Intrahousehold Resource Management and Women’s Microenterprises: A Case Study from Urban Ghana

• In Event: 1453 - Regular Session on Development

Abstract

Female-owned microenterprises have been promoted in development policy circles as a powerful engine of economic growth, poverty alleviation, and as a pathway to the reduction of gender inequality. At the same time, recent studies have suggested that intrahousehold dynamics contribute to gender gaps in entrepreneurship outcomes. This in-depth qualitative study among microentrepreneurs in urban Ghana sought to understand the connections between women’s businesses and their households. The findings show that women’s business decisions are influenced by: 1) a desire to reinforce their partner’s responsibilities as a primary provider; 2) attempts to fulfill normative expectations regarding daily provision of needs for the family; and 3) a need to prepare for long-term security. To reinforce their husband’s responsibilities as a provider, women hid income and savings, and sometimes explicitly limited business growth. To ensure their ability to smooth household consumption and respond in case of emergencies or unexpected expenses, women prioritized savings over investment. And, to plan for their long-term security, women opted to be cautious about business investment, instead maintaining pressure on their partner to meet current needs and investing in children and property for the future. More broadly, the findings illustrate that resource exchanges are an integral part of how household members negotiate their rights and responsibilities in relation to each other.

Authors

• Sophia Friedson-Ridenour, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Rachael S. Pierotti, World Bank