"I am the household head now!" Gender Aspects of Out-migration for Labour in Nepal

Out-migration in Nepal is a highly gendered process: Men go away
to work in foreign countries and women stay in the villages, man
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aging agricultural work, doing the household works and taking care
of children and elders. When husbands migrate, work routines must
be re-organised among the remaining household members and deci
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sion-making competencies shift. The study concentrates on changes
in women’s and men’s workloads and participation in decision-mak
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ing induced by out-migration for labour. The findings reveal manifold
dynamics in the study area of Kalabang village in Nepal’s mid-hill zone.
These dynamics have ambivalent effects on gender relations, some
leading to an empowerment of women and others widening gender
disparities. The analysis clearly shows that factors such as age or posi
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tion within the household considerably impact the effects of migration
on the home-staying women