Women empowerment: A new trend in Bangladesh

The country which was treated as an 'underdog' after it got it's much debated and hard fought Independence in 1971, is today one of the models of 'international development' lauded by the west and knighted by the experts. One of the only few countries which is on course to achieve its goals of eradicating poverty, providing healthcare and uplifting the status of women by 2015, is a lesson in making for other third world developing countries across the globe. With the economy growing at a rate of approximately six per cent on a constant basis and fiscal measures by the country being lauded by economists the world over, Bangladesh has been constantly on a progressive path to success. Although the country has forever been affected by the vagaries of nature, it is the resilience of the people of the country that has paved the way for the country to grow substantially and make steady progress in various fields like a stable global credit rating, increased exports, telecommunication revolution, pharmaceuticals, space research and domestic industry conglomeration. With the government aiming to achieve its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which includes better living facilities for its citizens in four years' time, it is imminent that the country which still faces a grave challenge for the equitable rights of women, who still prefer to stick to their routine life of taking care of their households, needs measures to help uplift their status. A silver lining to the cause in recent years has been the gradually transforming social mentality which has acknowledged the increasing awareness of women's productive roles and their contribution to development. With more and more women coming out of their 'social veils', one can see women in Bangladesh now actively participating in political decision-making and taking part in education, sports, science and technology, media activities, art and culture, service sectors and more. Also heartening is the fact that these women have now started to realise their worth in the society and have started to attach more significance to matters of knowledge accretion and economic contribution which can be gauged from the dipping fertility rates across the country and increasing literacy rates amongst women, even from traditional divisions of the country. With more development measures, reforms and fund channelisation happening in developed pockets across cities like Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna, the poorer districts like Barisal and others are still to be benefited by this socio-economic windfall. One way to effect this change can be to increase participation of the womenfolk into social catalysts like public administration, providing economic stability through small-scale employment and engaging them in decision-making of the household. Quite recently, women's increasing participation as labour force and significant role of pressure groups and mass media has started a new wave of women empowerment in Bangladesh wherein the role of private sector, involvement of non-government organisations (NGOs) and foreign development organisations, favourable governmental policies and representation of women in politics has improved the educational, familial and socio-economic status of women. Women who were home bound have now started coming together out of their homes for meetings, going to banks and even approaching government officials for their civil rights. Their negotiation skills have developed, awareness in terms of health, hygiene and legal rights has increased and the quality of life has been positively impacted. All these growth signs are the clarion call of a dedicated female emancipation movement where with better awareness, women have starting taking up leadership roles and have, in their social structure started helping people in their community. In the pursuit of self-dependence, traditional women are now looking at alternate career options and thus are getting inclined towards the direct selling industry. This industry which had played a vital role in improving the socio- economic state of women across the boundaries can strongly emerge as the alternative career option for women in Bangladesh as well. The direct selling industry which gives the opportunity to become independent alongside the much needed flexibility of working hours for the homemaker, can also act as an impetus for the wobbly domestic economic infrastructure of the nation while injecting a much needed dosage of confidence in the Bangladeshi woman of today. While quoting lines by Louisa May Alcott, "When women are the advisor, the Lords of creation don't take the advice till they have persuaded themselves that it is just what they intended to do; then they act upon it and if it succeeds, they give the weaker vessel half the credit of it; if fails, they generously give herself the whole", it is imperative to say that, to change the outlook of the society, it is essential to uplift the status of women. The writer is the Managing Director of Tupperware Indian Subcontinent She can be reavhed at e-mail: AshaGupta@tupperware.com