# Introduction eaning of gender is the socially constructed which makes the stratification between male and female. Gender is a socio-economic and cultural construct for differentiating between roles, responsibilities, constraints, opportunities and needs of women and men in a given context. A basic distinction between men and women which is socially and culturally determined creates unequal power relation in our social life. Thus, an understanding of the unequal power relations between women and men is necessary to be familiar with the basic problems in gender relations. Power is directly related to gender with regard to the access, distribution and use of resources, which are unequally distributed between women and men (Lazim, 2011, p. 168). Equity and equality are the issue of discussion in relation to the gender relation. Equity describes about the need based distribution of resources and equality describes the right based distribution of resources. Gender specialists are also divided into these both schools. In every society, economic resources cause the gender conflict in family and society. In Nepalese society, in rural society household property is found hold by the majority of males; but in city areas where both husband and wife are educated and involved in earning, in such family; household property is found hold by majority of females. In many societies, the ownership of property can also be very unequal. Even basic assets such as homes and land may be very asymmetrically shared. The absence of claims to property can not only reduce the voice of women, it can also make it harder for women to enter and to flourish in commercial, economic and even some social activities (Sen A., 2001, p. 468). Economic and social issues are closely intertwined, one reinforcing the other. For example the key issue of access to land for women is closely linked to the socially determined inheritance rights and religiously ritualized need to give away daughters from one's own clan to some other clan. The major issues related to women in the economic field include their limited access to productive assets-the land and property, credit and modern avenues of knowledge and information; concentration of women in low productivity agriculture and high and increasing work burden without concomitant increase in access to resources, child labor, lack of access to training, technology and education; concentration at lower levels jobs, poor working conditions and lack of child care facilities at work places; trade union's neglect of women's problems; risk to personal security and sexual harassment in the formal sector and low level of technology, limited market access, low income and progressive loss of proprietorship in informal sector (Acharya M. , 2001, pp. 19-20). The article is focused to identify the gender relation in relation to the economic resources. Researcher identify the access of male and female in routine household expenditure, selling livestock, purchasing clothes for children, discussing on business plan ? etc. in Nepalese context. # II. # Methodology The study was based on cross-sectional descriptive design. The study was conducted in Kathmandu valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktpur district) of Nepal among the 390 respondents of five ethnic groups; Newar, Magar, Tamang, Rai/Limbu and Brahmin/Chhetri. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the respondents. Self-reported structured questionnaire was administered in the field. # III. # Results In this study, 50.3% male followed by 49.7% female were participated. Data shows that 4.6% wife were illiterate followed by 1.8% husband. Similarly, regarding the higher degree, 7.7 husbands had master and above degree followed by only 2.1% wife. Mean age of wife was 35.46 years followed by 39.13 years of husband. Marriage age of wife was found in between the 15-31 followed by husband had in between 16-35 ages. The mean age of wife during her marriage was 21.53 years followed by husband had 24.84 years. a) Routine household expenditure Generally, it is well understood that routine household level expenditure is used to manage by female. So regarding this understanding, respondents were asked that who was responsible to decide the expenditure of household level goods. The data shows that 41.3% said that both husband and wife mutually decide the household level expenditure followed by 40.5% said that wife and 10.4% said husband. In total, in majority families, females decided the routine household expenditure. Caste wise data shows that among the 40.5%, 9.1% female of Tamang, 9.1% Rai/Limbu followed by 8.8% Magar, 6.8% Newar and 6.8% Brahmin/Chhetri had authority to decide the household expenditure. Slightly Tamang, Rai/Limbu and Magar community had given more authority to female than Newar and Brahmin/Chhetri. Among the 41.3%, 10.4% Newar communities' wife and husband mutually decided the household expenditure followed by 9.9% Brahmin/Chhetri. Very few (only 4.9%) Magar community reported the mutual decision. There was significant association and correlation (r = .001 at p= .05) found between the routine household expenditure and caste of respondents. # b) Selling livestock (goat, cow, buffalo, chicken ?etc) in house Basically in rural areas, raring of livestock are common. In general understanding, male decides the selling or purchasing of livestock. So, regarding this understanding, researcher asked respondents about the access on selling of livestock (table 2). Selling live stocks (goat, cow, buffalo, chicken ?etc) in house. The data shows that 51.8% said that the both husband and wife had equal access on selling of livestock. Similarly 22.5% said that other family members had access on selling of livestock followed by 20.6% said wife had access and only 5.1% said that husband had access. c) Purchasing clothes for children and make up articles Table 3 : Purchasing clothes for children and make up articles Sources: Field survey, 2014 # Caste of Respondents The table no. 3 shows that in comparison of male and female, 32.4% female (wife) had purchased the clothes for their children and make up articles followed by only 5.2% male (husband). Majority (58.7%) said that they purchased by both (wife and husband) mutually followed by 3.7% said that it was purchased by other members of house like father-in-law or mother-inlaw. It is understand from the above data that women have more domination than male in household level economic resources. When we talk about the business plan, in Nepalese culture, it is understood as the work of male only which is represented from the above data also. In comparison of wife and husband, 28.1% husband followed by only 5.2% wife had access on finalizing the business plan. 59.8% said that they used to finalize in mutual understanding (with the mutual discussion of wife and husband) followed by 6.8% said that it was decided by other members of house. From the above data (table no. 5) shows that the practice and perception was found different in respondent. Researcher had collected the opinion of respondents regarding the equal access on economy. 81.3% strongly agree followed by 15.8% agreed that women should be active in outside of home also in comparison of male in modern economic conditions. # d) Finalizing the business plan In data, out of 194 male; 153 strongly agree that women should had equal access on economic resources outside of home also but in practices, still male domination was found high in out of home activities. # f) Women should have access on household property Researcher also tried to know the people perception regarding the level of access of male and female in household property. Table 6 : Women should have access on household property Sources: Field survey, 2014 The above data presents that 93.5% said that women had to access on household property equal to the male followed by only 4.7% said that women should had less than male and only 1.8% said that women should get access more than male. From the above data it is understood that very rare people want to give more power to female than male. Total values of economic access on the basis of gender, it is found that only 3.2% wife (females) had access on economic as compared with the 30.4% husband (males). It shows the great gender disparity on access on economic resources. # Volume XV Issue There was significant negative correlation (r = -.055, p = .054) found between the access on economic resources and gender disparity. It gives the clear understanding that, if access on economic resources will be increased then gender disparity will be decreased in the same ratio. # IV. # Discussions In Nepal, the MulikiAin (code of the country) was promulgated in 1963. It was more like a Hindu religious book rather than the code of conduct. The whole social order was based on the cast system. However, MulukiAin was based on the Mitakshara School, the wife and sons had been defined as heires and co-parceners of the father. The daughters were excluded from becoming heiress or co-parceners. In 1950, the autocratic Rana rule was overthrown by a popular movement and then the New MulukiAin was formed. This code was relatively better but daughters were again denied recognition as sons (Sangroula, Law and Existing Reality fo Nepalese Women, 2001, p. 62). The increased life expectancy of women and school enrolment of girls has contributed to improving gender disparities, but these are still stark, and for women from excluded groups even more so. Only 6% of women are employed in the formal sector, and women's agricultural wages as a percentage of male wages has actually declined. Diversity in government jobs is low. For example, in education civil service posts, 8% are women and 81% are Brahmin/Chhetri (Bennett L. D., 2008). In the 2001 Census, only about 11 percent of households reported any land in female legal ownership. Only seven percent recorded female ownership of livestock. Overall, less than one percent of households reported female ownership of all of the three assets: house, land and livestock ("Unequal Citizens", WB & DFID, p. 24).According to the one study related with Gender and Social discrimination in Nepalese context shows that out of total 60 Dalit respondents 85% respondents reported that the land of their households is registered in the male head of the household. Likewise out of 60 Non Dalit respondents 83% reported that the land is registered in the male's name. In the case of Janajati, 70% land is belongs to male of their households (SAMUHIK ABHIYAN, Mar 2008, p. 27).The present study shows that 51.8% said that the both husband and wife had equal access on selling of livestock. Similarly 20.6% said wife had access and only 5.1% said that husband had access. The findings of present study shows that in comparison of land, access of female is found high in selling of livestock in different ethnic communities of Kathmandu valley, Nepal. As stated in one collection of 11 case studies, covering 7 countries of the Hindu Kush-Himalayas (HKH) region Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China [including the Tibetan Autonomous Region], India, Myanmar, and Nepal), has made visible the "hidden perspectives" of women's lives, especially in terms of the opportunities and constraints they face. This article shows that agricultural development interventions based on cash cropping and involvement in the market economy typically target men; women are thus relegated to the undervalued subsistence sector. Income-generating projects directed at women tend to favor low-earning and slow-growing activities, which thereby broaden the gender gap in the market. Women's ability to raise collateral for loans to expand farm activities and to earn cash incomes is stifled by their lack of formal ownership and tenure rights to critical land-based resources. Moreover, their involvement in political activities is limited, and in all instances, their involvement is less than men's (Mehta, 2001, p. 301).In the present study also, authority and decision power is hold by female in only for small scales activities and household level expenditure. Regarding the routine household level expenditure, 40.5% said that wife and 10.4% said husband had authority to decide the level of expenditure in present study. But regarding the business plan, in comparison of wife and husband, 28.1% husband followed by only 5.2% wife had access on finalizing the business plan. So, it is found that big amount and higher level property and decision are still hold by male in every community. Often there are fundamental inequalities in gender relations within the family or the households. This can take many different forms. Even in cases in which there are no overt signs of anti-female bias in, mortality rates, or male preference in births, or in education, or even in promotion to higher executive positions, family arrangements can be quite unequal in terms of sharing the burden of housework and child care. It is quite common in many societies to take for granted that men will naturally work outside the home, whereas women could do so if and only if they could combine such work with various inescapable and unequally shared household duties. This is sometimes called a 'division of labor' (Sen A., 2001, p. 468). Theoretically, equality between the male and female is accepted by all individual and organizations but in practices, it is not found in real ground. From the perceptual analysis regarding the access of male and female in household property among the 390 respondents of different ethnic groups of Kathmandu valley shows that 93.5% said that women had to access on household property equal to the male followed by only 4.7% said that women should had less than male and only 1.8% said that women should get access more than male. But in real practices, from the present study it is found that only 3.2% wife (females) had access on economic as compared with the 30.4% husband (males). It shows the great gender disparity on access on economic resources. V. # Conclusions Gender disparity is closely connected with the socio-cultural orientation and inherent transformation of practices so it is difficult to establish the culture of equality. From the whole discussion of primary and secondary data, it is found that females are authorized only for the small scales business and daily household expenditure. Males are holding the supreme power and high level decision in majority household of ethnic communities of Kathmandu valley, Nepal. There are various factors effecting the capacity of women; educational level, exposure, socio-cultural orientation and participation, political awareness, women rights, women empowerment and social inclusion policy of Government ?etc. Besides these, self-consciousness and confidence is major factors which affects the personality and leadership capacity of people. The further researcher can study to access the capacity of female and affecting factors to develop the leadership capacity. VI. 1Routine household expenditure costResponsesNewarMagarTamangRai or LimbuBrahmin or ChhetriwifeCount % of Total26 6.8%34 8.8%35 9.1%35 9.1%26 6.8%156 40.5%HusbandCount % of Total4 1.0%16 4.2%6 1.6%7 1.8%7 1.8%40 10.4%BothCount % of Total40 10.4%19 4.9%31 8.1%31 8.1%38 9.9%159 41.3%OthersCount % of Total8 2.1%5 1.3%6 1.6%4 1.0%7 1.8%30 7.8%TotalCount % of Total78 20.3%74 19.2%78 20.3%77 20.0%78 20.3%385 100.0%Chi-Square TestsValuedfAsymp. Sig. (2-sided)Pearson Chi-Square24.117 a12.020Correlation testValueAsymp. Std. Error aApprox. T bApprox. Sig.Pearson's R.001.051.017.986 cSources: Field survey, 2014 4Sources: Field survey, 2014 537Volume XV Issue I Version IE )(Global Journal of Human Social Science ## Acknowledgement I am grateful to the research supervisor, Prof. Dr. Ritu Prasad Gartoulla for his close guidance. Besides that, I am thankful to the Mr. TejBahadurKarki to providing me methodological ideas to prepare the research article. ## Bibliography * Women and the Economy: The Key Issues MAcharya L. K. Bhattachan 2001 Ed.) kathmandu, Nepal Central Department of Home Science Women's Studies Program Tribhuvan University * Caste, Ethnic and Regional Identity in Nepal: Further Analysis of the 2006 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey LDBennett 2008 Kathmandu * Gender Studies in Teacher Education: An Empirical Research ASLazim Asian Social Science 7 12 2011. December 1 * Book Reviews: Searching for Women's Voices in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas MMehta J. D 2001. Aug * Gurung Mountain Research and Development 21 3 * GENDER & SOCIAL DISCRIMINATION STUDY: A Comprehensive Assessment on Gender & Caste Based Discrimination in the Hill Districts of Mid and Far Western Development Regions. 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