Female Headed Households (FHHs) in Pakistan – Round 2

In recent decades an increasing number of women globally have become household heads with

different reasons for their formation across regions. This resulted in a growing interest in

analysing the welfare outcomes of this new household category. Since FHHs are a heterogeneous

group with characteristics varying across regions, the data pertaining to them is also plagued

with contradictions. However, as women generally face discrimination with respect to education,

earnings, rights, and economic opportunities, their vulnerability increases as household heads

with only one ‘breadwinning’ adult, making a case for targeting female-headed households to

reduce poverty and tackle vulnerability. Social Policy and Development Centre (SPDC)

conducted a baseline study of socio-economic characteristics of female headed households in

Pakistan in 2010 to analyse the diversity in their characteristics and the contextual factors that

contribute to their formation. This study is based on the panel data set of Round 1 of the

household survey in 2010 and Round 2 in 2013-14 to analyse the changes in the overall socio-

economic characteristics, improvement/deterioration in decision-making empowerment level,

changes in living standards and poverty, and the scope and role of social protection programmes

in crisis situations. For a comparative analysis, an equal number of male headed households were

surveyed in both rounds.

The survey data reveals that the percentage difference between the average monthly

family income between FHHs and MHHs has widened from Round 1 to Round 2 i.e.14

percent in Round 1 to 38 percent in Round 2. On the other hand, no significant

percentage change in average monthly family income has been witnessed in urban areas.

With regard to education, the enrolment for boys in urban areas among FHHs has

increased at different levels, except for secondary, where it has come down to 47 percent

in Round 2 as against 53 percent in Round 1 Notably, a positive shift is observed in rural

areas as an increase of 14 percent from Round 1 to Round 2 in the enrolment rate at the

boys’ secondary level has been witnessed. In the case of urban girls in FHHs, the

enrolment ratios increased in middle and intermediate levels but show a marginal decline

at the primary level and moderate decline at the secondary level between the two rounds.

The ownership of home as fungible asset increased marginally in urban FHHs from 19.3

percent in Round 1 to 22.8 percent in Round 2. For rural FHHs and urban/rural MHHs

these percentage declined significantly.

In the baseline survey of 2009-10, a very small percentage of agriculture land holding

was found in urban FHHs. It is interesting to note that land holding in urban FHHs

improved marginally from 1.9 percent to 2.8 percent in Round 2. However, there was a

decline in agriculture land holding in rural FHHs that implies a decline in the overall

well-being and living standards of these households.

The baseline survey report of 2009-10 established the fact that in Pakistan FHHs are the

poorest of the poor. From a sample size of 804 FHHs, the poverty incidence was

estimated as 44.2 percent for Round 1 that has been re-estimated as 46.7 percent with a

sample of 574 FHHs. Similarly, for MHHs the poverty incidence was estimated as 35.0

percent in Round 1 that has been re-estimated as 36.1 percent from a sample size of 582

households in Round 2.

Social assistance programmes are undermining their effectiveness due to poor targeting

and little coverage of households in immense need. Out of 269 FHHs below the poverty

line, only 5.58 percent are taking advantage of social assistance. The percentage of

coverage is also low in MHHs.

Policy Recommendations

Social assistance programs of the government should target households headed by

females, particularly in rural areas.

The efficiency of these programs needs to improve by developing scrutiny mechanisms to

differentiate between poor and non- poor.

The knowledge of social assistance programs is critically low particularly among the

underprivileged. Various mediums of information could be used to enhance knowledge

and awareness of such programs. In addition, there is also a need to streamline and

simplify the existing systems and procedures of registration in these programs

particularly for poor FHHs.

The study has established the fact that FHHs are more committed to children’s education

than MHHs. To prevent the intergenerational transmission of poverty and deprivation, a

conditional cash grant for education of children should be allocated for FHHs.

The gradual transformation from cash grants to skill development in FHHs is desirable.

The policy response of ‘home based units’ for embroidery, handicrafts, sewing, etc. could

unleash the latent entrepreneurship potential of FHHs in Pakistan.

In order to improve the living standards of households particularly in rural areas, a new

framework of infrastructure development is needed that balances community needs and

perceptions with available resources.

The implementation of existing women’s protection laws in letter and spirit is needed not

only to enhance women’s empowerment but also prevent discriminatory practices against

them. The legal protection would immensely benefit FHHs especially in rural areas

where cultural and traditional norms are embedded in the rural societal structure.

The low labor force participation of FHHs could be improved by formulating equitable

and just labor force policies both at the national and provincial levels to ensure all aspects

of female protection.