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Women’s Autonomy and Its Correlates in Western Nepal: A Demographic Study

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  • Tulsi Ram Bhandari
  • V Raman Kutty
  • T K Sundari Ravindran

Abstract

Despite various efforts for enhancing women’s autonomy in developing countries, many women are deprived of their capacity in decision-making on their household affairs as well as social issues. This paper aimed to examine women’s autonomy and its associated factors in the Kapilvastu district of Nepal. We measured women’s autonomy using a recently developed women’s autonomy measurement scale from June to October 2014. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test and logistic multivariate modeling technique were applied for assessing the association of demographic and socio-economic characteristics of women and their autonomy. Mean score for women’s autonomy was 23.34± 8.06 out of the possible maximum 48. It was found to be positively associated with higher age difference at marriage, advantaged caste/ethnicity, better employment for the husband, couple’s education more than 10 years schooling, and higher economic status of the household. We found strong direct effect of women’s education (OR = 8.14, CI = 3.77–17.57), husband’s education (OR = 2.63, CI = 1.69–4.10) and economic status of household (OR = 1.42, CI = 1.01–2.03) on women’s autonomy. When we adjusted women’s education for husband’s education, the odds ratio decreased by around 22% {from (OR = 8.14, CI = 3.77–17.57) to (OR = 6.32, CI = 2.77–14.46)} and was a mediator effect. The economic status of household also had mediator effect on women’s autonomy through their education. Education status of women is a key predictor of women’s autonomy in Kapilvastu district. Husband’s education and economic status of the household are other important predictors of women’s autonomy which have a mediator effect on women’s autonomy. Improving educational status and economic conditions of both women and their husbands may be the best solution to promote women’s autonomy.

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  • Tulsi Ram Bhandari & V Raman Kutty & T K Sundari Ravindran, 2016. "Women’s Autonomy and Its Correlates in Western Nepal: A Demographic Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0147473
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147473
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    1. Mistry, Ritesh & Galal, Osman & Lu, Michael, 2009. "Women's autonomy and pregnancy care in rural India: A contextual analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(6), pages 926-933, September.
    2. Shelah Bloom & David Wypij & Monica Gupta, 2001. "Dimensions of women’s autonomy and the influence on maternal health care utilization in a north indian city," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 38(1), pages 67-78, February.
    3. Gebremariam Woldemicael, 2007. "Do women with higher autonomy seek more maternal and child health-care? Evidence from Ethiopia and Eritrea," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2007-035, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
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