WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND HOUSEHOLD WEALTH: Implication for Child Health-Care

Rana Ejaz Ali KHAN,* Tasnim KHAN,* and Shakeela BIBI*

It is generally presumed that women empowerment and household wealth improves health-care of the households; and it may be argued that in absence of sufficient household wealth, women empowerment cannot operate for households’ health-care. The current study focuses to detangle the issue and role of women empowerment, in child health-care for varying wealth status of the households. Empirically, it is investigated by using the Pakistan Social and Living Standard Measurement survey (2011-12). Child health-care is measured by the number of vaccinations received by the child as a categorical variable. Women empowerment is measured by an index constructed by women decision making regarding purchase of basic necessities of household, medical treatment and, recreation and travel. Household wealth is measured by wealth quintiles generated from a set of household living conditions by principle component analysis. Results of the ordered logistic regression revealed that high woman empowerment in low wealth quintiles show positive impact on child health-care. It may be inferred that woman empowerment enhances probability of child health-care, irrespective of household’s wealth status. There is no role of household wealth in the impact of woman empowerment on child health-care. In control variables, male sex of child, mother’s education, female headship of the household, prenatalcare taken by mothers, urban locality and wealth status of the household, increase the probability of child health-care in Pakistan.