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Women Empowerment Course Overview

  • Course Title: Women Empowerment

  • Lecturer: Nadiah Shams

  • Course in-charge: Nadiah Shams

  • Affiliation: Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS)

  • Session Type: Lecture 2

Course Objectives

  • Participants should be able to:

    • Understand Economic Development

    • Recognize the Benefits of Women’s Economic Empowerment

    • Explore the World of Work

    • Review Worldwide Programs supporting women

    • Examine Women’s Economic Development in Bangladesh

    • Identify Current Programs in Bangladesh

Economic Development

  • Definition:

    • Process that improves economic, political, and social well-being.

    • Indicates progress and qualitative measures in an economy.

    • Involves technology adoption and shifts from agriculture to industry.

  • Key Features:

    • Health improvements, living standards, and overall population welfare.

    • Involves enhancing individuals' wealth, education, housing, and healthcare access.

Relation Between Women Empowerment and Economic Development

  • Linkage:

    • Women’s empowerment drives economic development and vice versa.

  • UN Findings:

    • Countries investing in health, family planning, and education achieve slower population growth and faster economic growth.

  • Goals for Empowerment:

    1. Build robust economies.

    2. Establish stable and equitable societies.

    3. Meet international development goals.

    4. Improve overall quality of life.

    5. Advance business operations and success.

Benefits of Women’s Economic Empowerment

  • Importance:

    • Crucial for achieving gender equality and women's rights.

  • Components:

    • Equal market participation, resource control, access to decent work, agency in decision-making.

  • Sustainable Development Goals Connection:

    • Aligns with Goal 5 (gender equality), Goal 8 (decent work), etc.

  • Economic Growth Impact:

    • Increased women’s participation boosts productivity and economic diversity.

Educational Attainment & Economic Empowerment

  • Contribution:

    • Higher educational attainment leads to greater economic empowerment.

  • Focus Areas:

    • Ongoing education, up-skilling, and adapting to job market changes.

  • National Economic Growth:

    • Education enhances labor force productivity and overall national income.

Barriers in the World of Work

  • Legal Restrictions:

    • 2.7 billion women face job restrictions globally.

    • Many economies have laws hindering women's job opportunities.

  • Participation Rates:

    • Women's labor force participation is significantly lower than men's.

  • Unemployment Trends:

    • Women experience higher unemployment rates compared to men.

  • Disproportionate Unpaid Work:

    • Women engage in 2.5 times more unpaid care work.

Gender Wage Gap

  • Statistics:

    • Women earn 77% of what men earn (23% gap).

    • Motherhood wage penalty increases with the number of children.

Unpaid Care Work Recognition

  • Economic Contribution:

    • Unpaid work valued at 10-39% of GDP globally.

    • Women face barriers to financial access; only 58% have bank accounts.

Social Protection Gaps

  • Access Issues:

    • Nearly 40% of women in wage employment lack social protection.

    • Digital divide hampers access for women, especially in rural areas.

Violence and Harassment in the Workplace

  • Impact:

    • Significant costs to the economy due to workplace violence against women.

Entrepreneurship and Leadership Challenges

  • Trends:

    • Women’s entrepreneurial activity lags significantly behind men's.

    • Representation in leadership roles is minimal (5% of Fortune 500 CEOs being women).

Worldwide Programs for Women’s Economic Empowerment

  • Investment Importance:

    • Essential for gender equality and inclusive economic growth.

  • Capacity Building:

    • UN Women supports programs that enhance women’s economic participation.

    • Focus on decent jobs, asset accumulation, and public policy influence.

Women’s Economic Development in Bangladesh

  • Poverty Impact:

    • Disproportionate effects on women and girls due to cultural norms.

  • Role in Solutions:

    • Women's contributions are vital for economic development.

    • Empowered women influence family and community positively through income reinvestment.

Government Programs in Bangladesh

  • Budget Allocations:

    • Historic funding for women’s development in the FY19 budget.

  • Key Allocations:

    • Tk100 crore for Women's Entrepreneurship Fund, Tk25 crore for Women's Special Development Fund.

  • BRAC Initiatives:

    • Focus on empowering women in rural areas through education and livelihoods.