Changes in livelihood capital assets before and after conflict: A case of female-headed households in Nepal

Article published in "The Development Review"


In Nepal, conflict has affected different social groups at different levels and scales. Taking an example from Bardiya District, Western Nepal, the paper aims to assess economic activities and safety nets of conflict-affected female-headed households using capital assets in the sustainable livelihood framework. Open-ended interviews with 30 conflict-affected female-headed households were conducted, in addition to an extensive visit of the study area, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. The study confirms that in post-conflict situations, livelihood opportunities are limited in case of female-headed households. However, due to proliferation of development initiatives targeting conflict-affected families, their social capital increases at greater extent and economic capital at lesser extent. Realizing the limitation of the pentagon of capital assets within sustainable livelihood framework in post-conflict situation, the paper recommends political capital and psychosocial trauma as additional capitals and a
heptagon of capital assets, for household level livelihoods in post-conflict situation.

Authors: Chiranjibi Rijal and Hom Gartaula

Can be accessed through:
http://thedevelopmentreview.org/Papers/TDR_Volume1Issue1.pdf#page=25

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