Regional disparities in women’s economic empowerment in Karnataka: A comparative analysis of north and south Karnataka

Regional disparity in women’s economic empowerment remains a persistent developmental challenge in Karnataka, reflecting deep-rooted structural, cultural, and socio-economic inequalities between its northern and southern regions. Using data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019–21), this study examines intra-state differences across five dimensions of women’s economic autonomy: mobility autonomy (ability to visit the market alone), decision-making over personal earnings, participation in major household purchases, independent operation of a savings account, and knowledge of loan sources for initiating economic activities. These indicators, drawn from the NFHS-5 Women’s file and District Module, were first analyzed across key socio-economic characteristics—age, education, caste, religion, wealth quintile, and rural–urban residence—to understand internal differentials within Karnataka. The results show that women’s autonomy increases systematically with higher levels of education and wealth, is substantially greater among urban than rural women, and is highest among middle-aged women, indicating the influence of accumulated household experience and bargaining power. A subsequent regional comparison reveals a consistent and pronounced North–South divide across all five indicators, with women in southern districts reporting higher levels of economic agency. For example, mobility autonomy is approximately 60 percent in South Karnataka compared to 48 percent in the North, while access to a self-operated bank account reaches 93 percent in the South but only 84 percent in the North; similar gaps are observed in decision-making over major household purchases and control over personal earnings. To capture the multidimensional nature of empowerment, a simple composite index was constructed by averaging the five indicators, yielding a score of about 64 for North Karnataka and 73 for South Karnataka, thereby highlighting a substantial and persistent regional gap. These disparities reflect broader structural development differences, including higher female literacy, greater urbanization, stronger financial infrastructure, more diversified economic opportunities, and relatively progressive gender norms in the southern region, contrasted with lower schooling levels, agricultural dependence, weaker banking penetration, and more restrictive patriarchal norms in the north. The findings underscore the need for region-specific, multi-sectoral policy interventions, particularly in North Karnataka, focusing on expanding girls’ education, strengthening financial literacy and inclusion, enhancing access to markets and employment, supporting women’s self-help groups and micro-enterprises, and promoting community-level gender sensitization and women’s representation in local governance to achieve more equitable economic empowerment across the state.