Gendered Economic Policies and the Missing Women Phenomenon: A Feminist Policy Perspective on Inequality in South Asia

Abstract

Gender inequality in South Asia remains a critical challenge to economic development and social justice, reinforced by systemic disparities that restrict women's access to resources, economic participation, and overall well-being. This study examines the missing women phenomenon, conceptualized by Amartya Sen, through a feminist policy lens to analyze the intersection of sociocultural norms, economic structures, and gendered policies in China, India, and Bangladesh. By employing a comparative analysis, the research critiques policies such as China's One-Child Policy and India's Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, illustrating their role in institutionalizing patriarchal norms and exacerbating gendered economic inequities. In contrast, Bangladesh's investments in female education, healthcare, and gender-responsive policies highlight the transformative potential of feminist policy interventions. This study situates these findings within feminist economic and policy debates, emphasizing the intersections of patriarchy, labor, reproductive justice, care economy, and structural inequality in shaping gender disparities. It argues that dismantling structural barriers necessitates policies rooted in feminist economic and intersectional frameworks, which challenge traditional development paradigms and promote gender equity. By drawing on feminist insights and comparative evidence, this study underscores the importance of culturally adaptive, gender-sensitive policymaking that advances SDG-5 on gender equality.