for example only in of the countries in africa with available data burundi malawi sao tome and principe and zambia were the poverty rates for femaleheaded households higher compared to maleheaded households figure the largest difference of percentage points is observed in malawi where per cent of people living in femaleheaded households are poor compared to per cent of those living in maleheaded households in the other countries or areas with available data in the region maleheaded households had similar or higher poverty rates than femaleheaded households in burkina faso ghana niger and nigeria all in western africa the poverty rates for maleheaded households were higher than those for femaleheaded households by more than percentage points for example per cent of people living in femaleheaded households in nigeria were poor compared to per cent of people living in maleheaded households greater poverty rates for femaleheaded households by more than percentage points were observed in colombia the dominican republic jamaica and the bolivarian republic of venezuela