Abstract
This study uses data from Papua New Guinea’s 2009-2010 Household Income and Expenditures Survey to explore how men and women in Papua New Guinea differ in a variety of measures of socioeconomic status and well-being. Standards of living vary widely in Papua New Guinea across regions and demographic groups. In the absence of up-to-date poverty data, this report uses expenditure quintiles as a proxy for socioeconomic status and relative well-being. Such an analysis matters because inequalities based on gender and wealth groups undermine the ability to care for families. Furthermore, inequalities in areas like education and wage employment can have macro-level impacts through the productivity of workers and the full utilization of the country’s resources. Removing barriers and alleviating the constraints that women face can yield benefits at multiple levels, within the household, in the labor market, and in the broader macroeconomy.