A recent World Bank study that looks at property ownership among women found that 67.6% of females aged between 15 and 49 in Karnataka own a house and/or land, alone or jointly with other family members, as of 2019-20.
This is higher than in several other States in the country. For instance, the ownership figures stand at 22.9% in Maharashtra, 43.5% in Odisha, 43.6% in Gujarat, and 22.7% in Delhi (NCT) as of 2019-20. The national average is 43.3%. Interestingly, in Karnataka, the women’s property ownership proportion also rose by over 15% when compared to 2015-16.
Making observations on its implications on women’s autonomy and independence, the study said that it enhanced their ability to travel to places outside the community and allows them to make decisions on key issues such as employment, health, and finances.
