Women-headed households and household welfare: An empirical deconstruction for Uganda

Analysis of the first nationally representative household survey of Uganda shows that women-headed households are not poorer when assessed by consumption or income. Nor do they appear consistently disadvantaged on social indicators. Some subgroups of women-headed households do have lower economic welfare, including those headed by widows and those in urban areas. Gender inequalities in educational attainment appears to be the major source of what economic disadvantage such women-headed households do face. High remittances receipts play a key role in maintaining economic parity between women and men-headed households.