In Bangladesh, over the years, there have been many note-worthy developments in gender equality. Within the younger, more aware, generation, the status of women has certainly advanced. Even though our society still stands as a patriarchal one, with gender roles strictly defined, the progress our country has made over the last decade in empowering women is commendable.
In modern Bangladesh, women understand the value of contributing to the work-force and comprehend the holistic independence that it brings along. Our society is slowly transforming into one that allows and expects a woman to earn a living. Today, the idea of women joining the work-force is synonymous with freedom, self-dependence, and self-sufficiency.
The definition of being a woman in our country is shifting from simply being a fair-skinned beauty to being individuals of substance. It revolves around the work women do, the causes they believe in, and the way they carry themselves. The positive changes in the average mind-set has initiated a career man to prefer a career woman.
The working class within the younger generation understands the value of shared responsibilities of a marriage, in financial and emotional terms. Parents and in-laws have grown to be more compliant, and most even recognise the importance of a woman participating in the work-force far better than before.
At the same time, there remains a substantial fraction of society that unfortunately associates women with jobs as being head-strong, over-achieving, and exclusively career-oriented. Being career-focused or family-focused should not be perceived as gender-specific phenomena, they are individual choices. On the bright side, at present, Bangladeshi women who work have the capacity, competency, and stamina to successfully manage both family and work. And they are doing so without adequate assistance.
While our society has embraced the idea of shared financial responsibility, the patriarchal anchor still withdraws men from assisting with household work or caring for children. With duties being strictly defined for men and women, our society is still reluctant to broaden its mind when it comes to the equal sharing of perceived female-specific responsibilities.
Due to certain societal propaganda against career women, lack of access to opportunities, the mental and physical strength required to manage both family and work, many women with promising career opportunities tend to resign. As a result, in the competitive field, board meetings and leading positions usually lack women on the seats.
Safety at work and on the roads is also an issue which requires attention. Lack of safety on the roads is one of the predominant reasons that hinders women from achieving their full potential. At the same time, we still tend to raise an eyebrow when a more qualified wife receives a higher pay than a husband. Somehow, disappointingly, whether a woman should work is a decision not entirely up to her, but which rests on her family or her husband and in-laws.
Over the last decade, certain measures taken by the government and many NGOs have improved the state of women in Bangladesh substantially. Women have more legal rights, enhanced economic independence, and increased empowerment.
Today, there is a significant rise in the number of women in the workplace. Women are more aware of their rights and opportunities. Even though there have been praise-worthy transformations, it is still an on-going process. More focus and development work is required, especially in terms of changing the conventional societal mind-set towards women joining the workforce, along with the need for stronger workplace rights and safety.
Regrettably, our society still has a long way to go. Women in our country face stumbling blocks every day, which, as human beings, they shouldn’t. Gender-specific roles still deeply haunt us in our strongly patriarchal culture.
As a society, we need to learn to value, appreciate, and understand the importance of a woman’s contribution to the economic and social system. Only then will we sincerely work towards making our country a better place for them to reach their full potential and achieve a balanced work-to-family life. And as we do so, our country will reach greater heights, both economically and socially.