Description: In this comprehensive analysis of gender and property throughout South Asia, Bina Agarwal argues that the most important economic factor affecting women is the gender gap in command over property. In rural South Asia, few women own land and even fewer control it. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including field research, the author addresses the reason for this imbalance, and asks how the barriers to ownership can be overcome. The book offers original insights into the current theoretical and policy debates on land reform and women's status.
Review Quotes: "This is a book of great importance and much originality, dealing with the problem of gender inequality in economic and social contexts. Dr. Agarwal has focused on the crucial role of inequality in property rights, particulary in land ownership. Her thorough exploration of this perspective substantially enriches our understanding of causal factors behind the deprivation of women in South Asia--and possibly elsewhere as well." Amartya Sen, Harvard University