In Search of Gender Bias in Household Resource Allocation in Rural China

Lina Song

No 3464, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper tests three hypotheses concerning intra-household resource allocation in rural China. First, whether increasing the women's bargaining power alters household expenditure patterns. Second, whether households allocate fewer resources to daughters than to sons. Third, whether increasing the bargaining power of women reduces pro-boy discrimination. We find that expenditure patterns do vary with proxies for women's bargaining power. Pro-boy discrimination is suggested by: lower female outlay equivalent ratios for adult goods; greater sensitivity of household health spending to young boys than to young girls; and high male sex ratios. No evidence is found to support the third hypothesis.

Keywords: intrahousehold allocation; women; bargaining power; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D1 D13 D61 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 31 pages
Date: 2008-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cna, nep-dev and nep-tra
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Related works:
Working Paper: In Search of Gender Bias in Household Resource Allocation in Rural China (2008)
Working Paper: In Search of Gender Bias in Household Resource Allocation in Rural China (1999)
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