Women in Development (part 1)

Women in development has required a worldwide recognition. In Bangladesh, as in other developing countries, the need for integration of woment into the development process is widely recognized by the policy makers and planners. Significant efforts have therefore been made to uplift the status of women by ensuring their meaning involvement in the policy making process as well as other socio economic measures.

Women in Work:  The status of women in Bangladesh, like many other developing countries, remained marginalized for long time. In the recent years, women are coming out and hundreds and thousands of women are working in the formal sector which was inconceivable 25 years ago. Participation of women in developing process of the country is increasing gradually with the increase of literacy rate. According to the World Bank’s 1995-96 report, participation of women in workforce is 67 percent in villege while 27 percent in urban areas. Though literacy is still higher among rural women they take part in agricultural activities. Bangladesh is not the only developing nation where women are now encouraged to participate in outdoor work. It is happening in other developing countries too, not to speak of the developed countries. In China and Russia, women are encouraged to work all the day and their children are looked after by the day care center run by the government.

Women in Political Process: Women are now participating in politics of the country at a great number. The participation of women in the political process has been ensured through accepting in the constitution the principal of universal adult franchise as the basics of choosing peoples representatives. The active and constructive participation of women in the political process has amply been demonstrated  by the fact that at present there are 50 women representative in the jatiyo sangsad which comprises 350 members. At present both the leaders of the house, who is the prime minister of the government and the leader of the opposition are women members. The constitution of the country ensures women representation not only in the jatiyo sangsad but also in all local bodies. The union parisod bill passed in the parliament in 1988, provides for election  of three women members in every union through the direct voting. The Gram Parisad bill also ensures women participation in the village council. Besides, important policy and administrative measures have been taken to widen participation of women, who constitute about 48 percent of the total population, in the entire socio economic and political process.

Women and policy making process : The government has been placing greater importance on women participation in the policy making process. In order to carter to the need of women, a separate ministry of women affair has been created in 1989 to take care of all kinds of interest of women including formulation of policies and strategies for women development and coordination implementation of these policies. The government has also established WID focal points in 23 ministries including the M/O agriculture, education health and family welfare, local government and rural development to coordinate the multi sectoral and multi ministerial activities to achieve improvement integration of programmes and monitoring. Besides the M/O women affairs the departments of women affair was set up as the principle field office of the ministry which is headed by a director with the rank and status of a joint secratery. The departments has its field office in all the old 22 districts and 136 thanas. The depertment is responsible for implementing programmes and projects in accordance with the policy under taken by the ministry of women affair and the planning commission.

Bangladesh participated in the UN decade for women and made commitments towards women equity development and peace, to fulfill its national goals and objectives. The governments of Bangladesh has under taken various measures to ensure a conducive atomsfare for womens participation in the socio economic activities and in maintaining their legal rights. For the overall integration of women in the development process, the government has adoted measures with the following objectives :

1)      Reduction of the imbalance between the development of man and women through the increased participation of women in income generating activities

2)      Motivating women for greater participation in education.

3)      Expanding credit facilities for women to enable them to become self employed.

4)      Improving leadership and managerial training of women at various level.

5)      Ensuring more jobs for women through quota system.

6)      Taking measures for moral, physical and cultural development of children.

7)      Training and rehabilating socially handicapped and distressed women.