Leaving no women behind : evaluating the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on livelihood outcomes in Kenya and Ethiopia

Files

2023-03-28_Makate et al-2023-Leaving no women behind-evaluating March 2023.pdf (495.26 KB)

Date

2023-03-13

Authors

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

MDPI

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has revolutionised our lives, bringing with it the twin crises of illness and the need for an optimal mix of policies to alleviate its impact on the population. There needs to be more evidence on the effects of the pandemic on livelihood outcomes, including an understanding of whether female-headed families in low-income countries fare worse than their male-headed counterparts during pandemics. Using high-frequency phone surveys conducted in Ethiopia and Kenya, we examine the aggregate impact of the pandemic on income and consumption losses, as well as food insecurity. The empirical analysis estimates linear probability models that relate livelihood outcomes with household headship and other socioeconomic characteristics as controls. Overall, the pandemic increased the likelihood of food insecurity while decreasing income and consumption, particularly among female-headed households. In Kenya, living in a female-headed home increased the possibility of an adult going without food by about 10%, an adult skipping a meal by about 9.9%, and a child missing a meal by about 17% in the seven days preceding the telephone survey. In Ethiopia, living in a female-headed household increased the likelihood of an adult going hungry, skipping a meal, and running out of food by about 24.35%, 18.9%, and 26.7%, respectively. Salient pre-existing socioeconomic inequalities further exacerbated the effects of the pandemic on livelihoods. The findings have important implications for public policy and preparations by governments and other organisations interested in developing suitable gender-sensitive measures to lessen the impact of future pandemics in low- and middle-income countries.

Description

Keywords

COVID-19, PANDEMIC, LIVELIHOODS, SOCIO-ECONOMIC INEQUALITY, FOOD INSECURITY, FEMALE-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS, KENYA, ETHIOPIA, SOUTH OF SAHARA

Citation

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10625/61872

DOI

Collections

IDRC Research Results / Résultats de recherches du CRDI
2020-2029 / Années 2020-2029
Research Results (GJ) / Résultats de recherches (GJ)
Research Results (SIE) / Résultats de recherches (EDI)