Women's household decision-making autonomy in low economic settlements in Bangladesh: Evidence from a cross-sectional study, 2022.

Introduction: Women's autonomy in decision-making is a crucial indicator of empowerment, with significant implications for their well-being and social status. Several research conducted on women's household decision-making autonomy among women of better socio-economic conditions; however, limited research has been conducted among women living in low-economic settlements. This study seeks to estimate the prevalence of and factors influencing women's decision-making autonomy among women living in low-economic settlements such as urban slums. 

Methodology: This research is based on data extracted from the Integrated Health-Wellbeing Survey 2022, a cross-sectional study conducted among marginalized groups residing in three selected slums in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Data were collected from 1248 women through a face-to-face interview using a semi-structured questionnaire. Both bivariate with chi-square test of independence and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the association between socio-demographic variables and decision-making autonomy. 

Findings: The findings reveal that about three-quarters of women of informal settlements reported having autonomy in mobility, grocery shopping, and healthcare decisions, while only half reported having money management and child education autonomy. Older women, those heading households, those involved in income-generating activities, and women owning mobile phones demonstrated significantly greater autonomy compared to their counterparts (p < 0.01). Despite evidence from other contexts linking education to autonomy, slum women's decision-making was driven by economic participation rather than formal education. 

Conclusion: The findings underscore the importance of income-generating opportunities in empowering women and highlight the need for a multi-faceted approach, focusing on economic empowerment and social support to enhance women's autonomy in low-economic settings.