ROLES OF GENDER AND EDUCATION IN DETERMINING HOUSEHOLD POVERTY IN SOUTH EAST REGION OF NIGERIA

Abstract 

The paper examines the linkages between gender of household heads, education and household poverty in  South East region of Nigeria between 2001 and 2017. Data analyzed were obtained from four national consumer expenditure surveys conducted in Nigeria in 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2017 by the Federal Office of Statistics. Adjustments were made for price differentials over time and across regions of the country. However, only aggregated data for households were available. Per capita expenditure was used as the indicator of poverty, while the unit of analysis was the household. Two poverty lines were set: a moderate poverty line equal to two-thirds of mean per capita household expenditure, and a core poverty line equal to one-third of mean per capita expenditure. The Pa index proposed by Foster, Greer and Thorbecke was used to generate the headcount ratio as well as the depth and severity of poverty. Trends in inequality were analyzed using Gini coefficients and the Theil’s index. Multivariate analysis was used to examine the relationships among gender, poverty and other household.

Keywords:  Gender, poverty education and household