Exploring intrahousehold resource allocation and food security in Belhar, South Africa

Abstract

The household represents the frontline of survival and structure in which deprivation could be examined. Poverty rarely isolates itself to individuals, but rather spreads across shared expenses, roofs, and dinner tables. This study explores intrahousehold resource allocation and its effects on food security in South African households in Belhar, Cape Town. It investigates the distribution of household resources, such as income and assets. The study also explores the state of food security at the household level and its association with caregiving responsibilities, with a focus on gender and power dynamics. The study examines the factors that influence the distribution of resources within homes; evaluates actual experiences of household members in obtaining food; and examines how gender roles, cultural norms, and financial limitations influence the results of food security in Belhar families.