In terms of women's representation in national parliament worldwide, Bangladesh ranks 71st among 188 countries, according to the Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU). On the face of it, the ranking -- eight slots ahead of the United States of America (USA) -- may be amply pleasing. But a closer look is sure to take the wind out of the sail. When Saudi Arabia, a conservative Islamic kingdom, and Afghanistan and Pakistan -countries not known for enough social liberty for women, score higher points on the count of female representation in parliament, the balloon of exuberance certainly gets dented. With 69 women out of 249 members in Afghanistan's bicameral parliament women's representation stands at 27.7 per cent there. In the upper house of Afghanistan's parliament this percentage is 27.5 per cent. These figures fare far better than Bangladesh's 19.7 per cent representation for women. Pakistan also has to its credit a better rating of women's representation in parliament with 20.7 per cent in its lower house whereas in the upper house this representation is at 16.3 per cent. Overall though, Pakistan occupies 66th position in the IPU table of nations.
Surprisingly, Saudi Arabia ranks two slots ahead of Bangladesh at 69th position with 30 women members in 151-seat parliament registering a percentage of 19.9. Nepal is the number one country among all Asian nations with a ranking at 24th in the world. The land-locked country has 197 women legislative members out of a total of 594 in its parliament and the representation for women stands at 33.2 per cent. India, the world's largest democracy, has a poorer ranking than expected. Women's representation in its lower house is a lowly 11 per cent with just 60 women in the 545-member house. The upper house then cuts a sorry figure with only 26 women out of 245 members at just 10.6 per cent.
Admittedly, women's representation in legislative bodies is some indication of their empowerment in society but this is certainly not the only criterion for measuring the extent of this vital socio-economic index. Nepalese society is traditionally influenced by its matriarchal values and ethos. Women there have an important place in families as they participate in income generation activities with little inhibition. In some ethnic pockets of India and Bangladesh, similar social mores and tradition get the upper hand although in terms of modern education those fringe societies are highly backward. What makes women's overall empowerment count is the spread of education at all levels of society and the gainful employment of all who qualify for jobs.
There is no guarantee that prime ministers, ministers and members of parliament alone can be a fair reflection of women's empowerment in society. There is a long way to go before the gender parity can be brought about even in the highly developed societies. Worldwide women's nominal wages are 17 per cent lower than men's. According to another estimate by the United Nations, if women's paid employment rate could be raised at the same level as men's, the US GDP would have been nine per cent higher, the Euro-zone's 13 per cent higher and Japan's as inflating as 16 per cent higher.
Statistics on issues like this are hard to come by in countries like Bangladesh. But the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2007 shows that 65 per cent of women aged between 15 and 49 were unemployed in the year prior to the survey. The situation may have improved a little over the past years but certainly not significantly to make a notable difference in women's income generation. However, there is every reason to think that the country's GDP growth would have been no less higher than the assumed average rate for the US, the Euro-zone and Japan. Women's participation in politics or for that matter representation in national parliament certainly has its benefit but contrast this with the fact that in some regions women provide 70 per cent of labour and produce 90 per cent of food and yet they go unrepresented in budget deliberations.
The number of women in challenging professions is certainly increasing with a minuscule few just starting to charting uncharted territories. This certainly is a positive trend. Breaking new ground surely gives girls and women confidence to emulate the feat. Yet it will take decades if not centuries for women to catch up with their male counterparts and be on a par with the latter on most counts of social indices. At a time when women are proving their academic excellence and professional skills, female body is grossly abused in advertisements, films and media in the name of art or for money spinning. Women's talent goes unrecognised. Such exercises are anachronistic by any standard.
In Bangladesh, one comfort zone for the nation is girls' education. Girls now outnumber boys in primary and secondary schools but unfortunately the rate of attendance still remains extremely low -53 per cent for girls and 46 per cent for boys. It is exactly the area where the government must concentrate in order to raise the level of education for the nation, irrespective of boys and girls. Now that there is a plan for making education free for girls up to the degree level, things stand to improve.
But at the same time, there has to be a sustained attempt to add quality to the current curriculum at the primary and secondary levels. A better educated population at the grass-roots level becomes empowered on its own. Now illiterate or semi-literate and unskilled migrant workers earn remittance for the country. It will go several times up if educated and skilled manpower go abroad with employment. When society becomes economically solvent backed by liberal education, it takes no time for women to get empowered.
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