Poverty, Vulnerability and the Coping Strategies of Monga Affected Female-headed Households: A Study of Gangachara, Rangpur, Bangladesh

Different studies today are showing that female-headed households are not necessarily the poorest of the poor. In this study, based on primary data from Dhamurchar and Binbinia village of Gangachara and Kolkanda Unions respectively under Gangachara Thana of Rangpur district, Bangladesh, the findings show that the female-headed households in a region affected by monga (seasonal severe food insecurity) are still the poorest of the poor. Applying a conceptualisation of poverty as multi-dimensional, the study shows that severity of the poverty and vulnerability among the female-headed households is more than that of the male-headed households. Women from the male-headed households also face poverty more than their male counterparts. Again the de jure female-headed households face more poverty and vulnerability than that of the de facto female-headed households. The seasonal monga impacts more on the female-headed households than the male-headed ones, so these households take various strategies to cope up with monga, and the coping strategies of these two types of households differ on the basis of headship and gender relation. They take different internal and external coping strategies, but the poverty still remains due to their experiences of chronic poverty. Proper gender sensitive policies and their proper implementation can remove the poverty and vulnerability of the monga affected female-headed households. Relevance to Development Studies In a specific poverty affected region, impacts of poverty and coping strategies of FHHs and MHHs differ due to socio-cultural norms and gender based discrimination, so when any anti-poverty policies or programmes are taken without considering the gender relation, it can not bring out the real development. The study might contribute to identify gender specific actions in anti-poverty programmes.