Female headship, poverty and child welfare: A study of rural orissa, India

First, on the basis of primary data collected in a rural setting in the State of Orissa, an attempt has been made in this paper to compare the socioeconomic status of male- and female- headed households. Subsequently the differences in the use of resources (time and money) between male-headed and female-headed households have been analysed. Finally, the paper explores the relative well-being of the children between the two groups, i.e., to what extent female headship influences children's access to social services, and children's actual welfare outcomes, measured in terms of health and education indicators. The results suggest that poverty and female headship are strongly linked in rural Orissa, India. For eample, if we draw a poverty line that corresponds to 15 per cent of the population who are poor, 12 per cent of people living in male-headed househols are poor as compared with 33 per cent of people living in female-headed households. This result is based on per capita consumption as the welfare indicator. When 40 per cent poverty line is used, the differences are still large in economic terms and are statistically significant. Moreover, when we use adjusted consumption as the welfare indicator, the comparisons show a much higher incidence of poverty among female-headed households. This is true for both masures of poverty line, i.e., 15 per cent and 40 per cent. Thus, we conclude that female headship can be a better targetting indicator for poverty alleviation in rural Orissa. The results further suggest that the use of resources are significantly different between the two types of households. Labour force participation data indicate that female heads are more likely to work in the market place than women who are spouses of male heads of household. The differences are large: on average 74 per cent verus 54 per cent. The comparison of household expenditures indicates that, female-headed households spend relatively less on higher quality food items such as meat, vegetables, milk and other dairy products. However, there is some evidence that they spend less on personal consumption such as alcoholic beverages. Overall, the differences are pronounced between these households. Finally, the findings show that children in female-headed households are disadvantaged both in terms of access to social services and actual welfare outcomes.female headship, poverty, child welfare, gender,differential resource use, social services, household

Rights-based strategies in the prevention of domestic violence

This study is an attempt to broaden the discussion about the prevention of domestic violence against women informed by a rightsbased strategy. Specifically, the study discusses the critical elements of a human rights framework to reduce domestic violence, present research findings on the prevalence and correlates of domestic violence in intimate relationships in Kerala, and explore strategies for the prevention of domestic violence on the basis of research and analysis. The study suggests that domestic violence needs to be resituated in the broader social transformation of society and that domestic violence should be conceptualized as violation of a woman’s most basic right. The strength of a rights-based strategy is that it meshes formal treaty doctrines with grassroots activism and critiques of power. While the right to make the claim is global, the specific and useful strategies to prevent domestic violence must be developed locally. Research and analysis in this study in the context of Kerala clearly suggests that domestic violence against women (physical and psychological) is pervasive in terms of wide prevalence, multiple forms and high frequency of occurrence. Moreover forced sex and physical violence during pregnancy are also not uncommon. The study suggests that “right to housing” and “right to property and inheritance” are critical and most fundamental for any strategy in the prevention of domestic violence. Four points need to be emphasized here: (a) Importance of immovable assets and social support is significant in making a difference to the incidence of violence. (b) Changing norms of acceptability of violence in the family is critical to reduce inter-generational transmission of violence. (c) Male attitudes and society’s attitudes also need to be changed in this regard. Since prevention of domestic violence requires fundamental changes in attitudes and behavior, it confronts societal and individual resistance to change. (d) Support structures could be both within the family and from NGOs, women’s self-help groups etc., who can both help in changing attitudes and in helping women acquire immovable assets. This calls for creative community involvement, shared responsibilities, and collective action with the goals to challenge the patriarchal assumptions of power and control and entitlement to women. Key words: domestic violence, women, human rights, development, property ownership, Kerala JEL Classification: D 2, I 3, J 1, O 1, K

Poverty and young women's employment : linkages in Kerala

This paper explores one of the key issues in current research on gender and development: the links between poverty and young women’s employment. Specifically, the following questions were addressed, in the context of Kerala: Which young women work for pay and why? To what extent is a woman’s household economic status -- especially poverty status -- an important determinant of employment, and to what degree does this relationship differ for married and single women? Data for this study come from a 1997 survey of 530 women aged 18 to 35 in Trivandrum district of Kerala. The analysis provides strong evidence for a U-shaped relationship between household economic status (or class status) and women’s current employment status. This is true for the entire sample and for the married women. However, in case of single women, poverty increases the likelihood of paid employment without significant effect at the upper end of the class spectrum. The interplay of economic factors (in terms of household needs and aspirations) and cultural factors (in terms of women’s position in the family as unmarried daughters as opposed to wives or daughters-in-law) as determinants of women’s employment is important both on the supply side of the labour market and women’s ability to obtain employment in an imperfect and almost saturated labour market in the context of Kerala. JEL Classification: I32, J12, J16, J23 Key Words: women, employment, poverty, households, Keral

Female headship, poverty and child welfare : a study of rural Orissa, India

First, on the basis of primary data collected in a rural setting in the State of Orissa, an attempt has been made in this paper to compare the socioeconomic status of male- and female- headed households. Subsequently the differences in the use of resources (time and money) between male-headed and female-headed households have been analysed. Finally, the paper explores the relative well-being of the children between the two groups, i.e., to what extent female headship influences children’s access to social services, and children’s actual welfare outcomes, measured in terms of health and education indicators. The results suggest that poverty and female headship are strongly linked in rural Orissa, India. For eample, if we draw a poverty line that corresponds to 15 per cent of the population who are poor, 12 per cent of people living in male-headed househols are poor as compared with 33 per cent of people living in female-headed households. This result is based on per capita consumption as the welfare indicator. When 40 per cent poverty line is used, the differences are still large in economic terms and are statistically significant. Moreover, when we use adjusted consumption as the welfare indicator, the comparisons show a much higher incidence of poverty among female-headed households. This is true for both masures of poverty line, i.e., 15 per cent and 40 per cent. Thus, we conclude that female headship can be a better targetting indicator for poverty alleviation in rural Orissa. The results further suggest that the use of resources are significantly different between the two types of households. Labour force participation data indicate that female heads are more likely to work in the market place than women who are spouses of male heads of household. The differences are large: on average 74 per cent verus 54 per cent. The comparison of household expenditures indicates that, femaleheaded households spend relatively less on higher quality food items such as meat, vegetables, milk and other dairy products. However, there is some evidence that they spend less on personal consumption such as alcoholic beverages. Overall, the differences are pronounced between these households. Finally, the findings show that children in female-headed households are disadvantaged both in terms of access to social services and actual welfare outcomes. JEL Classification : I12, I32, J12, J13, J16 Key words: female headship, poverty, child welfare, gender, differential resource use, social services, househol

ROLE OF KANA KAJJALI IN THE MANAGEMENT OF AJEERNA (INDIGESTION): AN OPEN CLINICAL STUDY

Ajeerna (Indigestion) is the state of unfinished process of digestion of ingested food. Kana Kajjali is a classical formulation indicated in the treatment of Ajeerna. It is prepared by Kana (Piper longum)- a herbal drug and herbomineral preparation Kajjali (Black sulphide of mercury). In the present study, an effort has been made to assess the effect of herbomineral formulation Samaguna (Hg:S=1:1) Kana Kajjali and Shadadguna (Hg:S=1:6) Kana Kajjali (Black sulphide of Mercury with Piper longum)on indigestion. Materials and methods: The study was carried out on 83 patients of indigestion. Patients were divided into three groups with simple random sampling method: Group A was treated with Samaguna Kana Kajjali tablet at the dose of 125 mg; Group B was treated with Kana tablet 250 mg; while group C was treated Shadaguna Kana Kajjali tablet at the dose of 125 mg; twice a day after meal. Duration of the treatment was 10 days. Assessment was done on the basis grading of classical signs and symptoms of the disease with application of paired t- test. Results: Highly significant (p<0.001) effect was seen in Samaguna Kana Kajjali group on symptoms like Angamarda, Tiktoamlodgara and Shadguna Kana Kajjali on one Vataja symptom viz. Pravahanam and three Kaphaja symptom viz. Utlesha, Arochaka and Avipaka with best result with Shadguna Kana Kajjali especially on Kaphaja symptoms. Conclusion: Above study confirms that an increase in the concentration of Gandhaka in Parada enhances the therapeutic efficacy of the later drug

Gynochthodes cochinchinensis (DC.) Razafim. & B. Bremer (Morindeae: Rubioideae: Rubiaceae): an addition to the woody climbers of India

Gynochthodes cochinchinensis (Rubiaceae), a woody climber, is reported here as a new addition to Indian flora from Similipal Biosphere Reserve, Odisha. The species resembles its closely allied taxon Gynochthodes umbellata, but can be distinguished from it by a number of distinct morphological characters. A detailed description, notes on habitat, ecology and distribution are provided in this paper with color photographs for easy identification

Prevalence and factors associated with tuberculosis infection in India

Background: The risk of tuberculosis (TB) disease is higher in individuals with TB infection. In a TB endemic country like India, it is essential to understand the current burden of TB infection at the population level. The objective of the present analysis is to estimate the prevalence of TB infection in India and to explore the factors associated with TB infection. Methods: Individuals aged > 15 years in the recently completed National TB prevalence survey in India who were tested for TB infection by QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) assay were considered for this sub- analysis. TB infection was defined as positive by QFT-Plus (value > 0.35 IU/ml). The estimates for prevalence, prevalence ratio (PR) and adjusted risk ratio (aRR) estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results: Of the 16864 individuals analysed, the prevalence of TB infection was 22.6% (95% CI:19.4 −25.8). Factors more likely to be associated with TB infection include age > 30 years (aRR:1.49;95% CI:1.29–1.73), being male (aRR:1.26; 95%CI: 1.18–1.34), residing in urban location (aRR:1.58; 95%CI: 1.03–2.43) and past history of TB (aRR:1.49; 95%CI: 1.26–1.76). Conclusion: About one fourth (22.6%) of the individuals were infected with TB in India. Individuals aged > 30 years, males, residing in urban location, and those with past history of TB were more likely to have TB infection. Targeted interventions for prevention of TB and close monitoring are essential to reduce the burden of TB in India