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Introduction
Womens empowerment is defined as womens ability to make strategic life choices where that ability had been previously denied them (Kabeer 1999). Women empowerment now is often accredited as an important aim of international development policies, and many donor agencies include womens empowerment in their development strategies. Although empowerment is often conceptualized as a process (Cueva Beteta 2006; Kabeer 2001; Malhotra and Schuler 2005), most quantitative studies have been cross-sectional, comparing individual women with others in their communities or societies(Malhotra and Schuler 2005). In the development of indicators it is usually implicitly assumed that higher levels of empowerment represent a change from a preexisting situation in which women have more limited power, influence, freedom, or autonomy; but such changes have rarely been measured using a common set of indicators. Such studies can be valuable for cross national comparisons (UNDP 1995; Ibrahim and Alkire 2007) and for documenting change over time, particularly at the macro- or meso- levels, but I would argue that the meanings and salience of empowerment indicators are likely to evolve over time both in developing interventions to foster womens empowerment and in documenting empowerment processes. A woman's level of empowerment is defined here as a function of her relative physical mobility, economic security, ability to make various purchases on her own, freedom from domination and violence within her family, political and legal awareness, and participation in public protests and political campaigning(Sidney Ruth Schuler and Syed M. Hashemi,1994). Women empowerment in Bangladesh means giving women of the country the power to rule and govern their own lives, away from traditional and social constraints. The women empowerment movement in Bangladesh focuses on giving women the power and authority they need to be mens equals. The structures of sub ordinance that have keep women in the dark for so long must be eliminated. Women must have intellectual resources that can be acquired through good education and material resources that can be accumulated with the help of a solid job. Women in Bangladesh work in rural areas and do most of the manufacturing labor as well as most of the harvesting. This traditional practice needs to stop. The violence against
women must also stop. Women need to gain a lot more power over their decision making process. They should not be seen as fertility machines that have only the goal of reproducing. Most of the violence against women that takes place in Bangladesh is located in urban and rural households. Violence against women is an old, patriarch practice that focuses on establishing the balance of power in the family. The system of early marriage for girls is also a cause for violence against women because little girls are forced into new families from an early age. There, they have to work like adults. Bangladesh is a society that perpetrates the myth of the mother as a divine creature. Women who do not get pregnant are considered inferior because they cant bear children. This is a male tradition that limits the mobility of women all over the country. Global NGOs that are working towards helping women get empowered in Bangladesh are still facing difficulties because Bangladesh is a closed society which allows very few changes. In Bangladesh, gender inequalities are a social construction that can be eliminated with time.
of bride, witness etc are compulsory. If the marriage is not registered, it is illegal. Since there are double rules in the society, the women cant take action when they are divorced. The agreement in marriage in Islam is equal but in practical, It is not equal. The men have the right to divorce, keep four wives at a time. Here women are not safe they are inferior to men.
watering, weeding, making of mango pickle. Jaistha (15 May 14 June) Ashair (June 15 -July 14) Making mango pickles, cultivation of curry Fishing, knitting, produce fish, knitting katha and
clothes, rope of jute etc. Shrabon (1 5 July- August 1 4) Harvesting, cleaning, boiling rice, basking drying straw for cows and piling and making cold earth& other
reproductive work Vadro (August 15-Sep.l4) Cleaning wet place and mushroom of after flood, preparing hearth and box for paddy, products from jute.
Assin (Sep.l6-Oct. 15) and Kartik (Sep. 14- Going Dec.l4) Agrohayon (Nov. 15-Dec.14) pulse.
to
fathers
Husking, collecting rice making fried rice Cakes of new rice and chira and muri Dat juice, gur making and making cakes Decoration of houses, making floor high and ariping, cultivating vegetables, uproot mastered etc.
Poush (Dec. 15- 14 January) Magh (15 January- 14 Feb.) Falgun (Feb.l5-March 14)
Cleaning
houses
and
repairing, sowingVegetables
making fans of plum tree. At dawn Getting up, washing hands and face, pray, feeding domestic animals, drawing goats out, sweeping yards, washing paltes and jars feeding husband and children, having breakfast, fetching water, cleaning. diving palace giving grass to cows. making, collecting feales. Month Morning/ Midday Activities Boiling rice, hasking, dusting spices, brushing rice, cooking, feeding husband and children eating, washing plate, jar etc. Afternoon/ Evening Knitting kantha and nets gringing domestic animals, and feeding the and setting in hte cow-room making food and bringing ducks and hens. Night Making bed, lying children, eating cleaning kitchen, closing door, going to bed.
The labor of women is considered as a strong weapon to alleviate poverty in the whole world. At present a major part of total population is women who work outside the homes. According to the report by BBS (1995-96) the number of workingwomen is 21 million is 38.1% of the
total labor. Now women labors are working in medical sciences, teacher, nurse, health, family planning, including, garments factory, tea factory, mine, manufacturing Intention Labor.
Equal Wage Convention 1951 Discriminatory Service convention 1959 Social rules Convention 1962 Investment rule Convention 1964 Education leave Convention along with wage 1948 Human Society Development convention was taken such steps. Women are lagging behind in the field of govt. and non-govt. Administrate duties. In our country appointment of women judge was unlawful and eradicating that problem women judge was appointed after 1975 and at present out of 60 judges two judges is woman in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. In BCS (Gen.) woman was appointed first in 1989 and in administration in 2000. And women police super was appointed few years ago. Women have been recently appointed in armed medical core. Even women lag behind in BCS. Besides less wage want of service and security disparity of working hours, leave, etc. one the obstacles in the ways of women. Though the garments factories are fault on the basis on women labor it is found that 20% women work 12 hours daily on 30% women work 13 hours daily. Besides women workers suffer from insecurity of commission and way to garments, weekly leaves etc.
Wages discrimination
It can be easily said that the disparity between men and women workers is severe. Women get fewer wages for gender discrimination, social attitude and value in comparison of man. Women complete the incomplete products produced by man. But this work is considered as productive labor in the man dominated society. The tendency of the average wage of the women workers is given in the table below.
Table-1 Average wage of agriculture labor (1974-2000) Year Average wage ratio Women 1973-74 1981-82 1984-85 1989 1999 2000 3.23 6.75 11.85 21.41 89.0 86.0 Men 6.89 13.79 24.54 25.80 01.63 61.00 48 48 48 83 80 75 Percentage
846 12
223 11
623 1
It is worth mentioning that the number of male workers is greater than female ones on all spheres with some exceptions like household activities where 626,000 female workers out of 846000 lake part. Its main cause is that remuneration in household activities in less and these places have not yet been identified as work places.
Educational Status
Education is one of the basic elements of man to develop personality, sense of responsibility, sustaining rights, civic sense and especially national progress. But in the field of education women of Bangladesh lag behind men. In the field of national educational the percentage of women education is rather frustrating, Compared to man. It is true that all the development programs in Bangladesh included women on priority basis and still they are being given priority but they are found half of the male in education even after liberation period. This disparity starts in the primary level and it increases in higher education. The admission ratio in different seven Universities was 77.20:22.80 including male and female students in 1999. In different program primary education was declared compulsory and in order to less the difference between male and female, female education was given more importance.
Despite this, it was seen in 1995 that of the total students, 63% were male and 37% were female. It is note worthy that at present 95% students who are eligible to go to schools are admitted in primary schools and on completion of primary education 38% drop out of it. Here is a data of drop out in primary level in percent.
Class I II III IV V Boys 2.2 3.7 7.9 6.9 9.7 Girls 4.9 4.9 7.8 7.3 22.8
injured and 29036 casualties. It can be asserted that there are many instances of tortures on women which have not be included in the police diary. Religious fanaticism and misinterpretation of religion have been used in this subcontinent for a long time to continue the women folk in four walls by the advisers (fotoabaz) of religion. These incidents being to much horrible, on 1 January, 2001 high court Division of the Supreme Court declared all types of fotoas illegal. Besides rape and fotoabazi, the women folk of this country are victim of various types of tortures like acid throwing and dowry, the criminals are finding out new ways and means and applying them in reality. Suicides for being raped, fotoabazi and new device of tortures or women and black mailing have briefly been discussed here. It may be mentioned that these writings were published in The Jonokantha a for lingt magazine. Because of financial insolvency women feel insecure. Patriarchal social system do not encourage women empowerment . The suffering women bear all types of torture because of having no power.
Women of Bangladesh:
Women of our country could not advance as a result of supers tition and blindness to religion deeply rooted in the society. Women were kept at home building the shadowy wall in every sphere of life. Having same quality women are still lagging behind. Although the Queen rules over the king in reality, women have been made completely dependent on men. They have been only taught how to cook, wash dishes and do all the household chores. Religion has been used as a weapon to wash their brain. It is said that a will can deserve heaven under the feet of men. They will have to digest everything inspire of all the illegal works done by husbands. Some people have deviated from religion and explain religion from then own point of view. They push the women into inhuman suffering. Women are to bear the inhuman torture because of their narrow out took. Inspite of being 50% of the total population, only 7% 8% can enjoy liberty, equity and justice in the male dominated society. There is no disparity between east and west in respect of women torture. In this respect all men are equal to torture the women.
Rights of women
In the constitution of the peoples republic of Bangladesh some fundamental rights for women are : Article 10. : Steps shall be taken to ensure participation of women in all spheres of national life
Article 28(2) : women shall have equal rights with men in all spheres of the state & of public life. Article 28(4): Nothing in this article shall prevent the state from making special provision in favourof women children or for the advancement of any backward section of citizens. In a recent study it is found that 12% enjoy human rights fully, 8% enjoy minimum human rights, 7.8% can enjoy equal rights in human activities and 7.6% can enjoy open freedom.
To take law full steps To expand Education To raise consciousness To achieve economic solvency To get equal phase in their fathers property.
From this study it is noticed that all women opine to take the shelter of law, correct the law, raise consciousness of their rights and responsibilities, provide more opportunities, continue campaign, ensure equal share of property, express rights of freedom, avoid fundamentalists and so on.
Table-2 Participation of women in National Election (MP) Year of Election 1973 1979 1986 1988 1991 1996 2001 Percentage of Women Candidate 0.3 0.9 1.3 0.7 1.5 1.9 2.0
Table-3 The numbers and percentage of women ministers at different times in Administration Number Ministers of total Number of total home Percentage minister
1072-75
50
1979-82 1982-90 1991-96 1996-01 2001-06 Source: Cabinet Division, Govt. of Bangladesh.
101 133 39 38 60
6 4 3 4 4
6 3 5 10.52 7
Beyond MDGs
Gender equality is a fundamental human right. It is also the most practical and effective means to move the country forward, towards middle income status, towards inclusive and sustainable development. There is much for the world to learn from the experiences of Bangladesh. The visible changes in womens political and economic participation throughout the country are proof of government commitment and to peoples aspiration to a more equitable society. The grassroots efforts have enriched not only the local development agenda, but contribute to cultural achievements as well. At the crossroads of a new global approach to development, we have the opportunity to engender the goals we set, the targets we want to achieve, the changes we want to experience for a more equitable and equal world. I am looking forward to hearing a strong Bangladeshi voice on these issues, in the global debate to define the post 2015 world we all aspire to
Recommendations
1. Women should participate more and more in politic to establish their rights in politics. 2. The working field of women should be extended to increase the economic power of women. 3. Social attitude towards men and women should be changed. Through social movement. Along with political parties women organizations should come forward along for this 4. The govt. should be cordial and active to implement the effective steps in the rules and regulation committee. 5. Women should be appointed in the higher administration with post of cabinet secretary and in the ministry and department. 6. To eradicate the disparity of men- women wage reformation in wage distribution is necessary. 7. Women workers cant protest against the injustice of the higher authority for lack of the help of law. 8. Political and lawful rights of women should be included in the education syllabus. 9. All the international agreements against women persecution including extinction of all discriminatory activities against women should be implemented fully or to take steps to implement.
10. Reserve seat for women should be maintained for UP level to all sectors. 11. They should not be nominated for reserve seat, rather should be elected directly. 12. We should behave with the female child equally in the house and outside the house and the positive aspect of female child should be shown.
References
1. Human Development Report". United Nations Development Programme. 2013. p. 156. 2. . World Economic Forum. pp. 1213. 3. Equitable growth that takes into account of inclusiveness, is a concept that encompasses equity, equality of opportunity, and protection in market and employment transitions (Growth Report, Commission on Growth and Development, 2008) 4. This article draws from paper presented by Kwak, S. and Siddiqui, S. Beyond 2015: MDGs, Gender and Education in Bangladesh, International Conference on Gender Equity in Education: Challenging Issues and New Vision, Seoul University, June 2012 5. Strong formal structures do not necessarily mean strong government Bangladesh has strong institutions but weak government system
4.Bangladesh became a signatory to the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1984. 6. Chitrakar, R., Overcoming Barriers to Girls Education in South Asia: Deepening the Analysis, UNICEF 2009 7. http://home.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/liaison_offices/wfp190321.pdf (30 May, 2012) 8. MDG Progress Report, 2011 9. Explanatory Note on 2011 HDR Composite Indices: Human Development Report 2011 Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future For All Country: Bangladesh. 10. http://hdrstats.undp.org/images/explanations/BGD.pdf 11. 9.The Role of Female Members of Parliament in Ensure Good Governance, Key Note Paper, Transparency International Bangladesh, March 2009