Abstract:
The consumption expenditure approach indicates that female-headed
households are better-off than male-headed ones in Ghana. This approach
has been criticized by scholars for being one-dimensional. Thus, this study
adopts the livelihoods approach—a multidimensional perspective—to
examine the human, social, financial, and economic assets and livelihoods of
male- and female-headed households in Ghana utilizing in-depth interviews
and a survey. The findings of the study demonstrate that male-headed
households have greater assets endowment and better livelihood outcomes
than female-headed ones indicating that they are better-off than their
female counterparts. Thus, the consumption expenditure approach masks
the deprivations of female-headed households in assets endowment and
poor livelihood outcomes. The study recommends the need for national
surveys to incorporate a household assets and livelihoods dimensions in
order to capture a broad view of the living circumstances in these two
types of households.
