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Women, Weather, and Woes: The Triangular Dynamics of Female-Headed Households, Economic Vulnerability, and Climate Variability in South Africa

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  • Flatø, Martin
  • Muttarak, Raya
  • Pelser, André

Abstract

Existing gender inequality is believed to be heightened as a result of weather events and climate-related disasters that are likely to become more common in the future. We show that an already marginalized group—female-headed households in South Africa—is differentially affected by relatively modest levels of variation in rainfall, which households experience on a year-to-year basis. Data from three waves of the National Income Dynamics Survey in South Africa allow us to follow incomes of 4,162 households from 2006 to 2012. By observing how household income is affected by variation in rainfall relative to what is normally experienced during the rainy season in each district, our study employs a series of naturally occurring experiments that allow us to identify causal effects. We find that households where a single head can be identified based on residency or work status are more vulnerable to climate variability than households headed by two adults. Single male-headed households are more vulnerable because of lower initial earnings and, to a lesser extent, other household characteristics that contribute to economic disadvantages. However, this can only explain some of the differential vulnerability of female-headed households. This suggests that there are traits specific to female-headed households, such as limited access to protective social networks or other coping strategies, which makes this an important dimension of marginalization to consider for further research and policy in South Africa and other national contexts. Households headed by widows, never-married women, and women with a non-resident spouse (e.g., “left-behind” migrant households) are particularly vulnerable. We find vulnerable households only in districts where rainfall has a large effect on agricultural yields, and female-headed households remain vulnerable when accounting for dynamic impacts of rainfall on income.

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  • Flatø, Martin & Muttarak, Raya & Pelser, André, 2017. "Women, Weather, and Woes: The Triangular Dynamics of Female-Headed Households, Economic Vulnerability, and Climate Variability in South Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 41-62.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:90:y:2017:i:c:p:41-62
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2016.08.015
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    3. Mr. Matthieu Bellon & Carlo Pizzinelli & Mr. Roberto Perrelli, 2020. "Household Consumption Volatility and Poverty Risk: Case Studies from South Africa and Tanzania," IMF Working Papers 2020/051, International Monetary Fund.
    4. Sen, Kritika & Villa, Kira M., 2022. "Rainfall shocks and adolescent school-work transition: Evidence from rural South Africa," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322383, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
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    8. Rao, Nitya & Singh, Chandni & Solomon, Divya & Camfield, Laura & Sidiki, Rahina & Angula, Margaret & Poonacha, Prathigna & Sidibé, Amadou & Lawson, Elaine T., 2020. "Managing risk, changing aspirations and household dynamics: Implications for wellbeing and adaptation in semi-arid Africa and India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    9. Vladimir Otrachshenko & Olga Popova & Nargiza Alimukhamedova, 2024. "Rainfall variability and labor allocation in Uzbekistan: the role of women’s empowerment," Post-Soviet Affairs, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(2), pages 119-138, March.
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    14. Jeetendra Prakash Aryal & Tek Bahadur Sapkota & Dil Bahadur Rahut & Hom Nath Gartaula & Clare Stirling, 2022. "Gender and climate change adaptation: A case of Ethiopian farmers," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 46(3), pages 263-288, August.
    15. Margaret Chitiga-Mabugu & Martin Henseler & Helene Maisonnave & Ramos Mabugu, 2023. "Climate Change and Women - Impacts and Adaptation," Post-Print hal-04072199, HAL.
    16. Teresa Cappelli & Luca Tiberti & Elisa Ticci, 2023. "Climate, women's resilience and mediating channels in rural Benin," Working Papers - Economics wp2023_08.rdf, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
    17. Boureima Sawadogo, 2022. "Drought Impacts on the Crop Sector and Adaptation Options in Burkina Faso: A Gender-Focused Computable General Equilibrium Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-22, November.
    18. Stanley Sharaunga & Maxwell Mudhara, 2021. "Analysis of Livelihood Strategies for Reducing Poverty Among Rural Women's Households: A Case Study of KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(1), pages 127-150, January.
    19. R.M.N.N. Senavirathna & R.M.N.S. Senavirathna, 2023. "Healthcare Expenditures Across Household Headship and Expenditure Quintiles: Insights From a Household Survey," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(3), pages 117-131, March.
    20. Mavisakalyan, Astghik & Otrachshenko, Vladimir & Popova, Olga, 2024. "Natural Disasters and Acceptance of Intimate Partner Violence: The Global Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 17172, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    21. Shayegh, Soheil & Dasgupta, Shouro, 2022. "Climate change, labour availability and the future of gender inequality in South Africa," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115183, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    22. Karim, Azreen, 2018. "The Household Response to Persistent Natural Disasters: Evidence from Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 40-59.

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