Final answer:
The main causes for the global feminization of poverty include economic policies that are hands-off, biases against women, and specifically gender discrimination. This results in women disproportionately experiencing poverty and the associated hardships more intensely than men due to socio-economic barriers and biases.
Step-by-step explanation:
A hands-off approach to economic policy, biases against women, and gender discrimination are the main causes for the global feminization of poverty. The correct answer to the question is B) Gender discrimination. This concept refers to the global pattern where women disproportionately bear the burden of poverty, which implies that more women live in poor conditions, receive inadequate healthcare, and face malnutrition challenges more than men. Factors contributing to this include the expansion in the number of female-headed households, the persistence of intra-household inequalities, and the implementation of policies that often do not favor the economic advancement of women.
Gender discrimination limits the abilities of women to gain credit to expand businesses, acquire new skills, or improve existing skills to earn a higher income. This, combined with the pressures of managing a household, often without equal support or resources, leads to a situation where women are not only economically poorer but also suffer more in terms of overall wellbeing. Another contributing factor is the societal barriers that prevent women from accessing education or career opportunities that could alleviate their poverty levels.