Who Eats Last? Intra-Household Gender Inequality in Food Allocation Among Children

The practice of women eating after men is a common gender-inequitable food allocation mechanism that has been associated with poor health and nutritional outcomes for women. However, empirical evidence on whether the same practice is prevalent among children is scarce in the literature. Using primary data from a household survey in four Indian states, we provide new evidence of this practice; almost 28% of the sample households follow the meal-time custom of girls eating after boys. We also identify some crucial household correlates of the practice. Our results indicate that Scheduled Tribes and households with lower resource constraints are less likely to follow this practice. While the practice is positively associated with larger family sizes, there is also evidence of the interplay between family size and gender composition of children. Our results allude to the literature on the intersectionality between gender and other dimensions of inequality, namely social identity and economic class. The analysis also has important implications for development policy: food aid and nutritional interventions targeted at the household level may not benefit all members equally or reach those at the highest risk of under-nutrition