Women-headed households , are commonly regarded as the 'poorest of the poor'. Not only do they seem to be disproportionately concentrated among low-income groups, but female headship itself is seen to exacerbate poverty. Yet a growing body of research on developing societies suggests that although poverty may precipitate the formation of female-headed households, and that some aspects of female headship can give rise to economic disadvantage, members of these units are not necessarily worse-off than people in male-headed domestic arrangements. With reference to case study material from Mexico, Costa Rica and the Philippines, this article argues that 'poorest of the poor' is a misleading stereotype for female-headed households, that we cannot generalise about female heads, and that examination of intra-household characteristics is essential for the understanding of economic vulnerability. The article also signposts the dangers of 'poorest of the poor' stereotyping for creating and/or reinforcing negative public images of, and attitudes towards, women-headed households.
