The ‘Feminisation of Poverty’ in Costa Rica: To What Extent a Conundrum?

Abstract

Quantitative data from Costa Rica suggest that poverty is 'feminising', especially in respect of female-headed households, who, since the early 1990s, have constituted a progressively greater share of the population classifi ed as poor. This presents something of a conundrum given signifi cant attempts on the part of the state to promote gender equality and to direct public expenditure to low-income women. Some light on this apparent paradox is shed by qualitative fi eldwork undertaken in Guanacaste province where female headship seems to have become a more viable, and sometimes, preferred, option among women on account of its role in enhancing well-being. This is largely on account of social and legal changes that have contributed to making women less inclined to tolerate gender inequalities at the domestic level. The fi ndings underline the importance of embracing gendered subjectivities in analyses of the 'feminisation of poverty' and invite caution about the latter being a unilaterally negative phenomenon.Keywords : Costa Rica , feminisation , gender , households , poverty , women . IntroductionCosta Rica is one of the few countries in the Global South where there is apparently 'hard' evidence to suggest that poverty is 'feminising'. While around one-fi fth of the population has fallen below the offi cial poverty line since the early-to-mid-1990s, poverty seems to have become more concentrated among women over time. In particular, there was a steep rise in the share of poor households headed by women in the 1990s, which has not yet abated. This seems somewhat paradoxical given Costa Rica's high ranking on aggregate gender indicators such as the GDI and GEM, and that in recent years several initiatives have been introduced to promote gender equality, as well as to direct public expenditure to poor women among whom female household heads have featured prominently. Scrutiny of quantitative data suggests that the greater share of female heads in poverty is mainly accounted for by growth in the number and proportion of all households headed by women, and not a greater probability of poverty within the group per se. By the same token, it remains important not only to consider the reasons why female household heads continue to stand a disproportionate risk of poverty, but also to examine why, despite this, their numbers have undergone such a dramatic increase in the last ten to fi fteen years. In order to gain insights into prevailing trends, I draw on primary qualitative fi eldwork gathered through individual interviews and focus group discussions with 73 poor women and men from different age cohorts in Guanacaste province.The fi rst section of the article introduces the concept of the 'feminisation of poverty'. The second provides a brief overview of poverty and gender in Costa Rica. This includes examination of quantitative evidence for a 'feminisation of poverty', together with policy interventions that have attempted to arrest this process. The third section explores views about the 'feminisation of poverty' f...

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