The country has been witnessing a gradual decline in women micro-entrepreneurs as their percentage had fallen to 13.25% in the last two years from 43.37% some ten years back, mostly due to social-cultural aspects.
The observation was unveiled by a report – Economic Justice for Women – jointly conducted by Steps Towards Development and World Vision at CIRDAP auditorium in the capital yesterday.
The report also observed that social-cultural aspects place barriers before women entrepreneurs to work full time at their business, while patriarchal social norms force them to ensure timely procurement of inputs. The report also shows how mobile phone technology for communication and financial transactions made significant positive impact on women’ participation to the economy.
The study documented interviews of a total of 83 women small business owners and 119 labourers, which consisted of 51 males and 68 females, in eight different locations in eight districts of the country to analyse access to market, fair wage and property right from a woman’s perspective.
The survey further showed that of the 202 respondents, only 29% women had private property either through inheritance and/ or through purchase, 20% women had no property where 1% had their own property but not under their disposal. The survey also showed wage discrimination based on gender where 32% of the women received less then Tk100 per day, 61% received Tk100 to Tk200 and only 7% received Tk200 to Tk400, when 56% men received Tk200 to Tk400 for the same work.
“It is hard for the government to change the total mentality towards women immediately. Women accept whatever happens with them and are not clearly aware of their rights. Due to religious fears, they opt not to fight for their rights. So, we also have to work on this issue,” said State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroz Chumki.
Other speakers at the programme emphasised on security at workplaces, declaration of the National Minimum Wage to reduce gender-based wage discrimination and reducing household work burdens for women so that they can participate in economic development.
Chhobi Biswas MP, Ain O Shalish Kendra Executive Director Sultana Kamal, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad President Ayesha Khanom, Professor M M Akash, Economist Harun Rashid, and representatives from different organisations also addressed the programme, among others.