Exploring the Capability Approach to Conceptualize Gender Inequality and Poverty in Fiji

Abstract

This article highlights the gaps in Fiji's poverty literature, notably the persistent insensitivity to gender within mainstream approaches to poverty measurement. To address the androcentric biases in household analyses, the author suggests the capability approach as more suited to conceptualize and assess gender inequality and women's poverty within the household. This article uses the capability framework to indicate a space within which intrahousehold comparisons are made using empirical evidence from Fiji. The article explores the ways in which one could operationalize the methodologies for gender-sensitive measures of poverty, which are capable of reflecting the experiences of women and men.

Keywords:

• poverty
• gender capability approach
• Fiji
• intrahousehold relations

Notes

1. In my PhD thesis I looked at a complete listing of about 11 capabilities that include physical health, shelter and environment, domestic work and nonmarket care, paid work and autonomy in household spending, time-autonomy and leisure activities, mobility and social relations, education and knowledge, bodily integrity and safety, being respected and treated with dignity and religion. Also in my 2007 work I used a similar theoretical framework but presented data on different three capabilities from the above list not under discussion in this paper though.

2. To protect the anonymity of individuals being studied, family names and place names have been changed. Confidentiality and anonymity of the participants were preserved through the use of pseudonyms that the women were requested to choose for themselves. Terms/adjectives used to portray the Indo-Fijian women throughout this article are the words used by the women to describe themselves during the conversations (though translated in English, I made sure that the meaning of the conversation and words did not lose its originality and authenticity). For this reason, these words are in quotation marks or presented as extracts.

3. Grog sessions in the context of Fiji means the drinking of yaqona (pronounced as Yangona) or kava is a common ceremonial and social custom. The yaqona ceremony has great significance in Fijian life but is now considered a social drink among the Fiji Indian community as well.

4. The drinks were yaqona, daru (locally brewed rice whiskey) or methylated spirits. These drinks are readily available and relatively cheap. Men would buy beer or what they referred to as “hot stuff” that is spirits, from town if they could afford to.