Male-Selective Outmigration and Decision-Making Among Females: A Case Study of Select Villages in Kumaon Himalayas of India

Abstract

This paper is based on a household-level survey conducted in seven villages of the Kumaon region of India and seeks to examine if male-selective outmigration has strengthened the decision-making among left-behind females. There has been an improved role of left-behind females in holding the responsibility of taking decisions in both household and economic spaces. However, these effects are observed relatively smaller in the domains or activities that have a financial involvement. The selective outmigration has opened up opportunities for left-behind females to develop skills related to financial management at the household and farm levels and also in farm-business management and entrepreneurship.