Global project 932-0616 · 1977–1982 · International Fertility Research Program

Rural Paraguayan women's participation in and contribution to the nation's economy have been greatly underestimated. This is the conclusion of the 1978 Socio-Economic Survey of Rural Women in Paraguay (FEMRURAL), the subject of this report. FEMRURAL, conducted by La Dirreccion General de Estadistica y Censos with A.I.D. assistance, sought to generate baseline data on rural women's socioeconomic participation and contributions in order to improve rural development planning. The survey employed a questionnaire designed by La Direccion General, evaluated by various institutions engaged in rural activities, and distributed by Spanish- and Guarani-speaking female interviewers to 2,540 women who had primary socioeconomic responsibilities within their households. Women's personal characteristics (e.g., age, marital status, fertility, education) and family characteristics (e.g., family size, income, housing type) were compared to their socioeconomic behavior patterns in order to highlight differences between women-headed households (per capita income of $156) and male-headed households (per capita income of $290). Women's work activities are studied in terms of their participation in agric

Source: DEC abstract, PN-AAJ-061 (1979). The source's own text.