centralised and decentralised governance structure have both merits and demerits. Preservation of the environment which is essential for sustainable development cannot be achieved unless the pressure on forest and natural resources is reduced. This cannot happen in the absence of appropriate property rights of local communities and of rural women. In West Bengal as well as in the central Himalayan region in India it has been found that the disappearance of community control and restrictions on the user rights of villagers reduced the incentive and ability of villagers to use forest sustainability. On the other hand, in Russia, pristine forests are being degraded because of lack of resources of the weak central government. Good governance also depends on appropriate institutions. Corruption, bureaucratic inefficiency, inefficient and corrupt law enforcement agencies undermine the capacity of institutions to facilitate good governance for sustainable development. Corruption and rent seeking activities can grow even in an economy which has tried to apply outward oriented economic policies if an appropriate institutional environment does not exist. A state which assumes predatory or semi‐predatory status can systematically incapacitate all institutions for good governance and effective implementation of policies. Thus formulation of policies cannot ensure effective implementation in the absence of good governance which in turn cannot be achieved in the absence of appropriate institutions. Hence, sustainable development requires good policies and effective provision of institutions conducive to good governance.

The changing status of women in India: Impact of urbanization and development

Argues that legal and constitutional rights in themselves do not change social attitudes. In the longer term these attitudes are conditioned by economic pressures, which would ultimately lead to improvement in the status of women. In the Indian context, developmental planning and urbanization did not have a specific focus on the role of women in economic change. As a result, development and urbanization led to very uneven results for different categories of women in India. While the poor women in rural India were left behind, the middle class educated women were able to improve their economic and social status as a result of urbanization and development. Again, Muslim women were unable to make as much social progress as did the Christian and Hindu women.

Rural-Urban Migration and Poverty in South-Asia

Abstract [Analyses the process of rural-urban migration of landless rural families in South Asia using field data from Dattabad slum in Calcutta and from Notuk village in Midnapur District, West Bengal, India, and from Ekdala and South Rampur villages in Bangladesh. Results reveal that diminishing access to non-market goods and lack of employment of females caused a significant fall in family income which forced these rural families to migrate to Dattabad slum. Their migration-decision was linked to the onset of poverty and lack of economic security for them. This suggests the importance of a “push-factor” in their migration-decision. While all family members migrated together and all hoped to find some employment in Calcutta, only female members in all families were employed. This was in unskilled jobs. Males were frequently unemployed and were in a less satisfactory economic situation than was anticipated prior to migration].

A critical note on UNDP's gender inequality indices

Abstract This paper analyses the different indices applied for the measurement of human development as constructed by the United Nations Development Program. Of special interest is the Gender Development Index (GDI), introduced in the 1995 Human Development Report and the Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM). In light of the male bias in the Indian socio-economic context, the application of the GDI and GEM acquires special significance. A critical appraisal of their theoretical base and their application has been undertaken in this paper. The conclusion is that GDI and GEM although praise- worthy achievements on the part of the UNDP, do not adequately reflect or measure male/female disparity in the Indian context. Both indices suffer from the weakness of employing a pre-assigned value of the Gender Sensitive Equity Indicator. They also exhibit several other shortcomings, outlined here. GDI is a poor indicator of the relative deprivation of females as shown by our analysis of the relationship between the GDI and the female/male ratio for 16 Indian core states. But as to women, who can penetrate the real sufferings of their she condition? Mans very sympathy with their estate has much of selfishness and more suspicion. Their love, their virtue, beauty, education, but form good housekeepers, to breed a nation — Lord Byron

Female Participation In Decision - Making In Agricultural Households In Kenya: Empirical Findings

Survey data for this paper were collected in a rural district in Kenya between December 2000 and January 2001. The main objective was to identify the factors determining female participation in household decision making. Our results suggest that bargaining models and resource theory cannot be applied in a society where customarily determined sex and social stratification systems place males higher than females and determine that only men make major decisions. Our results support the hypothesis that cultural theory is more significant than bargaining models or resource theories in determining womens participation in decision making in rural Kenya.

Economic reforms, public transfers and social safety nets for the poor: A study of India and China

Increased economic insecurity helps to spur individuals to work harder and be more efficient according to the theory of work incentive. However, in a civilised society, the society has a moral obligation to provide basic needs and social safety nets for its poor and unfortunate members who, due to factors beyond their own control, have not been able to earn a living. This paper analyses the trade‐off between economic reforms and economic and social security in India and China. The findings show that both countries’ attempts to minimise the social costs of economic reforms have not been successful. The policy implications are also discussed.

Historical pattern of India's economic growth: salient features

Purpose – This paper aims to present a review of the main features of Indias economic growth and human development during nearly 50 years of Indias planned development. Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines all major aspects of Indias growth such as growth in net total national product and per capita product, changes in the production and occupational structure resulting from growth, changes in government revenue, infrastructure and social services, in income distribution and in poverty. Findings – Although the growth was uneven and low up to 1980, the country recorded a reasonable and steady improvement in most aspects of growth. Nevertheless the effects of growth have not produced better results in poverty alleviation. Originality/value – Reviews the main features of Indias economic growth and human development.

Institutions and gender empowerment in the global economy

Since women account for almost 50 percent of the worlds population, the sustainability of development of the global economy can be greatly impaired if the state authorities in individual countries pay less attention to the improvement in the socio-economic status of women relative to men. Improvement in socio-economic status which facilitates empowerment of individuals is greatly dependent on conducive informal institutions and state institutions. This book is the first of its kind to critically examine the role of these institutions in womens empowerment in five continents in the world. The analysis of the role of institutions in individual countries is underpinned by a robust theoretical background presented in the first three chapters. The chapters on individual countries also include a section dealing with recommendations for changes in state policies affecting womens empowerment.

Deprivation of females in Kondh-dominated villages in rural Orissa: evidence and economic explanations

Economic theories of the family, of gender discrimination and deprivation within the family are examined in the context of three Kondh-dominated tribal villages, relying on a survey. Background information about the groups surveyed, the study area and nature of the survey are provided and the resource endowments of interviewed wives and their families and their economic status are outlined. Results from interviews of 106 wives, using a structured questionnaire, are reported and analysed. Factors of relevance for economic unitary and bargaining theories of the family are examined in this social context. Entitlements of females are ascertained. Using the survey results, socioeconomic influences on the status of wives and their deprivation within their families are examined and the entitlements of female and male children are compared and analysed. Because of cultural embedding, it is suggested that the relevance of economic theories of the family depend significantly on cultural contexts.