Women-headed households: the ignored factor in development planning.

TLDR: In this article, a review of international data on female-headed households indicates a direct relationship between modernization and rise of female headship in developing societies, and that explanatory factors for female family headship can be found in both internal/international migration; mechanization of agriculture; development of agribusiness; urbanization; overpopulation; lower class marginality; and emergence of a class system of wage labor.

Abstract: This study emphasizes the importance of female-headed households in developing societies in development planning. Micro-data (data on female-headed households is obscured at the macro-data level) on female-headed household are translated into aggregate data for 74 developing countries. Results of the analysis show that the average percentage of potential female-headed household is: 22% for sub Sahara Africa; 20% for C. America and the Caribbean; 16% for N. Africa and the Middle East; and 15% for S. America. Also included in this report is a separate case study of female households in the Caribbean which provided a model for generating data on female-headed household by way of national censuses and which focused on the disadvantaged position of women who are heads of household compared to the general female population and to the male-headed households. A review of international data on female-headed households indicates a direct relationship between modernization and rise of female-headed households. Further research should be encouraged to substantiate the common notion that explanatory factors for female family headship can be found in both internal/international migration; mechanization of agriculture; development of agribusiness; urbanization; overpopulation; lower class marginality; and emergence of a class system of wage labor. The international data strongly suggest that there is a direct linkage between female family headship and poverty. Women in developing societies are increasingly becoming the sole or main breadwinner for their families; almost all are not prepared for the role. Specific economic policies directed to such women in developing societies may prove helpful in the struggle against poverty.