Gender and Ethnicity Dimensions in Relation to Access to and Control Over Household Resources in Nepal

Abstract

The study examined gender roles in access to, and control over, household resources in three culturally distinct ethnic groups of rural Nepal. Gender analysis using Harvard Analytical Framework and face-to-face interviews with one male and one female member from each of the 123 households were conducted. The results indicated that men dominated in all aspects of household resources in all the ethnic groups (Brahmin/Chhetri, Gurung, and Tharu). The Gurung women fared relatively better compared to women in other two ethnic groups. This could be due to prolonged absence of male household members among Gurung households. The responses from female household members were mostly in conformity with those obtained from male members. Furthermore, findings from the gender analysis were consistent with household survey results conducted by 1998. The validation of findings using both methods suggests that the results are reliable and can be used for policy formulation for rural development. Key words: Gender, household resources, ethnicity, farming J. Inst. Agric. Anim. Sci. 26:135-141 (2005)