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Woman in Famine: The Paradox of Status in India

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Famine

Part of the book series: The GoeJournal Library ((GEJL,volume 1))

Abstract

Offical criteria for assessing the status of women in development throughout different areas of India and particularly in Bengal (Fig 1) are evaluated against the value of women during historical and recent famines. Their traditional roles as food preparers are extended during food crises to include increased decision-making and food procurement, particularly with regard to wild food gathering, gainful employment, the selling of personal assets and the final decision for the family to migrate. The paradox of women apparently improving their “status” at times of famine indicates the need to re-examine the existing criteria for assessing “status” and women’s roles in the development process.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Ali Mehtabunisa (Research Officer)

    Present address: International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Morphett Vale Community Health Centre, Department of Primary Care and Community Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia

    Ali Mehtabunisa (Research Officer)

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  1. Ali Mehtabunisa
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geography Discipline, The Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia

    Bruce Currey  & Graeme Hugo  & 

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© 1984 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland

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Mehtabunisa, A. (1984). Woman in Famine: The Paradox of Status in India. In: Currey, B., Hugo, G. (eds) Famine. The GoeJournal Library, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6395-5_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6395-5_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-009-6397-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-6395-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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