Children of Incarcerated Parents
Children of Incarcerated Parents
Children of Incarcerated Parents
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Measures <strong>of</strong> Poverty<br />
An important aspect <strong>of</strong> analyzing the feminization <strong>of</strong> poverty is the understanding <strong>of</strong> how<br />
it is measured. It is inaccurate to assume that income is the only deprivation that affects<br />
women’s poverty. To examine the issue from a multidimensional perspective, there<br />
must first be accurate and indices available for policy makers interested in gender<br />
empowerment. Often aggregate indices are criticized for their concentration on<br />
monetary issues, especially when data on women's income is sparse and groups<br />
women into one large, undifferentiated mass. Three indexes <strong>of</strong>ten examined are<br />
Gender-related Development Index, Gender Empowerment Measure, and Human<br />
Poverty Index. The first two are gendered- indices, in that they specifically gather data<br />
on women to evaluate gender inequalities, and are useful in understanding disparities in<br />
gender opportunities and choices. HPI, however, focuses on deprivation measures<br />
rather than income measures. GDI adjusts the Human Development Index in three<br />
ways:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Shows longevity, or life-expectancy <strong>of</strong> females and males<br />
Education or knowledge<br />
Decent standard <strong>of</strong> living<br />
The aim <strong>of</strong> this index is to rank countries according to both their absolute level <strong>of</strong> human<br />
development and relative scores on gender equality. Although this index has increased<br />
government attention to gender inequality and development, its three measures have<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten been criticized for neglecting important aspects. Its relevance, however, continues<br />
to be integral to the understanding <strong>of</strong> the feminization <strong>of</strong> poverty, as countries with lower<br />
scores may then be then stimulated to focus on policies to assess and reduce gender<br />
disparities. GEM measures female political and income opportunities through:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Analyzing how many seats <strong>of</strong> government are occupied by women<br />
Proportion <strong>of</strong> management positions occupied by women<br />
Female share <strong>of</strong> jobs<br />
Estimated female to male income ratio<br />
HPI is a multidimensional, non-income based approach. It takes into consideration four<br />
dimensions:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Survival<br />
Knowledge<br />
Decent standard <strong>of</strong> living<br />
Social participation<br />
This index is useful in understanding and illuminating the differences between human<br />
poverty (which focuses on the denial <strong>of</strong> basic rights, such as dignity and freedom) and<br />
income poverty. For example, despite the U.S.'s high income stability, it is also ranked<br />
among the highest developed nations in human poverty. In her article, "Towards a<br />
Gendered Human Poverty Measure", Elizabeth Durbin critiques HPI and expands on<br />
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