Women are more victims of corruption than men in the country's five service sectors, which is working as an impediment to women empowerment here, a survey of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) revealed on Wednesday.
The TIB household survey included five sectors - education, local government, power, NGO, and labour and migration.
According to the survey result, in education sector, 24.60 per cent women are victims of corruption, while it is 21.40 per cent in case of men.
In local government sector, 34.50 per cent women are victims, while it is 27.40 per cent for men.
In power sector, 21.80 per cent and 17.80 per cent women and men are victims respectively.
In NGO sector, 5.10 per cent women and 4.60 per cent men are victims of corruption.
In labour and migration sector, 85.70 per cent women and 76.90 per cent men are victims.
These were revealed during an orientation programme titled 'Role of Women Journalists in the Social Movement Against Corruption' at TIB conference room in the capital.
TIB organised it to observe International Women's Day 2015, highlighting how women are being affected by corruption and how female media personnel can effectively play their role in social movement against corruption.
TIB executive director (ED) Iftekharuzzaman delivered welcome speech at the programme, where its deputy ED Sumaiya Khair, research and policy director Rafiqul Hasan, and civic engagement director Uma Chowdhury were also present. Thirty-two female journalists of various media participated in it.
In his speech, Mr Iftekharuzzaman said corruption and women empowerment are interconnected. Corruption blocks women empowerment, while powerlessness of women works as a helpful force for corruption. Women are victims of most of the corruption in society.
"Corruption is not a problem of Bangladesh only, rather it is a global issue. In the developing countries the phenomenon is high, which works as a major obstacle to social and economic progress."
Corruption movement has supply and demand side. Various institutions in public sector are the supply side, and common people and media are the demand side, who should protest and prevent corruption, he also said.
Four major elements in preventing corruption are - political willingness of ruling party, bringing perpetrators to justice, proper role of institutions given with responsibilities, and cooperation from common people and media, the TIB ED added.
According to TIB data, more than 500 women work in media in Bangladesh, which is only five per cent of the total employees in the sector.
In 2011, the number of female employees in media was more than 300, in 2010 it was more than 150, in 1997 it was 60, in 1987 it was 34, and in 1979 it was 12.
TIB outreach and communication director Rizwan-ul-Alam and manager (gender) Kazi Shafiqur Rahman made two presentations in the programme.
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