Femaleheaded

Femaleheaded is a descriptive term that indicates leadership or headship by a woman. It is often written as female-headed, though variants such as female headed are also seen. The term can apply to a household, an organization, or a jurisdiction where a woman is the head or primary decision-maker. It is a neutral descriptor rather than a value judgment.

In demographic research, female-headed households are those where the householder is a woman. This category frequently includes single-parent households led by mothers, but definitions vary by data source and country. Some datasets classify households by the female householder's role as sole provider or main decision-maker, regardless of marital status.

In organizational or political contexts, female-headed can describe bodies led by women, such as corporations with a female CEO or governments led by a female head of state or government. The term is used to discuss representation, leadership dynamics, and potential socioeconomic implications.

Limitations: The label does not capture all relevant factors, such as co-headship, shared leadership, or intersecting identities like race and class. Analyses that use the term should consider broader structural and policy contexts and avoid implying causation from heading by a woman to outcomes such as poverty or welfare.