This has often left them dependent on male provision to meet some or all of the needs of their households. Locating these policies within a framework of rights ensures that women’s access to and control over resources is part of their entitlements as citizens, rather than left to the discretion of male providers, the largesse of the State or the vagaries of the market. The range of livelihood strategies of low-income households does not fit neatly into conventional economic models of labour markets. The pace of change has been slow and uneven.