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Measuring subjective dimensions of empowerment among extremely and moderately poor women in Colombia and Peru: Lessons from the Field

Author

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  • Susana Martínez-Restrepo
  • Johanna Yancari
  • Laura Ramos Jaimes

Abstract

In this think piece, we discuss our experience implementing quantitative and qualitative instruments, including subjective measures, to assess economic empowerment among poor women in Colombia and Peru. We conclude that in these specific cases, the instruments used to measure empowerment through subjective dimensions do not work for poor women. The difficulty these women have in understanding abstract concepts, their cultural definitions of decision making showed us that researchers should adopt different strategies when measuring subjective empowerment among poor women. This think piece is part of a larger research project aimed at comparing the pros and cons of existing methodologies to measure women’s economic empowerment in Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Susana Martínez-Restrepo & Johanna Yancari & Laura Ramos Jaimes, 2016. "Measuring subjective dimensions of empowerment among extremely and moderately poor women in Colombia and Peru: Lessons from the Field," Informes de Investigación 15447, Fedesarrollo.
    • Handle: RePEc:col:000124:015447
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/11445/3345
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Esther Duflo, 2012. "Women Empowerment and Economic Development," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 50(4), pages 1051-1079, December.
    2. Alkire, Sabina & Meinzen-Dick, Ruth & Peterman, Amber & Quisumbing, Agnes & Seymour, Greg & Vaz, Ana, 2013. "The Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 71-91.
    3. Kabeer, Naila, 2007. "Marriage, Motherhood and Masculinity in the Global Economy: Reconfigurations of Personal and Economic Life," Center for Global, International and Regional Studies, Working Paper Series qt7sr54576, Center for Global, International and Regional Studies, UC Santa Cruz.
    4. Ashraf, Nava & Karlan, Dean & Yin, Wesley, 2010. "Female Empowerment: Impact of a Commitment Savings Product in the Philippines," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 333-344, March.
    5. Sabina Alkire, 2005. "Subjective Quantitative Studies of Human Agency," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 74(1), pages 217-260, October.
    6. Robert Chambers & Deepa Narayan & Meera K. Shah & Patti Petesch, 2000. "Voices of the Poor : Crying Out for Change," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 13848.
    7. Ed Diener & Robert Biswas-Diener, 2002. "Will Money Increase Subjective Well-Being?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 119-169, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Susana Martínez-Restrepo & Laura Ramos-Jaimes & Alma Espino & Martin Valdivia & Johanna Yancari Cueva, 2017. "Measuring women’s economic empowerment: Critical lessons from South America," INFORMES DE INVESTIGACIÓN 015825, FEDESARROLLO.
    2. Susana Martínez-Restrepo & Laura Ramos-Jaimes & Alma Espino & Martin Valdivia & Johanna Yancari Cueva, 2017. "Measuring women’s economic empowerment: Critical lessons from South America," Libros Fedesarrollo 15825, Fedesarrollo.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Mujeres; Empoderamiento de la Mujer; Participación de la Mujer; Pobreza; Desarrollo Económico; Colombia; Perú;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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