{"id":32461,"date":"2026-04-10T09:45:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T04:15:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/icert.org.in\/?p=32461"},"modified":"2026-04-10T16:29:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T10:59:06","slug":"gender-inequality-as-a-root-cause-of-poverty-why-womens-social-well-being-must-be-central-to-development-policies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/icert.org.in\/index.php\/2026\/04\/10\/gender-inequality-as-a-root-cause-of-poverty-why-womens-social-well-being-must-be-central-to-development-policies\/","title":{"rendered":"Gender Inequality as a Root Cause of Poverty: Why Women\u2019s Social Well-Being Must Be Central to Development Policies"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"32461\" class=\"elementor elementor-32461\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8e38d15 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8e38d15\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-44660a9\" data-id=\"44660a9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a37bb52 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a37bb52\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Shodh Sari-An International Multidisciplinary Journal<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d22874 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7d22874\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Vol-05, Issue-02(Apr - Jun 2026)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-28532d6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"28532d6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h5 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">An International scholarly\/ academic journal, peer-reviewed\/ refereed journal, ISSN : 2959-1376<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-bf7c434 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"bf7c434\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c95b31b\" data-id=\"c95b31b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-30a5fbc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"30a5fbc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Gender Inequality as a Root Cause of Poverty: Why Women\u2019s Social Well-Being Must Be Central to Development Policies\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9a22916 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9a22916\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Fatoye, Helen Ajibike<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><span style=\"font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;\">1<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"> and Fatunbi, Boluwatife Samuel<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #222222; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><span style=\"font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;\">2<\/span><\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><span style=\"font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;\">1,2<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Department of Social Work, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><span id=\"docs-internal-guid-ddb91b02-7fff-efbd-8903-f5ee2f866af4\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; vertical-align: baseline;\">ORCiD: <a href=\"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-4279-2391\">0009-0007-4279-2391<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0b29185 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0b29185\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-dc58fde\" data-id=\"dc58fde\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fc328a2 elementor-widget__width-inherit elementor-widget elementor-widget-elementskit-simple-tab\" data-id=\"fc328a2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"elementskit-simple-tab.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ekit-wid-con\" >        <div class=\"elementkit-tab-wraper vertical  elementskit-fitcontent-tab \">\n            <ul class=\"nav nav-tabs elementkit-tab-nav \">\n                                    <li class=\"elementkit-nav-item elementor-repeater-item-ca158ed\">\n                        <a class=\"elementkit-nav-link  active show left-pos\" id=\"content-ca158ed69ece3e3e3285-tab\" data-ekit-handler-id=\"abstract\" data-ekit-toggle=\"tab\" data-target=\"#content-ca158ed69ece3e3e3285\" href=\"#Content-ca158ed69ece3e3e3285\"\n                            data-ekit-toggle-trigger=\"click\"\n                            aria-describedby=\"Content-ca158ed69ece3e3e3285\">\n                            <span class=\"far fa-file-alt elementskit-tab-icon\"><\/span>                            <span class=\"elementskit-tab-title\"> Abstract<\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                                        <li class=\"elementkit-nav-item elementor-repeater-item-62e3348\">\n                        <a class=\"elementkit-nav-link  left-pos\" id=\"content-62e334869ece3e3e3285-tab\" data-ekit-handler-id=\"about-author\" data-ekit-toggle=\"tab\" data-target=\"#content-62e334869ece3e3e3285\" href=\"#Content-62e334869ece3e3e3285\"\n                            data-ekit-toggle-trigger=\"click\"\n                            aria-describedby=\"Content-62e334869ece3e3e3285\">\n                            <span class=\"far fa-user elementskit-tab-icon\"><\/span>                            <span class=\"elementskit-tab-title\"> About Author<\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                                        <li class=\"elementkit-nav-item elementor-repeater-item-e351830\">\n                        <a class=\"elementkit-nav-link  left-pos\" id=\"content-e35183069ece3e3e3285-tab\" data-ekit-handler-id=\"impact-statement\" data-ekit-toggle=\"tab\" data-target=\"#content-e35183069ece3e3e3285\" href=\"#Content-e35183069ece3e3e3285\"\n                            data-ekit-toggle-trigger=\"click\"\n                            aria-describedby=\"Content-e35183069ece3e3e3285\">\n                            <span class=\"fas fa-file-import elementskit-tab-icon\"><\/span>                            <span class=\"elementskit-tab-title\"> Impact Statement<\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                                        <li class=\"elementkit-nav-item elementor-repeater-item-bb8dae5\">\n                        <a class=\"elementkit-nav-link  left-pos\" id=\"content-bb8dae569ece3e3e3285-tab\" data-ekit-handler-id=\"cite-this-article\" data-ekit-toggle=\"tab\" data-target=\"#content-bb8dae569ece3e3e3285\" href=\"#Content-bb8dae569ece3e3e3285\"\n                            data-ekit-toggle-trigger=\"click\"\n                            aria-describedby=\"Content-bb8dae569ece3e3e3285\">\n                            <span class=\"far fa-address-card elementskit-tab-icon\"><\/span>                            <span class=\"elementskit-tab-title\"> Cite this Article<\/span>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/li>\n                                <\/ul>\n\n            <div class=\"tab-content elementkit-tab-content\">\n                                    <div class=\"tab-pane elementkit-tab-pane elementor-repeater-item-ca158ed  active show\" id=\"content-ca158ed69ece3e3e3285\" role=\"tabpanel\"\n                         aria-labelledby=\"content-ca158ed69ece3e3e3285-tab\">\n                        <div class=\"animated fadeIn\">\n                            <p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Abstract<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gender discrimination is still a root cause of poverty,\u2002especially in the context of developing countries and neglected populations. In this paper, the social well-being of women should be\u2002the focal point of development policies if entrenched and inter-generational poverty is to be effectively tackled. Global advances in economic growth and poverty reduction efforts notwithstanding, women still struggle against systemic barriers, such as unequal access to quality education and health care, formal employment, land ownership, credit\u2002facilities and political voice. Such disparities\u2002limit not only women\u2019s individual potential but also wider social and economic development. The feminization of poverty describes the fact that women are more likely to be affected by issues such as\u2002poverty, unpaid care work, precarious employment, and gender violence. Development models that focus on\u2002macroeconomic growth, ignoring gender structural inequalities, tend to reinforce existing inequalities. Hence, poverty reduction policies and\u2002programmes should be gender sensitive and rights based, and should integrate women&#8217;s social protection, economic empowerment and access to basic services. This article highlights that\u2002advancing the social welfare of women via inclusive education systems, equal labor market policies, affordable healthcare, and enhanced legal safeguards creates ripple effects that positively sustain families, communities, and national economies. Empowering women has been shown to improve household welfare, enhance children&#8217;s educational outcomes and build resilient communities,\u2002they added. But ultimately, sustainable\u2002development will remain an elusive goal if the systemic inequalities that marginalize women are not dismantled. Governments and institutions can foster more inclusive, equitable and sustainable avenues out of poverty by establishing women\u2019s social well-being as a core pillar of development\u2002policy. Tackling gender disparities is hence not only a moral imperative, but also\u2002a strategic one for long-term development. <\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Keywords:<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"> Gender Inequality, Poverty, Women\u2019s Empowerment, Social Well-Being, Sustainable Development.<\/span><\/p>                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"tab-pane elementkit-tab-pane elementor-repeater-item-62e3348 \" id=\"content-62e334869ece3e3e3285\" role=\"tabpanel\"\n                         aria-labelledby=\"content-62e334869ece3e3e3285-tab\">\n                        <div class=\"animated fadeIn\">\n                            <p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.8; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">About The Authors\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><strong>Dr. Helen Ajibike Fatoye<\/strong> is a Lecturer I in the Department of Social Work, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, with academic and professional expertise in social welfare studies and social work practice. Her scholarly interests focus on social welfare, gerontology and elderly studies, child neglect and abuse, and women\u2019s empowerment, with particular attention to the structural and social factors that influence the well-being of vulnerable populations. Her research examines issues related to gender inequality, family welfare, ageing populations, and child protection systems, with the aim of advancing evidence-based social policies and interventions that promote social justice, equity, and human development. Dr. Fatoye\u2019s work contributes to contemporary discourse on social protection, women\u2019s rights, and community development, particularly within developing societies where social welfare challenges remain significant. Through her teaching, research collaborations, and scholarly publications, she continues to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in social work and social welfare, while also supporting initiatives that strengthen the protection and empowerment of women, children, and older persons in society. <\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"><strong>Mr. Boluwatife Samuel Fatunbi<\/strong> is a research enthusiast in the Department of Social Work, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, with growing academic interests in adolescent psychology, youth counselling, and social welfare studies. His research focus centres on the psychosocial development of adolescents and young people, particularly in relation to mental health, behavioural adjustment, and the role of counselling and social support systems in promoting positive youth development. In addition to his work on youth issues, he also demonstrates scholarly interest in women\u2019s issues and gerontology, exploring how social welfare frameworks can address gender inequality, support women\u2019s empowerment, and improve the quality of life of ageing populations. His research orientation emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches that connect psychological well-being, social welfare policy, and community-based interventions aimed at strengthening resilience among vulnerable groups. As an emerging scholar, Mr. Fatunbi actively engages in academic writing, collaborative research, and scholarly discussions that contribute to knowledge production in social work, youth development, and social welfare practice within Nigeria and the broader international community.<\/span><\/p>                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"tab-pane elementkit-tab-pane elementor-repeater-item-e351830 \" id=\"content-e35183069ece3e3e3285\" role=\"tabpanel\"\n                         aria-labelledby=\"content-e35183069ece3e3e3285-tab\">\n                        <div class=\"animated fadeIn\">\n                            <p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.8; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Impact Statement\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">This impact assessment highlights the developmental, social, and economic effects of gender inequality as discussed in the work &#8220;Gender Inequality as a Root Cause of Poverty.&#8221; The analysis evaluates the implications of prioritizing women&#8217;s social well-being in development policies, considering effects at individual, household, and national levels and promoting broader social transformation through gender-accountable strategies. Tackling gender inequalities is crucial for improving women&#8217;s quality of life and social well-being. When women have equal access to education, health, and economic resources, their capabilities expand, enabling greater engagement in civic life, aligning with the &#8216;capabilities&#8217; approach that views poverty as a lack of freedom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Equality between women and men significantly enhances economic performance and empowers women financially. The study highlights that women are often confined to informal and poorly paid work due to structural barriers like limited access to credit, land, and education. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Women\u2019s empowerment positively affects future generations by enabling them to allocate more household resources towards children&#8217;s education, health, and nutrition, thus promoting better developmental outcomes and reducing poverty risks. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Empowered women contribute significantly to community resilience and positive development outcomes. Their participation in local governance enhances the focus of development interventions on social infrastructure such as water, sanitation, education, and health services.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">The study advocates for the implementation of gender responsive development policies addressing structural inequalities. It emphasizes the importance of equal access to education, healthcare, financial services, and job opportunities in reducing gender gaps and poverty.\u00a0 Advancing gender equality positively influences the achievement of various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and notably SDG 5 (Gender Equality). Research indicates that gender-sensitive development strategies enhance outcomes in overall growth. <\/span><\/p>                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"tab-pane elementkit-tab-pane elementor-repeater-item-bb8dae5 \" id=\"content-bb8dae569ece3e3e3285\" role=\"tabpanel\"\n                         aria-labelledby=\"content-bb8dae569ece3e3e3285-tab\">\n                        <div class=\"animated fadeIn\">\n                            <p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.8; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Cite This Article<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">APA Style (7th Ed.): Fatoye, H. A., &amp; Fatunbi, B. S. (2026). Gender inequality as a root cause of poverty: Why women\u2019s social well-being must be central to development policies. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Shodh Sari-An International Multidisciplinary Journal, 5<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">(2), 188\u2013212. <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.59231\/SARI7922\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.59231\/SARI7922<\/span><\/a><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Chicago Style (17th Ed.): Fatoye, Helen Ajibike, and Boluwatife Samuel Fatunbi. &#8220;Gender Inequality as a Root Cause of Poverty: Why Women\u2019s Social Well-Being Must Be Central to Development Policies.&#8221; <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Shodh Sari-An International Multidisciplinary Journal<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"> 5, no. 2 (2026): 188\u2013212. <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.59231\/SARI7922\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.59231\/SARI7922<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">MLA Style (9th Ed.): Fatoye, Helen Ajibike, and Boluwatife Samuel Fatunbi. &#8220;Gender Inequality as a Root Cause of Poverty: Why Women\u2019s Social Well-Being Must Be Central to Development Policies.&#8221; <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Shodh Sari-An International Multidisciplinary Journal<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">, vol. 5, no. 2, 2026, pp. 188-212. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">International Council for Education Research and Training<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">, <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.59231\/SARI7922\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.59231\/SARI7922<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">.<\/span><\/p>                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                                \n            <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-da17d59 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"da17d59\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-20 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-775f939\" data-id=\"775f939\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4710614 elementor-align-justify elementor-mobile-align-left elementor-widget-tablet__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"4710614\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mendeley.com\/reference-management\/web-importer?utm_source=science_direct&#038;utm_campaign=web_importer_cross_sell\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-upload\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Add to Mendeley<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-20 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-db12381\" data-id=\"db12381\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2f5b214 elementor-align-justify elementor-mobile-align-left elementor-widget-tablet__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"2f5b214\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/download\/378.-gender-inequality-as-a-root-cause-of-poverty\/378.Gender%20Inequality%20as%20a%20Root%20Cause%20of%20Poverty.pdf\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-university\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Archive Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-20 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5e751be\" data-id=\"5e751be\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b656eaf elementor-align-justify elementor-mobile-align-left elementor-widget-tablet__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"b656eaf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6998-3090\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fab fa-orcid\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">ORCiD<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-20 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-482af20\" data-id=\"482af20\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b605c6b elementor-align-justify elementor-mobile-align-left elementor-widget-tablet__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"b605c6b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/icert.org.in\/?sdm_process_download=1&#038;download_id=32506\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-download\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Download PDF<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-20 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-33ed197\" data-id=\"33ed197\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b00d56 elementor-widget-tablet__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"6b00d56\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><div class=\"sdm_download_count\"><span class=\"sdm_count_number\">21<\/span><span class=\"sdm_count_string\"> Downloads<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2124804 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2124804\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d3f110a\" data-id=\"d3f110a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-9feb8e2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9feb8e2\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-c2763e1\" data-id=\"c2763e1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-03619d4 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"03619d4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.2; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">DOI: <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.59231\/SARI7922\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.59231\/SARI7922<\/span><\/a><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.2; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Subject: Social Work \/ Development Studies<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.2; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Page Numbers: 188\u2013212<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-7b9a279\" data-id=\"7b9a279\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c624e59 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c624e59\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.2; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Received: Feb 25, 2026<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.2; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Accepted: Mar 09, 2026<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.2; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Published: Apr 10, 2026<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-45e7502 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"45e7502\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.2; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Thematic Classification: Gender Dynamics, Poverty Alleviation, and Social Policy.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5c5a1a1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5c5a1a1\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9565ebf\" data-id=\"9565ebf\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e025b56 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e025b56\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h6 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Introduction\n<\/h6>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ed97193 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ed97193\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Poverty continues to be a leading source of global hardship, and it is especially so in regions of the\u2002world where the scar of social stratifications, fragile governmental frameworks, and meager financial avenues constantly wear down the fabric of society. For all the decades of development work, still millions make less than the international standard of\u2002poverty, without access to enough food, adequate shelter, basic health care, schooling, or clean water (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). The pace of global progress in reducing poverty has decelerated because of economic shocks, conflict, climate change, and the\u2002protracted impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia in particular have been hit hard.\u00a0<\/span><b id=\"docs-internal-guid-27855648-7fff-ba54-1def-47ea220c1c6e\" style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><\/b><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Poverty is more than a lack of income and includes social exclusion, limited access to assets,\u2002and minimal involvement in decision-making (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.s9e01931h6v8\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">United Nations Development Programme [UNDP], 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). These structural aspects are frequently compounded by gender inequality which systemically\u2002disempowers women and girls by limiting their access to economic, social and political opportunities. Sex discrimination strengthens economic dependence,\u2002drives intergenerational poverty, and integrates deprivation into social formations more broadly including access to land, work, credit, education, and political voice. So, to understand poverty, one must also examine the gendered power relations that reproduce inequalities, and gender-sensitive approaches\u2002as core to sustainable poverty reduction (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.66vh6rx88za0\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Kabeer, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gender discrimination is a fundamental cause of poverty as it denies women\u2002resources such as income, education, and productive assets. Women are overrepresented in the lower strata of the informal sector, in precarious jobs without social\u2002security, in domestic work, as small traders, and in subsistence farming (ILO, 2023). Wage inequality, lack of access to credit\u2002and biased land and property rights laws also hinder women&#8217;s ability to amass capital or grow their businesses, creating cycles of financial dependence (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.mirjf6yvigz5\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Economic Forum, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Educational inequality exacerbates the situation, as cultural attitudes, early marriage, adolescent pregnancy and household chores continue to inhibit girls from pursuing secondary and higher education (UNESCO,\u20022023). Lower education levels, which are associated with deceased earnings potential over a lifetime, reduced knowledge of health and legal rights and limited economic empowerment, and the effects can be felt for generations to come for women and\u2002their families.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Undervalued and unpaid care labor is a pivotal, yet\u2002hidden, aspect of gender-based discrimination that drives poverty. Women owe their labor to\u2002most of the caregiving work such as childcare, eldercare, cooking, and household management, which is neither acknowledged nor remunerated by the economic systems (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.62qqzkdqyabs\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UN Women, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). The disproportionate share of unpaid work limits women\u2019s opportunities for paid work, skills\u2002formation and income-generating activities, resulting in what is known as \u201ctime poverty.\u201d Poor\u2002public services such as childcare, healthcare and water supply systems exacerbate the burden and push women into part-time or informal work where they earn less and have less income security. Strongly ingrained gender norms allocate care work mainly to women, and in the absence of policy measures\u2002such as paid parental leave, social protection schemes, and accessible public services, such trends endure. The unpaid nature of care work means its economic contribution is overlooked in national accounting systems, illustrating\u2002how domestic labor inequalities are structurally implicated in the persistence of poverty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Health, legal, and institutional discrimination magnify these structural inequalities, further limiting\u2002women\u2019s ability to engage economically and socially. Barriers to quality health services, including reproductive and maternal healthcare, raise health risks and diminish earning\u2002capacity, while child marriage, teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence compound exposure (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.fesyq1yhkvfo\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Health Organization [WHO], 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Legal\u2002barriers to owning land and registering a business, combined with limited enforcement mechanisms, prevent many women from realizing their full economic potential and weaken their position in the household and community (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Biases against women that exist within financial institutions and the fact that women remain underrepresented in political decision-making processes means that they have less access to resources and policy influence,\u2002which limits the mainstreaming of gender-responsive development approaches. These systemic inequalities, which limit women\u2019s physical, economic and political power, perpetuate multigenerational\u2002poverty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gender equality and social equity in norms of culture and\u2002society is closely interrelated and they constitute among the principal factors that effect in women marginalization in gender-based discrimination and positioning in poverty. Men are\u2002defined as breadwinners and women as their financial dependents in patriarchal worldviews, that dictate women\u2019s exclusion from public and economic spheres (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.s9e01931h6v8\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UNDP, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). These norms shape decisions about what to eat, about resource distribution\u2002within the household, and whether or not to migrate. In some cultures, women\u2019s mobility is restricted, and they are prevented from access to markets, schools\u2002and job markets. Women may be discouraged by societal norms from obtaining positions\u2002of leadership or from entering certain professions. These beliefs become ingrained over time, meaning systemic reform is challenging to\u2002achieve. The economic agency of women is limited\u2002when the contribution of women is undervalued. In addition to that, stigma and discrimination\u2002associated with being divorced, widowed or single makes poverty related risks harder to move away from. Cultural practices such as dowry and the bride\u2002price can also perpetuate gendered power imbalances. Changing harmful social norms is a process of sustained advocacy\u2002and education as well as community engagement. And if\u2002these entrenched cultural dynamics are not confronted, anti-poverty initiatives have the potential to produce nothing more than transitory and unsustainable effects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Climate Change and Environmental Exploitation Orchestrate and Exacerbate Gendered Experiences of Poverty such that Environmental Degradation impacts Women in\u2002Developing Countries to a greater extent, as they rely heavily on Natural Resources for their Livelihoods, particularly in Agriculture and Informal Sectors. Droughts, floods, and food\u2002security-related stocks that are associated with climate-related changes further increase women\u2019s vulnerability, as they have limited access to land, credit, and adaptation-related technology, and gender norms limit their involvement in policy-making. Women also have secondary challenges in environmental emergencies as they are the primary providers\u2002of food and water and face increased risk of displacement, abuse, and violence, (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.m1qg4c3d1a3j\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Patel, 2019<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">).Gender based discrimination in access to knowledge and resources contribute to lower resilience, underscoring the importance of gender sensitive climate change policies that\u2002support reaching those who are more at risk in terms of adapting.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">The global economy and labor migration patterns have also\u2002reinforced gendered poverty. Women migrant workers, especially those working in domestic\u2002and care sectors, encounter exploitative working conditions, wage theft, and scant legal safeguards (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.9piy8xfix6hz\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">International Labour Organization [ILO], 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Trade liberalization and globalization process have allowed the creation of jobs mostly in low-wage industries dominated by women, like garment manufacturing, these jobs also related to poor working conditions\u2002and little social protection. In some cases, structural adjustment policies and austerity measures have led to a reduction in\u2002public services, increasing on women to provide in unpaid care-work and deepening traditionally gendered labour relations. Therefore, to tackle poverty we need to focus on the global political economy as a whole, ensuring that individuals have fair wages, labor protections, and access\u2002to social safety nets to address structural economic vulnerabilities, which impact women disproportionately <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.66vh6rx88za0\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">(Kabeer, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Systemic roadblocks continue to perpetuate women\u2019s socio-economic disadvantage, especially in developing countries, super- ceding international promises to address poverty and\u2002gender equality. Long-standing discriminatory barriers to the education system, healthcare services, labour markets, access to property, credit and political\u2002participation limit the human capital of women and their productivity and asset accumulation (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Such intersecting structural constraints, layered with unpaid care responsibilities and gender-based violence, perpetuate intergenerational poverty as they restrict women\u2019s agency, household resilience, and children\u2019s ability to\u2002move up the social ladder. These differentials are masked in dominant macro growth models by a focus on aggregate measures and the exclusion of\u2002power relations within households and of unpaid work. While there is evidence for some aspects of gender\u2002inequality, there are critical gaps related to cohesive discussions of how intersecting structural barriers sustain poverty among women (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.66vh6rx88za0\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Kabeer, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). It fills these gaps by prioritizing women\u2019s social well-being within a structuralist perspective, analyzing the constraints of gender- blind development models, and contributing evidence-based understandings for participatory and enduring poverty relief\u2002measures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Theoretical Framework<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Amartya Sen\u2019s Capability Approach<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">The study is underpinned by Amartya Sen\u2019s Capability Approach which allows an insightful analysis for the investigation of the deep-seated connections between gendered\u2002discrimination and poverty. Sen (1999) views poverty not simply as a lack of income or material resources but as the denial\u2002of basic capabilities, that is, the actual freedoms that people possess to live the kind of life they value. Development is then evaluated in terms of the\u2002substantive opportunities people have rather than measures of aggregate economies such as GDP, from this angle. Consistent with this, gender inequality systematically\u2002limits women\u2019s capabilities across multiple dimensions, including access to education, health care, political participation, productive resources, and financial capital. For example, discriminatory laws on inheritance and equal pay, married women not able to access credit on their own, etc., hinder women from turning even the minimal resources available to them into meaningful\u2002life results, such as economic safety, social mobility, and individual freedom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">In representing women\u2019s deprivation as a structurally embedded, institutionally maintained reality within the Capability\u2002Approach, poverty is expressed as a multi-dimensional phenomenon that is too challenging for income-based policy solutions to adequately address. The Capability Approach\u2002also highlights why women\u2019s social well-being should be a focus area in development. Enhancing women\u2019s capabilities such as the ability to acquire quality education, health care, decent work, and other productive assets and to exert influence over their own lives and the lives of others has\u2002immediate and measurable positive outcomes at the household and community levels. Maternal education, for instance, has been associated with higher child school enrolment, better nutrition, and improved health outcomes, while women\u2019s control of household income is more commonly linked to household spending on nutrition, healthcare\u2002and education (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.s1voynunw7n8\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Duflo,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"> 2012; <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.62qqzkdqyabs\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UN Women, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). These results underscore the intergenerational multiplier effect of women\u2019s empowerment, indicating that improvements in women\u2019s capabilities lead to better social, economic, and development outcomes\u2002for women, which cascades to entire households and communities. Such policies may perpetuate structural poverty and gendered deprivation if they\u2002do not challenge the structural barriers to women\u2019s agency, and thus have limited effect in relation to other development interventions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Moreover, the Capability Approach emphasizes the necessity of a focus on the material as well as the non-material aspects of poverty. Women\u2019s deprivation is not only a matter of lack of income, but is also about they have less power to make decisions, they move around less, they face gender-based violence, and there are rigid social hierarchies that limit\u2002the choices they can make (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Gendered restrictions may remain in place even in environments of economic growth or liberalizing legal reforms should these not\u2002lead to enhanced capabilities. If development strategies are to transcend short-term poverty reduction and move towards structural change and long-term empowerment, they must be geared towards expanding substantive freedoms such as the freedom to work without exploitation, the freedom to acquire an education, the freedom to participate in decision making, and the freedom to control one\u2019s own body (Sen, 1999) and such freedoms must include access\u2002to such basic resources as clean water and adequate nourishment. As such, the Capability Approach offers both a theoretical understanding of how gender inequality leads to and perpetuates poverty and\u2002a normative guidance to development policies that mainstream women\u2019s social well-being as the pivot for sustainable development.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Conceptual Foundation<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">The Feminization of Poverty<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Feminization of poverty is a concept that highlights the tension between the fact that certain groups\u2002are more at risk of poverty, and the processes that create and sustain such inequalities, and women in particular are overrepresented among the poor. Initially posited by <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.yqp56elod5f\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Pearce (1978)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"> in relation to female-headed households in the US, the notion has expanded to cover multidimensional deprivation such as constraints in accessing education, healthcare, decent work, land and political\u2002participation (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.4vbvpckee3c3\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Chant, 2016<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">; <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.62qqzkdqyabs\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UN Women, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Feminization of poverty is contextualized in modern research within structural, relational and systemic analyses, and is framed both in terms of rights\u2002and empowerment, rather than welfare alone. Feminist political economy exposes how activities such as unpaid care labour, segregation in the labour market\u2002and discriminatory property laws contribute to women\u2019s financial exclusion (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.u5pvcvh29ya0\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Nisak and Sugiharti, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). In the majority of the developing world, women have been\u2002disproportionately marginalized by historical experiences of colonization, neoliberal restructuring, and uneven globalization, rendering feminization of poverty as not just a descriptive term but as an instrumental analytical tool for interrogating the intersections of gender and poverty (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.1min6a1vcp7\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Razavi, 2020<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Recent data confirm that worldwide women continue to be disproportionately at risk of\u2002poverty. There are approximately 388 million women and girls in extreme poverty as\u2002opposed to 372 million boys and men, and gender gaps are expected to continue to exist until 2030 (United Nations, 2023). Women are disproportionately represented in informal, precarious and unpaid work, including in sub-Saharan\u2002Africa and South Asia, and households headed by women are further impoverished as a result of wage inequalities and caregiving responsibilities. Patriarchal norms, discriminatory legal systems, unequal\u2002access to land, credit and technology, gendered labour market segmentation and disproportionate care responsibilities are some of the structural and institutional barriers that limit women\u2019s economic agency and have contributed to the persistence of intergenerational poverty <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.bts8sjfjmgmn\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">(Agarwal, 2018).<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"> Patterns of public expenditure have frequently been gendered non-responsive to social protection, care services, and maternal health care, and crises including\u2002war, climate change and displacement have amplified women&#8217;s susceptibilities (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.1min6a1vcp7\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Razavi, 2020<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Women\u2019s political underrepresentation means that they have even less say in development planning, which demonstrates the feminization of poverty is due to systemic\u2002rather than personal inadequacies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Literature Review\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Scholars have consistently argued that poverty cannot be fully understood without examining the gendered distribution of power and resources within households, communities, and institutions (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.66vh6rx88za0\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Kabeer, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Women, who make up a sizable portion of the world&#8217;s poor, frequently experience limited access to education, healthcare, land ownership, and economic opportunities. These inequalities are not merely individual disadvantages but are embedded in cultural norms, legal frameworks, and institutional practices that systematically marginalize women. Gender inequality has long been acknowledged as a fundamental structural driver of poverty. Therefore, it is crucial for development programs to target women&#8217;s social well-being as a fundamental component of poverty reduction initiatives since gender inequality contributes to the persistence and replication of poverty across generations.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Unequal access to education and skill development is one of the main ways that gender inequality contributes to poverty. Due to cultural norms, early marriage, and home duties, girls and women in many regions of the globe continue to encounter obstacles to receiving a decent education, despite the fact that education is essential for increasing economic production and improving life chances (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Women&#8217;s capacity to get formal job and engage in economic activities is severely limited when they are denied an education. Investing in women&#8217;s human capital is crucial for development since empirical research has shown that nations with greater levels of female education have lower rates of poverty and quicker economic growth (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UNICEF, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">).<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Women&#8217;s poor involvement in the labour market and their concentration in low-wage and informal job sectors are important factors that relate poverty and gender inequality. Women are disproportionately employed in low-paying, unstable employment with no social safety in many cultures (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UNICEF, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Women frequently experience gender pay disparities and discriminatory employment practices that limit their ability to progress economically, even when they engage in the official economy. Women&#8217;s financial freedom is diminished by this economic marginalization, which also perpetuates household poverty. Further research has demonstrated that economic empowerment of women improves household welfare because women typically devote a higher percentage of their money to the education, healthcare, and nutrition of their children (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.s1voynunw7n8\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Duflo, 2012<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">).<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gendered poverty is further entrenched by the continued extreme inequality in men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s access to productive resources including land, credit, and technology. Women&#8217;s rights to possess or manage land and other productive assets are restricted in many developing nations by customary laws and inheritance practices (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.bts8sjfjmgmn\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Agarwal, 2018<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Women are frequently unable to invest in business endeavors or agricultural production without access to these resources. According to research, reducing the gender gap in agricultural input access may greatly boost crop yields and lessen food insecurity worldwide (FAO, 2019). Therefore, encouraging women&#8217;s economic empowerment and lowering poverty requires addressing gender differences in resource ownership and financial participation.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Beyond economic considerations, gender inequality also shows up as restricted access to social services and healthcare, which has a direct impact on women&#8217;s social wellbeing and capacity to make valuable contributions to society. Inadequate maternal healthcare, subpar reproductive health services, and restricted health insurance coverage are among the difficulties faced by women in many low-income environments (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.fesyq1yhkvfo\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">WHO, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Since women are frequently the primary carers, these obstacles not only endanger women&#8217;s health but also have an impact on the welfare of families and communities. Research has demonstrated that bettering women&#8217;s health outcomes increases child survival rates, raises children&#8217;s educational achievement, and strengthens household resilience. Therefore, putting women&#8217;s health first in development plans is crucial for long-term poverty alleviation.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Poverty and gender inequality are also largely sustained by social and cultural norms. Women&#8217;s ability to make decisions in homes and communities is frequently restricted by patriarchal structures, which limits their capacity to affect social and economic results (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.66vh6rx88za0\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Kabeer, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Women&#8217;s autonomy and well-being are compromised in many situations because they have limited influence over home finances or reproductive choices. Additionally, detrimental behaviors like child marriage and gender-based violence make women even more susceptible to poverty. Evidence suggests that empowering women through legal reforms, community education, and gender-sensitive policies can challenge these entrenched norms and improve socio-economic outcomes for women and their families (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.s9e01931h6v8\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UNDP, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">).<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Women&#8217;s susceptibility to poverty is further increased by the intersectionality of gender inequality with other types of social exclusion, such as age, disability, and rural residency. For example, insufficient market access, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of social services can result in compounding disadvantages for rural women (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.s9e01931h6v8\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UNDP, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). In a similar vein, lifetime gender differences in work and pension access can result in financial instability for older women. The significance of implementing inclusive and intersectional approaches in development policy is underscored by these overlapping disparities. In order to develop comprehensive methods that successfully fight poverty, it is imperative that women&#8217;s varied experiences of marginalization be taken into consideration.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">The importance of gender equality to sustainable development has been acknowledged more and more in recent years by international development frameworks. In order to eradicate poverty, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal 5, highlight the necessity of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UNICEF, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Development experts contend that strategies that ignore gender inequality in favor of economic expansion are unlikely to result in fair outcomes. Instead, attaining inclusive and sustainable development requires including women&#8217;s social well-being including health, education, economic empowerment, and social participation into development planning. Governments and organizations may address structural disparities that sustain poverty and build more equitable societies by putting women at the heart of development strategies.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Women\u2019s Poverty and Its Intergenerational Nature<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Women\u2019s poverty also has intergenerational effects, demonstrating how deprivation\u2002tracks across generations, compounding cycles of inequality. When women are denied access to education and earning opportunities, their children especially girls are more likely to go undereducated, suffer from malnutrition and have\u2002poor health (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.lzbmr135vn7y\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Odera and Mulusa, 2019<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Child development is\u2002so influenced by maternal poverty because limited household income leads parents to invest less in early childhood education and health services (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). In situations where girls are socialized to take on caregiving responsibilities from a young age, disruption in education reproduces labor market disadvantages that are gender\u2002as well as age-specific (Chant, 2016). Child marriage and adolescent pregnancy, closely linked with poverty, entrench intergenerational deprivation as they restrict young women\u2019s access to education and income-earning opportunities. In addition, asset inequality, especially in the case of ownership of land and property, undermines women\u2019s potential to build up wealth and provide economic security for\u2002their offspring (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.bts8sjfjmgmn\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Agarwal, 2018<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). The lack of adequate social protection systems compounds these cycles as economic\u2002shocks, including illness, unemployment, or climate-induced disasters, disproportionately impact women-headed households. Intergenerational poverty is perpetuated not through income\u2002loss alone, but through social norms, institutional discrimination and unequal right to opportunities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gender Inequality and Unpaid Care Work<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">The gendered nature of divisions\u2002of labour within the household continues to be a significant structural underpinning of women\u2019s economic marginalization. From traditional Zulu culture in rural South Africa to the pantheon of Greek gods in the United States, social norms and systems rooted in patriarchy expect women and girls to perform the bulk of or in some places all of the domestic duties and caregiving, while men take on\u2002the role of breadwinner (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.62qqzkdqyabs\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UN Women, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). This differentiation is socially created and maintained through socialization processes, school systems and the culture of practices\u2002(<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.55viv7of55xw\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Anthony and Udoka, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Time use surveys consistently reveal\u2002that women carry out far more unpaid household work cooking, cleaning, collecting water and fuel, and caring for children even when they are also working full-time (ILO, 2022). In sub-Saharan\u2002Africa, women frequently perform both food production and domestic work, working longer hours than men (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.5jmlwd5rmaex\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Christensen, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). This skews labour\u2002power, restraining women\u2019s bargaining power, inhibiting them from engaging in income generating and leisure activities, and reinforcing stereotypes that depict domestic work as a naturally feminine responsibility. These norms uphold gender hierarchies and intergenerational inequalities, and as such they are a key driver of the\u2002feminization of poverty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">The gendered division of labour is closely associated with the economic invisibility of unpaid care work, which is not accounted for in national\u2002accounting systems and macroeconomic aggregates like gross domestic product (GDP) (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.1min6a1vcp7\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Razavi, 2020<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Gendered time poverty of care\u2002work has negative consequences on women\u2019s engagement in paid work, access to formal education and training, often pushing them into informal, low-paid, or home-based work with no social protection (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.a0e8zxg4em9a\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Ali, Audi, Bibi, and Roussel, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). These limitations compound long-standing gender wage disparities and occupational\u2002segregation, as well as lower lifetime earnings, while girls\u2019 education is hampered by domestic chores (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.vheb9f5dz9pr\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">, and Linneker, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Therefore, unpaid care work acts as a structural obstacle that restricts women\u2019s control over their economic lives and reproduces gendered poverty across\u2002generations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Care work is so integral to our social and economic systems, yet care\u00ad economies are still largely ignored by mainstream development policies. Relative to care, traditional development paradigms have celebrated market productivity, industrial growth, and macroeconomic stability, while ignoring the reproductive\u2002labour that underlies the paid workforce (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.1min6a1vcp7\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Razavi, 2020<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). In many developing countries, rising public expenditure on health care, child care\u2002and social services has been curtailed by structural adjustment programs and austerity measures, with households and women in particular bearing greater burdens of care (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.9ahinyhiiqrx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Elson, 2017<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). It is true that global policy discourses, such as the\u2002Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), do recognize unpaid care work in Goal 5, yet translation is patchy and under-resourced (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.5dtnklqgd4js\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gon\u00e7alves, Ponchio, and Bas\u00edlio, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Gender-sensitive budgeting and public investment at scale in public childcare infrastructures are\u2002otherwise rare, particularly in low-income countries confronted with fiscal constraints (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Neglecting to include care economies in macroeconomics reinforces a limited understanding of productivity,\u2002and thus obscures the importance of social reproduction. Scholars are more and more calling for a transformative politics that recognizes, reduces, redistributes unrecognized,\u2002uncompensated care work through public investment, labour reforms and normative change (ILO, 2022).\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gender Inequality and Precarious Employment<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gender disparities and uncertain work are closely linked, especially in the Global South, in whose labour markets are quite segmented and\u2002informalized. Women are overrepresented in informal work and are more likely to work in\u2002low-wage, precarious sectors such as domestic work, petty trading, subsistence farming and low-skilled service jobs (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.9piy8xfix6hz\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">International Labour Organization [ILO], 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">; <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Structural\u2002barriers, including reduced access to education, discriminatory hiring practices, cultural norms that limit mobility, and limited access to credit, help to sustain women&#8217;s overrepresentation in these areas (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.62qqzkdqyabs\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UN Women, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). How the feminization of certain jobs \u2013 particularly with care and domestic work \u2013 perpetuates low pay, and how unpaid care responsibilities put additional time constraints on\u2002women&#8217;s capacity to participate in formal work or acquire skills (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.66vh6rx88za0\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Kabeer, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). These are not individual failures of skills but rather manifestations of systemic gender inequalities, resulting in\u2002long-term economic vulnerability that undermines women&#8217;s ability to build assets and achieve financial stability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Persistent gender wage disparity, occupational segregation, and weak labour laws continue to deepen women\u2019s economic vulnerability. Women worldwide are paid 20 percent less than men on average, and horizontal and vertical segregation push\u2002and funnel women into devalued industries and limit access to promotion opportunities (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.5dtnklqgd4js\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gon\u00e7alves, Ponchio, and Bas\u00edlio, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Informal and part-time work arrangements provide few benefits, social protection, or job security, and they leave women vulnerable to exploitation, wage theft, and hazardous\u2002work conditions (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.o4ikn4q7pyfd\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Rehman, Moazzam, and Ansari, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Economic shocks such as pandemics, climate-related disasters, and political upheavals \u2013 have a greater impact on women\u2019s employment and earnings as they are concentrated\u2002in fragile sectors and have fewer assets to fall back on (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Paid work is more difficult to access with greater care work demands during times of crisis, adding\u2002to economic precarity. Thus, precarious work can be understood as both a symptom and a driver of gendered poverty and the above-discussed institutional, normative, and structural factors combined quantitatively, qualitatively and discursively illustrate this (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.pth9ihyu91hd\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Lawal, Ayoade, and Taiwo, 2016<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Such realities call for better labour protections, robust social safety nets, and gender-responsive\u2002policies that can tackle systemic inequalities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gender-Based Violence as a Development Barrier<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gender Based Violence occurs with physical, psychological, sexual, economic, and structural violence, which contribute to the perpetuation of gender inequality and exacerbate women&#8217;s risk\u2002of poverty (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.axrvrt2sqy02\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Health Organization [WHO], 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Psychological violence includes coercion, threats, and\u2002emotional abuse. Economic abuse denies women access to money, employment, and resources, and\u2002so the result is an economic dependence. Discriminatory laws, policies, practices and societal beliefs that contribute to structural violence, create barriers to equal access to justice, education, health services\u2002and employment (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.v3dkd0ybyu6q\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UNICEF, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Harmful traditional\u2002practices such as early marriage and inheritance discrimination also perpetuate women\u2019s exclusion. Such forms of violence are cumulative and interlinked throughout the life course in undermining agency, decision-making and access to\u2002social and economic life. Understanding GBV as a complex phenomenon is important to explain its widespread impact on poverty and development outcomes for women (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.lzbmr135vn7y\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Odera and Mulusa, 2019).<\/span><\/a><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">The socio-economic effects of GBV are massive. Survivors frequently suffer from physical and mental health problems that decrease their productivity and limit their participation in the labor force, and economic abuse interferes with access to savings, credit, and other assets that enable the person to leave abuse\u2002(<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.fesyq1yhkvfo\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">WHO, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Displacement, insecurity and fragile institutions further exacerbate women\u2019s economic vulnerability and caregiving responsibilities\u2002in low-income and fragile states (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.pth9ihyu91hd\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Lawal, Ayoade, and Taiwo, 2016<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Children who witness domestic violence are also at a disadvantage in the classroom and with their\u2002mental health \u2013 perpetuating intergenerational poverty. At the macroeconomic level, indirect costs of GBV including reduced productivity, health care spending, and increased burden on social and legal systems amount to substantial losses for national governments and may reduce national GDP by several points (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Preventing and responding to\u2002GBV, including through survivor support, legal reform, and gender-responsive social protection, not only furthers human rights, but also promotes positive gains in women\u2019s economic empowerment, social inclusion, and sustainable development more broadly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Women\u2019s Social Welfare and Household Well-being<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Development economics offers demonstrating evidence that women\u2019s control of financial resources and productive assets\u2002makes household income more stable and resilient. 1 Women&#8217;s access to income from\u2002wage work, entrepreneurship, or through cash transfer programs has been linked with more savvy spending, increased savings, and more efficient consumption smoothing in the face of economic shocks (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Access to financial services, such as credit and savings, promotes the accumulation of assets and investments in microenterprises, and the secure ownership\u2002of land and shelter enhances women\u2019s bargaining position within the household <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.bts8sjfjmgmn\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">(Agarwal, 2018<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Women farmers with land rights are more likely to reroll invest in agricultural inputs that increase productivity, diversify income, and contribute to food\u2002security. Together, these findings reinforce that women\u2019s economic empowerment leads to more stable household economies and greater protection from\u2002poverty and external shocks.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Women\u2019s resource control\u2002has large social and intergenerational pay-offs. Research shows that women spend income more on food, health care, education and house\u2002hold repairs, a pattern that contributes to reductions in child malnutrition, higher educational levels and improved maternal and child health (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.fesyq1yhkvfo\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Health Organization, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Investments in sanitation, clean energy, and preventive health care enhance living\u2002standards and reduce time burdens from unpaid domestic work. Women\u2019s say in household consumption promotes long-term well-being by focusing on durables, human capital accumulation and\u2002intergenerational transmission (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.bts8sjfjmgmn\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Agarwal, 2018).<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"> Women reinvest earnings in productivity-increasing technologies and collective savings &#8211; in farming and community settings &#8211; building social capital, food system resilience, and efforts to reduce\u2002food insecurity and poverty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Women\u2019s Empowerment and Child Educational Outcomes<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">There is strong evidence that a mother\u2019s education is positively associated with her children\u2019s\u2002school enrolment, attendance and educational performance, especially in low- and middle-income countries (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.jz8ld2z59fc\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Llena-Nozal, Martin, and Murtin, 2019<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Educated mothers know more about the\u2002long-term returns to education, have greater access to educational systems, and have more say than uneducated mothers do with respect to household decisions concerning the education of children. Literate mothers are more actively involved in parenting, monitoring and campaigning for the equal\u2002treatment of girls, and literacy is associated with better child health and nutrition which are necessary for school learning and attendance (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.fesyq1yhkvfo\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">WHO, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Each additional year of schooling that the\u2002mother receives significantly increases the chances of her children completing primary and secondary schooling, demonstrating the spillover effect of women\u2019s education on human capital formation and intergenerational poverty mitigation.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Women\u2019s contributions to income also promote children\u2019s welfare more broadly through additional channels, including\u2002spending on children\u2019s education, health care and skill building <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.jz8ld2z59fc\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">(Llena-Nozal, Martin, and Murtin, 2019<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Women tend to devote a larger share of the household resources to children, from school fees to feeding and vocational training, than do\u2002men, exhibiting a more long-term, family-centric perspective in the use of household resources. Financial independence boosts women\u2019s bargaining power and facilitates decisions that avert such unfavorable coping mechanisms as child labour and early marriage in\u2002times of economic crisis (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.v3dkd0ybyu6q\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UNICEF, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Increasing women\u2019s empowerment through education, asset ownership, access to finance, and legal rights disrupts intergenerational poverty by raising household well-being, deterring early marriage,\u2002and concentrating more resources per child (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.66vh6rx88za0\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Kabeer, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Women\u2019s Social Well-being and Community Resilience<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Leadership of women holds the transformative potential for community working, social solidarity and reduction of poverty especially in contexts defined by\u2002weak institutions and meagre resources. A growing empirical literature reveals that the presence of women in local governance, community-based organizations, and development committees is correlated with\u2002greater allocation of resources towards social investments like water, sanitation, health care, and education (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.62qqzkdqyabs\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UN Women, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">; <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Women leaders frequently bring an inclusive, participatory style to leadership which encourages dialogue,\u2002collaborative problem-solving and transparency, which in turn enhances accountability and democratic rulership at the grassroots. In rural and\u2002poor areas, women lead food security, maternal and child health, and peacebuilding efforts, resulting in more sustainable and socially inclusive outcomes.\u00a0 Girls\u2019 and women\u2019s leadership have a ripple\u2002effect where; by raising underrepresented voices and advocating for social investments, it not only strengthens service delivery but also builds resilient, cohesive, and empowered communities.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Women\u2019s networks and collective action contribute significantly to strengthening\u2002community resilience and poverty reduction. Self-help groups, cooperatives and savings associations serve as\u2002mediums of financial inclusion, skill enhancement and mutual aid, they ease the journey for availing of credit, market-related information and entrepreneurial training (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.66vh6rx88za0\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Kabeer, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">; <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.62qqzkdqyabs\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UN Women, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). These networks enhance social\u2002capital by fostering trust, solidarity, and a collective identity, which allows women to mobilize for better public services, legal rights, and protection from discrimination. In times of crisis, women frequently spread income-earning activities, oversee household assets, and coordinate local reactions to food shortages, climate impacts, or humanitarian\u2002crises, softening the blow to homes and localities faced with economic and environmental risk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Economic Growth and National Development Gains<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">The participation rate of women in the labour markets has been the main driver for the growth of their overall\u2002earning power, which has led to greater equilibrium among household incomes, and by extension to stronger national economies. Increasing opportunities for women to participate in the paid labour market raises the potential labour supply, boosts aggregate demand, adds to government coffers and social\u2002protection schemes and promotes local economic vibrancy driven by entrepreneurship (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Those countries with greater female labour\u2002force participation have tended to grow faster and more inclusively, and exposing women to higher value segments encourages innovation, sector competitiveness, and productivity diversification. In contrast, the underuse of women\u2019s talents is a waste of\u2002potential output and economic efficiency, meaning that bolstering women\u2019s economic involvement is both a social equity and macroeconomic necessity (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.jz8ld2z59fc\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Llena-Nozal, Martin, and Murtin, 2019<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">).<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Reducing gender disparities in education, labour markets and wages leads to significant productivity\u2002improvements and better human capital formation. Women\u2019s full participation in technology adoption, innovation and sectoral efficiency and end to occupational segregation and improvement in allocative efficiency is made possible by including them in education, vocational training, access to land and financial services (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.e5meix7k3fgt\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Ogu, Ezeonwuka, and Sule, 2016<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). The exclusion of women from formal work is a drag on labour market efficiency, holding back consumption and saving and\u2002inflating reliance on welfare systems, and is both a social injustice and a macroeconomic inefficiency (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Gender-responsive policies and equal pay enforcement, provisioning of childcare, digital access, and climate-smart interventions as part of inclusive growth strategies not only result\u2002in better economic outcomes but also reinforce social cohesion, political stability, and sustainable development in the longer term (United Nations, 2023).\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Structural Inequalities and the Limits of Sustainable Development<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Systemic\u2002discrimination deeply impedes the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the related goals on eradicating poverty by reproducing structural barriers that restrict women\u2019s access to education, work, health care, political participation, and resources (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.e5meix7k3fgt\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Ogu, Ezeonwuka, and Sule, 2016<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Discriminatory inheritance laws, wage disparities, and limited access to credit also hinder women\u2019s ability to be financially productive and\u2002earn a living, while the mismeasurement of unpaid caregiving work skews labour market figures and weakens policy responses. In fragile and low-income settings, these gendered barriers combine\u2002with other challenges such as conflict, climate shocks, and public health emergencies to yield lopsided development results. Sustainable poverty reduction, therefore, entails dealing with the\u2002structural causes of gender discrimination as opposed to one-off or cosmetic measures <\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.72n3dy3u32ok\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">(Bayeh, 2016<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Mainstreaming gender justice and women\u2019s well-being as central development objectives is both the right\u2002and the practical thing to do. Gender justice i.e., equal distribution of rights, responsibilities, and resources builds human capital, social cohesion, and good governance, and women\u2019s involvement in economic and political life is associated with spending on health, education, social protection, and environmental sustainability (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.66vh6rx88za0\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Kabeer, 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). Transformative change involves breaking down legal, cultural and institutional barriers, including discriminatory recruitment practices, lax implementation of anti-discrimination\u2002laws and patriarchal norms that confine movement and decision-making (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.72n3dy3u32ok\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Bayeh, 2016<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">). A focus on women\u2019s social well-being, including their access to health care, education, decent work, and freedom from violence, produces positive spillovers for household well-being, child development, and national economic performance, bringing development practice into alignment with human rights norms and those codified\u2002in the 2030 Agenda, in particular the commitment to \u2018leave no one behind\u2019 (<\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1TaKq008uu2CI0KoH2q88PQngh97vPQekbBdo_8h6gAI\/edit#bookmark=id.gyfeb9nzi9dx\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #0563c1; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">World Bank, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">).<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Recommendation<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Based on the study, it is recommended to<\/span><\/p><ol style=\"margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;\"><li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"list-style-type: lower-roman; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Position education as a foundational strategy for dismantling structural gender disparities and reducing poverty.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"list-style-type: lower-roman; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Address systemic barriers including the gender wage gap, occupational segregation, and limitations on career advancement.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"list-style-type: lower-roman; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Facilitate accessibility to healthcare as a prerequisite for women\u2019s full social and economic engagement.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"list-style-type: lower-roman; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Establish legal and institutional mechanisms as the foundation for a just, equitable, and inclusive society.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"list-style-type: lower-roman; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Implement interventions such as conditional cash transfers, microfinance schemes, and maternity benefits.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"list-style-type: lower-roman; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Enhance women\u2019s economic resilience and agency in household and community decision-making.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"list-style-type: lower-roman; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Address structural barriers systematically rather than treating gender issues as peripheral or supplementary.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li dir=\"ltr\" style=\"list-style-type: lower-roman; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Foster sustainable and inclusive economic growth, social cohesion, and equitable development outcomes.<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ol><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Conclusion\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Closing gender gaps is not just a matter of right and wrong; it is the way to\u2002ensure sustainable and inclusive development. Enduring disparities in education, employment, access to healthcare, and political participation\u2002do not only violate women\u2019s rights, but also hinder social and economic advancement on a greater scale. There is a compelling social and economic case for investing in women\u2019s\u2002social well-being, from having equal access to education and health services to being protected from gender-based violence, such investment generates multiplier returns on investment across households, communities and national economies. Fostering women\u2019s empowerment enhances human capital and child development outcomes, and builds resilience in at-risk populations\u2002- all of which are pathways to enduring poverty reduction. In addition, gender-sensitive mainstreaming will also bring about the need to address structural impediments on a systematic basis and not in an ad hoc manner, and allow for policies to be context-sensitive as well as\u2002transformative. The\u2002legal systems, such as social protection schemes and inclusive labour market reforms are not only means to equity but also levers for inclusive growth by harnessing the dormant potential of one-half of the population. Governments, civil society, and development actors alike should take a preventative posture and mainstream gender-responsive approaches into all areas of\u2002policy formulation. Transformative action will involve, alongside targeted interventions for women, a redefinition of social norms and\u2002institutional arrangements that sustain discrimination and marginalization. Towards reasserting the importance of equality between men and women in the development agendas, the\u2002policy makers could make the poverty struggles more holistic, just and durable. In summary, sustainable poverty eradication is tightly coupled with the advancement of women, therefore gender responsive policy\u2002change is a must to fulfill inclusive growth and a sustainable societal prosperity.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0bc22fd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0bc22fd\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bb7031d\" data-id=\"bb7031d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d21ec7b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d21ec7b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h6 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Statements &amp; Declarations\n<\/h6>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d78b3fb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d78b3fb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Authors\u2019 Contribution: Helen Ajibike Fatoye was responsible for the study&#8217;s conceptual framework and the primary analysis of gender-centric poverty metrics. Boluwatife Samuel Fatunbi contributed to the policy synthesis and the critical review of social work interventions. Both authors participated in the final drafting and approved the manuscript for publication in <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Shodh Sari<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Peer Review: This article has undergone a double-blind peer-review process organized by the Editorial Board of <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Shodh Sari-An International Multidisciplinary Journal<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">. Independent reviewers evaluated the manuscript based on its methodological rigor and contribution to the field of social development.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the findings presented in this study.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Funding: The authors declare that no specific grant or financial support from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors was received for this research.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Data Availability: The secondary data and policy documents supporting the analysis in this study are cited within the references and are available from the respective public archives and repositories.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Ethical Approval: This study adheres to the ethical standards for social science research. As it relies on the analysis of public policy and secondary data, it did not require specific institutional ethics committee approval for primary human subject research.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">License: Gender Inequality as a Root Cause of Poverty: Why Women\u2019s Social Well-Being Must Be Central to Development Policies, authored by Helen Ajibike Fatoye and Boluwatife Samuel Fatunbi, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) Published by ICERT.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b9d8855 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b9d8855\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d91d493\" data-id=\"d91d493\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cf69156 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cf69156\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h6 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">References\n<\/h6>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4f01c68 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4f01c68\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">1. Agarwal, B. (2018). Gender equality, food security and the sustainable development goals. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">, 34, 26\u201332.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">2. Ali, A., Audi, M., Bibi, C., &amp; Roussel, Y. (2021). The impact of gender inequality and environmental degradation on human well-being in the case of Pakistan: A time series analysis.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">3. Anthony, A. O., &amp; Udoka, O. J. (2023). Impacts of gender inequality on societal growth and development.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gender and Behaviour<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">21<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">(2), 21815-21828.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">4. Bayeh, E. (2016). The role of empowering women and achieving gender equality to the sustainable development of Ethiopia.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Pacific Science Review B: Humanities and Social Sciences<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">2<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">(1), 37-42.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">5. Bradshaw, S., Chant, S., &amp; Linneker, B. (2017). Gender and poverty: what we know, don\u2019t know, and need to know for Agenda 2030.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gender, Place &amp; Culture<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">24<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">(12), 1667-1688.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">6. Chant, S. (2016). <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Women, girls and world poverty: Empowerment, equality or essentialism?<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"> International Development Planning Review, 38(1), 1\u201324.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">7. Christensen, M. A. (2021). Feminization of poverty: Causes and implications. In\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gender equality<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">\u00a0(pp. 368-377). Cham: Springer International Publishing.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">8. Duflo, E. (2012). Women empowerment and economic development. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Journal of Economic Literature<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">, 50(4), 1051\u20131079.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">9. Elson, D. (2017). Recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid care work: How to close the gender gap. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">New Labor Forum<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">, 26(2), 52\u201361.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">10. Gon\u00e7alves, V. N., Ponchio, M. C., &amp; Bas\u00edlio, R. G. (2021). Women\u2019s financial well\u2010being: A systematic literature review and directions for future research.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">International Journal of Consumer Studies<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">45<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">(4), 824-843.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">11. International Labour Organization (ILO). (2023). <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Global employment trends for women 2023<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">. ILO.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">12. Kabeer, N. (2021). <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gender, livelihoods and inclusive growth<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">. London: Routledge.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">13. Lawal, F. A., Ayoade, O. E., &amp; Taiwo, A. A. (2016). Promoting gender equality and women\u2019s empowerment for sustainable development in Africa.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">14. Llena-Nozal, A., Martin, N., &amp; Murtin, F. (2019). The economy of well-being: Creating opportunities for people&#8217;s well-being and economic growth.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">OECD Statistics Working Papers<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">2019<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">(2), 0_1-54.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">15. Nisak, S. S., &amp; Sugiharti, L. (2020). Gender inequality and women poverty in Indonesia.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">11<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">(9), 375-387.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">16. Odera, J. A., &amp; Mulusa, J. (2019). SDGs, gender equality and women\u2019s empowerment: what prospects for delivery?. In\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Sustainable development goals and human rights<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">\u00a0(pp. 95-118). Cham: Springer International Publishing.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">17. Ogu, U. K., Ezeonwuka, E. C., &amp; Sule, R. K. (2016). Gender equality and poverty reduction in the Post 2015 Agenda: Foundation for sustainable development in Nigeria.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Canadian Social Science<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">12<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">(11), 59-66.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">18. Patel, L. (2019). Gender: Toward gender equality and poverty reduction. In\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Handbook of social policy and development<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">\u00a0(pp. 71-88). Edward Elgar Publishing.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">19. Pearce, D. (1978). The feminization of poverty: Women, work, and welfare. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Urban and Social Change Review<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">, 11(1\u20132), 28\u201336.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">20. Razavi, S. (2020). The political economy of care in a development context. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">UNRISD Working Paper<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">21. Rehman, H., Moazzam, D. A., &amp; Ansari, N. (2020). Role of microfinance institutions in women empowerment: A case study of Akhuwat, Pakistan.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">South Asian Studies<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">30<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">(1).<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">22. UN Women. (2023). <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Gender equality and poverty eradication: Global trends and challenges<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">23. UNDP. (2023). <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Human development report 2023<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">. United Nations Development Programme.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">24. UNICEF. (2023). <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Child marriage and poverty: Global trends report<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">25. World Bank. (2022). <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Poverty and shared prosperity 2022: Correcting course<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">. World Bank Publications.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">26. World Economic Forum. (2023). <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Global gender gap report 2023<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">. WEF.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">27. World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Violence against women prevalence estimates, 2018<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">28. World Health Organization. (2023). <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Violence against women prevalence estimates 2023 update<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">. WHO.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-08f07fa elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"08f07fa\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0daf49f\" data-id=\"0daf49f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d6e6ba9\" data-id=\"d6e6ba9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d0902c0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-elementskit-social-share\" data-id=\"d0902c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"elementskit-social-share.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ekit-wid-con\" >\t\t<ul class=\"ekit_socialshare\">\n                            <li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-db288b3\" data-social=\"facebook\">\n                    <div class=\"facebook\">\n                        \n                        <i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"icon icon-facebook\"><\/i>                        \n                                                                                            <\/div>\n                <\/li>\n                                            <li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-8c1acc4\" data-social=\"whatsapp\">\n                    <div class=\"whatsapp\">\n                        \n                        <i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"icon icon-whatsapp-1\"><\/i>                        \n                                                                                            <\/div>\n                <\/li>\n                                            <li class=\"elementor-repeater-item-a0e5dae\" data-social=\"linkedin\">\n                    <div class=\"linkedin\">\n                        \n                        <i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"icon icon-linkedin\"><\/i>                        \n                                                                                            <\/div>\n                <\/li>\n                                    <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c28cb17\" data-id=\"c28cb17\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d7a1479 elementor-align-right elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"d7a1479\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/icert.org.in\/index.php\/shodh-sari-2\/shodh-sari-vol5-issue-1\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Back<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shodh Sari-An International Multidisciplinary Journal Vol-05, Issue-02(Apr &#8211; Jun 2026) An International scholarly\/ academic journal, peer-reviewed\/ refereed journal, ISSN : 2959-1376 Gender Inequality as a Root Cause of Poverty: Why Women\u2019s Social Well-Being Must Be Central to Development Policies Fatoye, Helen Ajibike1 and Fatunbi, Boluwatife Samuel2 1,2Department of Social Work, Faculty of Education, University of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"postBodyCss":"","postBodyMargin":[],"postBodyPadding":[],"postBodyBackground":{"backgroundType":"classic","gradient":""},"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/icert.org.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/icert.org.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/icert.org.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icert.org.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icert.org.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32461"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/icert.org.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32524,"href":"https:\/\/icert.org.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32461\/revisions\/32524"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/icert.org.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icert.org.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icert.org.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}