ABSTRACT
Through the analysis of recent research in urban Latin America, the purpose of this chapter is to contribute to the ongoing debate concerning the extent to which structural adjustment policies (SAPs) have, even if unintentionally, differentially disadvantaged members of low-income households on the basis of gender. The objective is also to show policy makers the importance of ensuring that current research methodology, such as the SDA survey, shifts from the household as the unit of analysis, towards a more disaggregated approach with greater capability of identifying intra-household differentiation. In addition, the limitations of research which isolate low-income women, outside the context of their households, are identified. While the focus of the chapter is on the impact of adjustment processes on low-income women, it is clear that there are severe limitations in studying women in isolation, as is the case in many recent micro level studies.
