Gender Differentials in Famine Mortality

For most of south Asia gender differentials in instances of famine mortality have generally shown a pattern of relative female survival advantage during crisis. Yet variations in its occurrence and its antecedents have not been inquired into very systematically. This paper attempts to look at gender differentials during two 19th century famines - the Madras famine of 1876-78 and the Punjab famine of 1896-97 - from a public health perspective. It is an attempt to explore links between gender discrimination, status and labour force participation during the colonial period.