Gender and Asset Ownership : A Guide to Collecting Individual-Level Data

Ownership and control over assets such as land and housing provide direct and indirect benefits to individuals and households, including a secure place to live, the means of a livelihood, protection during emergencies, and collateral for credit that can be used for investment or consumption. Unfortunately, few studies - either at the micro or macro levels- examine the gender dimensions of asset ownership. This paper sets out a framework for researchers who are interested in collecting data on individual level asset ownership and analyzing the gender asset gap. It reviews best practices in existing surveys with respect to data collection on assets at both the household and individual levels, and shows how various questions on individually owned assets can be incorporated with a minimum of effort and cost into existing multi-topic household surveys, using examples of three Living Standard Measurement Study surveys: the 1998-99 Ghana survey, the 2000 Guatemala survey, and the 1997-98 Vietnam survey questionnaires. The analysis shows that it is feasible to add a minimal set of questions to enable calculation of the gender asset gap. Adding a series of extra questions will permit a more satisfactory and nuanced analysis of asset acquisition, use, disposition, and valuation - information that is critical for policies promoting gender equality, poverty reduction, and economic growth.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Doss, Cheryl, Grown, Caren, Deere, Carmen Diana
Format: Policy Research Working Paper biblioteca
Language:English
Published: World Bank, Washington, DC 2008-08
Subjects:ACCESS TO LAND, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, AGRARIAN REFORM, AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES, AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, AGRICULTURE, ASSET ACCUMULATION, ASSET OWNERSHIP, ASSET POOR, AVERAGE PENSIONS, BANK ACCOUNTS, BENEFICIARIES, BEST PRACTICE, BEST PRACTICES, BONDS, BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, BUSINESS CAPITAL, BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, BUSINESS ENTERPRISES, BUYERS, CALCULATION, CALCULATIONS, CENTRAL AMERICA, CHECKS, COLLATERAL, COMMUNITY PROPERTY, CONSUMER, CONTRIBUTION, CREDIT MARKETS, CREDIT POLICIES, CROPS, CURRENT INCOME, CURRENT PRICES, CUSTOMARY LAW, DEBT, DECEASED HUSBAND, DEPOSIT, DISCRIMINATION, DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN, DIVORCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DOWRY, DROUGHT, DROUGHTS, EARNINGS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, ECONOMIC GROWTH, ECONOMIC INEQUALITY, ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, ECONOMIC SECURITY, ECONOMIC SHOCKS, ECONOMICS, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN, EQUAL ACCESS, EQUAL RIGHT, EQUIPMENT, ETHNIC GROUP, EXPENDITURE, EXPENDITURES, FAMILIES, FAMILY DECISIONS, FAMILY FARM, FAMILY FARMS, FAMILY LAW, FAMILY MEMBER, FAMILY PROPERTY, FARM ENTERPRISE, FARM ENTERPRISES, FEMALE, FEMALES, FEMINIST, FINANCIAL ASSET, FINANCIAL ASSETS, FINANCIAL CRISES, FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, FORM OF SAVINGS, FORMAL OWNERSHIP, FORMAL SAVINGS, GENDER, GENDER BIASES, GENDER DIFFERENCES, GENDER EQUALITY, GENDER GAP, GENDER GAPS, GENDER INEQUALITIES, GENDER INEQUALITY, GENDER ROLES, GOVERNMENT POLICY, HOME, HOME OWNERSHIP, HOMEOWNERS, HOMEOWNERSHIP, HOMES, HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE, HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURES, HOUSEHOLD WELFARE, HOUSEHOLDS, HOUSING, HUSBAND, HUSBANDS, ID, IMMOVABLE PROPERTY, INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES, INCOMES, INDIVIDUAL SAVINGS, INEQUALITY, INFORMATION ON PENSION, INHERITANCE, INHERITANCE RIGHTS, INTERNATIONAL BANK, LABOR MARKET, LAND MARKET, LAND MARKETS, LAND OWNERSHIP, LAND REFORM, LAND REGISTRATION, LAND RIGHTS, LATIN AMERICAN, LAWS, LEGAL LITERACY, LEGAL REFORMS, LEGISLATION, LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE, LIFETIMES, LITERACY, LIVESTOCK, LIVING STANDARD, LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT, LOW-INCOME, MARRIAGE CONTRACTS, MARRIED COUPLE, MARRIED COUPLES, MARRIED WOMEN, MICRO-ENTERPRISES, MICRO-FINANCE, MORTGAGE, MORTGAGE PAYMENT, MUSLIM WOMEN, NET WORTH, NGOS, OWNERSHIP OF LAND, OWNERSHIP RIGHTS, PENSION, PENSION ASSETS, PENSION INCOME, PENSION SYSTEMS, PENSIONS, PHYSICAL ASSETS, POSSESSION, PRIVATE PROPERTY, PRIVATIZATION, PRODUCTIVITY, PROPERTY RIGHTS, PURCHASES, QUESTIONNAIRE, QUESTIONNAIRES, REAL ESTATE, REAL PROPERTY, REFUGEES, RESEARCH ASSISTANCE, RETIRED, SAFETY NET, SAFETY NETS, SALARY, SALE, SALES, SAVINGS, SAVINGS ACCOUNT, SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, SEX, SEXES, SOCIAL PROTECTION, SOCIAL WELFARE, SOURCE OF INCOME, SOURCES OF PENSION, SPOUSAL VIOLENCE, STATE PENSIONS, STOCKS, SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, TAX CODES, TYPES OF ASSETS, UNION, URBAN AREAS, VALUABLE, VALUATION, VALUE OF ASSETS, VALUE OF PENSION, VILLAGES, WAGE, WAGE GAP, WAGES, WIDOW, WIDOWERS, WIDOWS, WIFE, WILL, WILLS, WIVES, WOMAN,
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2008/08/9813215/gender-asset-ownership-guide-collecting-individual-level-data
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/6779
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Summary:Ownership and control over assets such as land and housing provide direct and indirect benefits to individuals and households, including a secure place to live, the means of a livelihood, protection during emergencies, and collateral for credit that can be used for investment or consumption. Unfortunately, few studies - either at the micro or macro levels- examine the gender dimensions of asset ownership. This paper sets out a framework for researchers who are interested in collecting data on individual level asset ownership and analyzing the gender asset gap. It reviews best practices in existing surveys with respect to data collection on assets at both the household and individual levels, and shows how various questions on individually owned assets can be incorporated with a minimum of effort and cost into existing multi-topic household surveys, using examples of three Living Standard Measurement Study surveys: the 1998-99 Ghana survey, the 2000 Guatemala survey, and the 1997-98 Vietnam survey questionnaires. The analysis shows that it is feasible to add a minimal set of questions to enable calculation of the gender asset gap. Adding a series of extra questions will permit a more satisfactory and nuanced analysis of asset acquisition, use, disposition, and valuation - information that is critical for policies promoting gender equality, poverty reduction, and economic growth.