Gender and Income Distribution in a High-Informality Context : A CEQ-Based Analysis for Colombia

Overview & Synopsis

This study examines how fiscal policy is associated with changes in income and poverty gaps between female- and male-headed households in Colombia. Using the Commitment to Equity (CEQ) fiscal incidence methodology and 2023 household survey data, the analysis identifies significant structural disparities. Female-headed households have a poverty rate 9.3 percentage points higher than male-headed households, a gap that narrows to 5.9 percentage points after accounting for factors such as informality and dependents. While fiscal policy reduces the gross income gap from 14.1 percent to 11.2 percent, its impact on the conditional poverty gap is limited, decreasing it only from 5.9 to 5.5 percentage points. The findings highlight the need for more inclusive policies that address vulnerabilities linked to gender, informality, and household structure.