Women's empowerment and household food security in Ghana

Abstract

Purpose: This study adopts three dimensions of women�s empowerment: (1) relative education empowerment, (2) women's autonomy in decision-making and (3) domestic violence to examine the effect of women�s empowerment on household food security in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed the generalised ordered logit model (GOLM) and dominance analysis using a sample of 1,017 households from the seventh round of Ghana Living Standard Survey (GLSS7). Findings: The findings from the study revealed that women�s empowerment proxied by relative years of schooling and women's decision-making were important indicators for improving household food security. Further, there exist varying dimensions of women�s empowerment in households, and these dimensions have a significant effect on the state of food security of households. Originality/value: There are a number of studies on the effect of women's empowerment on food security. However, this study contributes to the literature by examining the varying effects of different dimensions of women�s empowerment on food security. This provides policymakers with a guide that looks at different levels of women�s empowerment and the combinations of women's empowerment dimensions that contribute for reducing food insecurity. � 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited.