He said, she said: Unpacking the determinants of Pakistan’s Intra-household gender differences

This paper explores the determinants of gender differences in male and female’ relative economic position using intrahousehold microdata from Pakistan. Through a feminist lens, the study utilizes a novel procedure to estimate the intrahousehold gender differences, by comparing the respondents’ responses regarding their relative economic position. The finding confirms a statistically significant gender differences in the mean values of a respondent’s relative subjective well-being. Moreover, the study finds that the determinants of the respondents’ subjective well-being are not exclusively limited to household per capita income, but also determined by the household’s demographic structure, sanitation facility, physical insecurity as well as food insecurity of the household. Furthermore, food insecurity has a negative effect on female’s subjective well-being, significantly, whereas physical insecurity mainly affects male well-being. Thus, the study concludes that the relative economic position by gender differ significantly and driven by gender specific empowerment variables.