Women in Bangladesh

Women in Bangladesh
	Begum Rokeya was a pioneer writer and a social worker of the undivided Bengal. She is most famous for her efforts in favour of gender equality and other social issues.
General Statistics
Maternal mortality (per 100,000)	176 (2015)
Women in parliament	20.3% (2018)
Women over 25 with secondary education	45.3% (2018)
Women in labour force	36.0% (2018)
Gender Inequality Index
Value	0.530 (2021)
Rank	131st out of 191
Global Gender Gap Index
Value	0.714 (2022)
Rank	71st out of 146

The status of women in Bangladesh has been subject to many important changes over the past few centuries. Bangladeshi women have made significant progress since the country's independence in 1971, where women in the region experienced increased political empowerment for women, better job prospects, increased opportunities of education and the adoption of new laws to protect their rights through Bangladesh's policies in the last four decades. Still, women in Bangladesh continue to struggle to achieve equal status to men due to societal norms that enforce restrictive gender roles as well as poor implementation of laws that were set to protect women.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has achieved remarkable success in promoting the rights of women. Her efforts in the realm of women's empowerment and gender equality are frequently regarded as a model for other nations.^[3]

The Government of Bangladesh has mandated the reservation of at least 33% of all committee positions for women.^[4] Within the Parliament, there is one whip, two chairpersons, and several members of standing committees who are women. Presently, the national parliament boasts 20 elected female representatives, and an additional 50 seats are exclusively reserved for women. Consequently, the total count of women serving as members of the National Parliament amounts to 70.^[4]

In legal matters, Bangladesh follows a mixed system, predominantly of common law inherited from its colonial past as well as some Islamic laws that mostly concern personal status issues. Politically, women have been comparatively prominent in the sphere: since 1988 the Prime Ministers elected were women, and the current Prime Minister, Speaker of Parliament, and the Leader of the Opposition are women as well as of 2020. To ensure the well-being and progress of women, the government has implemented and revised several laws, establishing institutions and formulating targeted policies. These efforts aim to safeguard women's interests and create an environment conducive to their empowerment. By introducing gender-sensitive policies and programs, the government strives to enable women to play a vital role in society and actively contribute to development as empowered agents.^[5]

The budget allocated for gender-related initiatives in the fiscal year 2023-24 amounts to Tk175,350.5 crore. Out of this total, 58.4% is designated for empowering women and enhancing their social dignity, 33.5% is allocated for expanding women's access to public services, and 8.1% is dedicated to improving women's productivity and participation in the labor force.^[6] Enhanced engagement of women in socio-economic and political endeavors has led to noteworthy advancements in gender parity across all sectors within Bangladesh. For the second consecutive year, Bangladesh has claimed the foremost position in gender equality among South Asian nations, as affirmed by the Gender Gap Index. Notably, the country has effectively bridged 73% of its comprehensive gender gap, as indicated by the Global Gender Gap Index of 2020. During the period spanning 1996 to 2017, the national female labor force participation rate escalated from 15.8% to 36.3%, surpassing the South Asian average of 35%.^[7]

^ "Human Development Report 2021/2022" (PDF). HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORTS. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
^ "Global Gender Gap Report 2022" (PDF). World Economic Forum. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
^ "The Empowerment of Women in Bangladesh: Not Just Rhetoric". Institute of South Asian Studies. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Commitment Gender Equality and Women Empowerment" (PDF). Ministry of Women and Children Affairs. May 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
^ "The Empowerment of Women in Bangladesh: Not Just Rhetoric". Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. 12 August 2020. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
^ "Budget FY24: Gender allocation to focus on empowerment". Dhaka Tribune. 1 June 2023. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
^ "What milestones have Bangladesh crossed in 50 years". Centre for Research and Information. 26 March 2021. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2023.

[1] "Human Development Report 2021/2022" (PDF). HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORTS. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.

[2] "Global Gender Gap Report 2022" (PDF). World Economic Forum. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2023.

[3] "The Empowerment of Women in Bangladesh: Not Just Rhetoric". Institute of South Asian Studies. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.

[mowca-4] "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Commitment Gender Equality and Women Empowerment" (PDF). Ministry of Women and Children Affairs. May 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.

[5] "The Empowerment of Women in Bangladesh: Not Just Rhetoric". Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. 12 August 2020. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.

[6] "Budget FY24: Gender allocation to focus on empowerment". Dhaka Tribune. 1 June 2023. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.

[7] "What milestones have Bangladesh crossed in 50 years". Centre for Research and Information. 26 March 2021. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2023.

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