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Bangladesh: Economy Which Doesn’t Support Women

Building the Road by Walking Experience of Bangladeshi Women Rokeya Kabir Executive Director Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha-BNPS www.bnps.org. Neo-liberal free market approach Dominated by profit maximizing business entities

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Bangladesh: Economy Which Doesn’t Support Women

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  1. Building the Road by WalkingExperience of Bangladeshi WomenRokeya KabirExecutive DirectorBangladesh Nari Progati Sangha-BNPSwww.bnps.org

  2. Neo-liberal free market approach Dominated by profit maximizing business entities Financial policies heavily influenced by International Financial Institutions (IFIs) Agricultural productions are gradually diverted to cater the export market instead of supporting the local needs and protecting ecology (e.g. shrimp cultivation for export) Agricultural sector still provides the livelihoods of the majority populace of the country Bangladesh:Economy Which Doesn’t Support Women

  3. Grabbing of productive land, water bodies, and forest by commercial ventures risking the food security and livelihood of the poor people Disproportionate price hike of food, fuel and essential goods contrary to the increase of income level of common people Widening gap between poor and rich Non-profit organizations exist but very limited grassroots cooperative ventures Bangladesh:Economy Which Doesn’t Support Women cont.

  4. State of Poor and Women • Poor and women are marginalized • Male domination and class division enhances the vulnerability of women and shrinks the livelihood options

  5. State of Poor and Women • Women’s productive potentials are confined to household economy

  6. State of Poor and Women • Basic services like education, healthcare, water supply, and sanitation are almost non-existent in public sector • Low literacy rate of women

  7. Growth of Public and Private Primary Schools and Madrasahs since 1973

  8. Maternal Mortality Rate 194 117 in world ranking 6th in South Asia

  9. State of Poor and Women • Gradual environmental degradation threatens wellbeing and livelihood options

  10. State of Poor and Women • Women’s labor are subject to unfair exploitation in informal and formal economy

  11. State of Poor and Women • Women became the source of cheap labor for export sector (garment, electronics, shrimp) and pushed to labor intensive low end production • Non-implementation of ILO convention for minimum wage

  12. Organized for Change: Experience of BNPS • 600 solidarity groups of 12,000 grassroots women in rural and urban areas • Network of over 100,000 support groups consist of community people, professional organizations and cultural activist groups

  13. Organized for Change: Experience of BNPS cont • Women solidarity groups fight the social, political, economic, and environmental odds they experience

  14. Grassroots women gain self-confidence to: • Acquire skills for local level productive activities • Negotiate with state and non-state actors for mobilizing financial and non-financial resources

  15. Grassroots women gain self-confidence to: • ensure access to local market as women producer • create space for participation in community level institutions of governance

  16. Grassroots Women Form the Triangle • Economic Triangle: developing skill on income generation, entrepreneurship an market education

  17. Grassroots Women Form the Triangle • Socio-political Solidarity: Collective voice for enabling policy, resisting VAW, dowry, child marriage….

  18. Grassroots Women Form the Triangle • Ecological Solidarity: analysing vulnerability, resilience to climate change…

  19. Values that groups promote Social & economic transformation of the society Cooperation and collective power to promote social and economic justice Pro poor and gender just Community governance Democratic participation (economic, social & political self-determination for marginalized)‏ Ecological responsibility Pluralism & diversity (gender, ethnic, religious, ability)‏ Shared Values for Change

  20. Structural, policy, legal and technical support is imperative for the survival and revitalization of women’s solidarity economic endeavors Affirmative actions for women’s entry to bureaucracy, parliament, political parties What Else the Grassroots Need?

  21. Policy supports required at national level: gender responsive national budget laws ensuring women’s equal rights fair wages and decent working condition equal inheritance in property women friendly financial policy women’s greater participation in economic and political domain What Else the Grassroots Need?

  22. Team up with diverse groups (profession, trade, craftwork and skills) Build up regional and international solidarity to influence the global policy making bodies which effects the lives of people Threat of religious extremism which reinforce the pressure on women to confine them within the households Making political forces, civil society groups and social movement gender sensitive Our Limitations, Our Challenges

  23. Thank YouMerci beaucoupDhonnobad

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