Single poor female! Social protection strategies of female heads of poor households in Jordan.

Zina Nimeh, Maastricht University - Graduate School of Governance

This paper aims to analyze the characteristics and strategies of female headed households in Jordan and to identify some of the consequences of these households for child welfare. Female headed households are part of the social make up in Jordan. The paper looks at the composition of the households headed by females in terms of the presence or absence of minor children, location, education and the household head's employment. Wage employment was shown to be the most effective deterrent of poverty. Having additional adult relatives contributing to the household income were strong positive factors in avoiding poverty. On the other hand,each additional child increased a household's odds of falling into poverty. Additionally, children in these households were less likely to attend school and more likely to work. The paper discusses how strategies designed to help female-headed households should address the education and employability.