It Takes Two (to Make Things Right): Women's Empowerment and Couple Concordance in South Asia

This paper empirically assesses the relevance of women’s agency for family health and domestic violence outcomes in South Asia. It discerns three forms by considering how decisions are taken within household highlights differences intensity correlation between these members’ well-being. Decision-making reports matched both spouses classified as: (i) wife participates decisions, husband agree about her role; (ii) participating but does not recognize role, that is, she takes power; (iii) not, he gives power. Using cross-sectional data from six Asian countries, finds association all their children is statistically significant economically meaningful. In cases being underweight, used prenatal help, modern use contraception, especially case violence, spousal agreement variant has stronger beneficial correlations vis-A -vis taking power or giving variants. The emphasizes importance support contextual component Asia, where social norms mediate decision making outcomes.