Household Livelihood Strategies

The areas of gender studies, development studies, and activist agendas by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), international governmental organizations (INGOs), and projects by the United Nations (UN) have produced research and programs in the areas of household livelihood strategies, particularly of poor households. Household livelihood strategies are often researched in connection with rural households in regions such as Africa and parts of Asia, India, and Latin America.

Generally, household livelihood strategies are material and social resources and activities that provide a household with the means to survive and sometimes generate income. Natural resources such as land and water are beneficial resources to have especially for households in rural areas, and housing is particular important in any region. Many regions of the world are characterized by unequal access to such resources, which is the basis of many poverty reduction programs such as the Habitat Agenda program implemented by the UN.

The goal of the Habitat Agenda is to provide more women with access to land and housing. Case studies in China, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Vietnam, Rwanda, and Uganda indicate that cultural customs typically deny access to land and housing to women because these are often seen as inheritances handed down from fathers to sons. The Habitat Agenda seeks to increase women's access through changes at the international and local government level, along with programs through NGOs. Ownership of land can supply a household, especially those run by single mothers, an important resource in which to rely for livelihood.

Financial resources such as access to credit, savings, and pensions are also important for increasing livelihood options. Because economic crises may be eminent, thus making it precarious for poor households who waver on the edge of poverty, having money saved for an emergency or the ability to borrow money to support a new business can be crucial in maintaining a household.

Micro-credit or institutional lending has been a popular strategy for UN programs and programs implemented by NGOs and INGOs, particularly for women to increase their standards of living and to promote their economic independence. These programs provide poor women with various types of business training, small loans and grants, and classes on how to save or invest the money they make through the selling of their product. One NGO uses the Trickle Up program to provide seed capital to poor women in countries such as Rwanda and Guatemala. Providing credit and business training to women often means that if they do make a profit with their new business or product, the family will see the benefits. Women often serve as the primary household manager, which means that the money they make will go to buy food, clothing, or other necessities for their children.

Micro-credit enterprises are by no means a panacea to preventing poverty among households, and although it increases the household livelihood strategies for some poor families, research shows that the poorest of the poor families still often do not benefit from such programs. Thus, poor households often still need to find other strategies to help keep their households functioning.

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