We commissioned this piece of work from DMSS research to explore different ways of conceptualising severe and multiple disadvantage in the lives of women and girls.

Recognising that choices about frames of reference and data sources are feminist issues, we wanted to consider alternatives to the methods we had previously used. This report looks in particular at rights-based approaches and the Capability Approach as framings, and challenges the limitations of service-based data for understanding severe and multiple disadvantage through a gender lens.