IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/eurjdr/v36y2024i4d10.1057_s41287-023-00614-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Association Between Women's Education and Employment and Household Food Security in Afghanistan

Author

Listed:
  • Yiqi Zhu

    (Washington University in St. Louis
    Adelphi University)

  • M. Rahim Azami

    (Aga Khan Foundation)

  • Monib Fazal

    (The Knowledge House for Development)

  • Dauod Khuram

    (The Knowledge House for Development)

  • Lora Iannotti

    (Washington University in St. Louis)

  • Ganesh Babulal

    (Washington University in St. Louis)

  • Jean-Francois Trani

    (Washington University in St. Louis)

Abstract

Food insecurity persists in Afghanistan, with 24 million Afghans lacking sufficient food in 2022. Malnourishment affects over 7 million children and mothers (WFP in Afghan Emergency. Retrieved 1.30 from https://www.wfp.org/emergencies/afghanistan-emergency ). Women's rights have been severely undermined by the Taliban regime, with bans on education and employment restrictions. Using data from the 2017 Afghanistan Food Security Survey (n = 5027 households), we examined the relationship between women's education, employment, and household food security. Results indicate that households where both men and women have formal education were 52% more likely to be food secure and 50% more likely to have dietary diversity compared to a household lacking anyone with formal education. Women play a vital role in increasing household income and distributing resources towards improving dietary diversity. The rollback and censorship of women's rights under the current regime is bound to exacerbate the catastrophic rates of food insecurity, further worsening the well-being of all Afghans.

Suggested Citation

  • Yiqi Zhu & M. Rahim Azami & Monib Fazal & Dauod Khuram & Lora Iannotti & Ganesh Babulal & Jean-Francois Trani, 2024. "The Association Between Women's Education and Employment and Household Food Security in Afghanistan," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 36(4), pages 841-867, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:eurjdr:v:36:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1057_s41287-023-00614-9
    DOI: 10.1057/s41287-023-00614-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41287-023-00614-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41287-023-00614-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pandey, Vijay Laxmi & Mahendra Dev, S. & Jayachandran, Usha, 2016. "Impact of agricultural interventions on the nutritional status in South Asia: A review," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 28-40.
    2. Levin, Carol E. & Ruel, Marie T. & Morris, Saul S. & Maxwell, Daniel G. & Armar-Klemesu, Margaret & Ahiadeke, Clement, 1999. "Working Women in an Urban Setting: Traders, Vendors and Food Security in Accra," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(11), pages 1977-1991, November.
    3. Cheryl Doss, 2006. "The Effects of Intrahousehold Property Ownership on Expenditure Patterns in Ghana," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 15(1), pages 149-180, March.
    4. Elaheh Rostami-Povey, 2007. "Gender, agency and identity, the case of Afghan women in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(2), pages 294-311.
    5. Raney, Terri & Anríquez, Gustavo & Croppenstedt, André & Gerosa, Stefano & Lowder, Sarah K. & Matuschke, Ira & Skoet, Jakob, 2011. "The role of women in agriculture," ESA Working Papers 289018, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA).
    6. Hoddinott, John & Haddad, Lawrence, 1995. "Does Female Income Share Influence Household Expenditures? Evidence from Cote d'Ivoire," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 57(1), pages 77-96, February.
    7. Afghanistan Ministry of Economy & World Bank, 2017. "Afghanistan Poverty Status Update," World Bank Publications - Reports 26668, The World Bank Group.
    8. Deon Filmer & Lant Pritchett, 2001. "Estimating Wealth Effects Without Expenditure Data—Or Tears: An Application To Educational Enrollments In States Of India," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 38(1), pages 115-132, February.
    9. Smith, Lisa C. & Haddad, Lawrence James, 2000. "Explaining child malnutrition in developing countries: a cross-country analysis," Research reports 111, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    10. Handa, Sudhanshu, 1996. "Expenditure behavior and children's welfare: An analysis of female headed households in Jamaica," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 165-187, June.
    11. Paul Clarke, 2000. "Food Security and War in Afghanistan," Development, Palgrave Macmillan;Society for International Deveopment, vol. 43(3), pages 113-119, September.
    12. Rosseel, Yves, 2012. "lavaan: An R Package for Structural Equation Modeling," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 48(i02).
    13. Deeksha Tayal, 2019. "Gender inequality, reproductive rights and food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa – a panel data study," International Journal of Development Issues, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 18(2), pages 191-208, June.
    14. Scanlan, Stephen J., 2004. "Women, Food Security, and Development in Less-Industrialized Societies: Contributions and Challenges for the New Century," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 32(11), pages 1807-1829, November.
    15. Kennedy, Eileen & Peters, Pauline, 1992. "Household food security and child nutrition: the interaction of income and gender of household head," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 20(8), pages 1077-1085, August.
    16. Christoplos, Ian, 2004. "Out Of Step? Agricultural Policy And Afghan Livelihoods," Issues Papers 14648, Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit.
    17. Naila Kabeer, 1999. "Resources, Agency, Achievements: Reflections on the Measurement of Women's Empowerment," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 30(3), pages 435-464, July.
    18. Adhiguru, P. & Ramasamy, C., 2003. "Agricultural-based Interventions for Sustainable Nutritional Security," Policy Papers 344967, ICAR National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (NIAP).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Aziz, Noshaba & Ren, Yanjun & Rong, Kong & Zhou, Jin, 2021. "Women’s empowerment in agriculture and household food insecurity: Evidence from Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), Pakistan," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    2. Basudeb Guha-Khasnobis & Gautam Hazarika, 2006. "Women's Status and Children's Food Security in Pakistan," WIDER Working Paper Series DP2006-03, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. Guha-Khasnobis, Basudeb & James, K. S., 2010. "Urbanization and the South Asian Enigma: A Case Study of India," WIDER Working Paper Series 037, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    4. Scanlan, Stephen J., 2004. "Women, Food Security, and Development in Less-Industrialized Societies: Contributions and Challenges for the New Century," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 32(11), pages 1807-1829, November.
    5. Soumya Gupta & Prabhu L. Pingali & Per Pinstrup-Andersen, 2017. "Women’s empowerment in Indian agriculture: does market orientation of farming systems matter?," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(6), pages 1447-1463, December.
    6. Sandrine A. Koissy-Kpein, 2015. "Gender-based violence and gender bias in schooling decision: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2015-107, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Sandrine A. Koissy-Kpein, 2015. "Gender-based violence and gender bias in schooling decision: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series 107, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Tanika Chakraborty & Prabal K. De, 2017. "Mother’s autonomy and child’s secondary schooling enrollment in Mexico," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 1037-1053, September.
    9. Sraboni, Esha & Quisumbing, Agnes R. & Ahmed, Akhter, 2021. "Women's empowerment in agriculture: What role for food security in Bangladesh?," IFPRI book chapters, in: Securing food for all in Bangladesh, chapter 14, pages 483-548, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    10. World Bank, 2009. "Gender in Bolivian Production : Reducing Differences in Formality and Productivity of Firms," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2669.
    11. Matthias Doepke & Michèle Tertilt, 2019. "Does female empowerment promote economic development?," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 309-343, December.
    12. Schmeer, Kammi K., 2013. "Family structure and child anemia in Mexico," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 16-23.
    13. Hazarika, Gautam & Guha-Khasnobis, Basudeb, 2008. "Household Access to Microcredit and Children's Food Security in Rural Malawi: A Gender Perspective," IZA Discussion Papers 3793, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Davis, Benjamin & Handa, Sudhanshu & Stampini, Marco & Winters, Paul C., 2002. "The Lure of Tequila and the Bestowing of Motherly Love: Does it Matter Whether Public Cash Transfers are Given to Women or Men? Evidence from the PROGRESA and PROCAMPO Programs in Rural Mexico," 2002 International Congress, August 28-31, 2002, Zaragoza, Spain 24836, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    15. Monazza Aslam & Geeta Gandhi Kingdon, 2008. "Gender and household education expenditure in Pakistan," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(20), pages 2573-2591.
    16. Echeverría, Lucía, 2020. "Modelos colectivos de consumo y distribución intra-hogar. Teoría y aplicaciones," Nülan. Deposited Documents 3832, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Sociales, Centro de Documentación.
    17. Fan, Shenggen & Brzeska, Joanna, 2011. "The nexus between agriculture and nutrition: Do growth patterns and conditional factors matter?," 2020 conference papers 1, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    18. My Nguyen & Kien Le, 2023. "The impacts of women's land ownership: Evidence from Vietnam," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(1), pages 158-177, February.
    19. Peterman, Amber & Schwab, Benjamin & Roy, Shalini & Hidrobo, Melissa & Gilligan, Daniel O., 2021. "Measuring women’s decisionmaking: Indicator choice and survey design experiments from cash and food transfer evaluations in Ecuador, Uganda and Yemen," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    20. Malapit, Hazel Jean L. & Kadiyala, Suneetha & Quisumbing, Agnes R. & Cunningham, Kenda & Tyagi, Parul, 2013. "Women’s empowerment in agriculture, production diversity, and nutrition: Evidence from Nepal:," IFPRI discussion papers 1313, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:eurjdr:v:36:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1057_s41287-023-00614-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.