Bangladesh: Gender Bangladesh: Gender Equality and Social Equality and Social TransformationTransformation

Maitreyi Bordia DasMaitreyi Bordia DasSouth Asia Sustainable Development DepartmentSouth Asia Sustainable Development DepartmentThe World BankThe World BankWashington DCWashington DC

First round victories and First round victories and second round challengessecond round challenges

PRSP as the starting pointPRSP as the starting pointBangladesh is an outlier in so many respects Bangladesh is an outlier in so many respects –– notably in health, education and the notably in health, education and the microcredit revolutionmicrocredit revolutionBut there are remaining areas But there are remaining areas –– of political of political participation and access to the formal participation and access to the formal sphere more generallysphere more generally

What do we have to add?What do we have to add?

Bangladesh has a been a virtual laboratory Bangladesh has a been a virtual laboratory in the area of policy research on in the area of policy research on gendergender……what could we add?what could we add?The context was a feeling that Bangladesh The context was a feeling that Bangladesh was veering towards conservatismwas veering towards conservatismCould we measure change over time?Could we measure change over time?Could we address issues of violence, Could we address issues of violence, participation and identify new areas of participation and identify new areas of challenge challenge empiricallyempirically??

The tussle between The tussle between norms and opportunitynorms and opportunity

Norms of seclusion (purdah) and son preference Norms of seclusion (purdah) and son preference have historically been blamed for poor outcomes for have historically been blamed for poor outcomes for women in South Asiawomen in South AsiaCould we measure norms?Could we measure norms?Are norms immutable? Or does opportunity mediate Are norms immutable? Or does opportunity mediate successfully? For instance, what do young garment successfully? For instance, what do young garment workers show us?workers show us?Can policy address norms or create incentives that Can policy address norms or create incentives that would change norms?would change norms?Classic tussle between whether behavior changes Classic tussle between whether behavior changes first or norms.first or norms.

Narrative of social changeNarrative of social change

Tracking change without a baseline is almost Tracking change without a baseline is almost impossibleimpossibleSo we adopted used a mix of innovative So we adopted used a mix of innovative survey methods survey methods –– quantitative national quantitative national survey and qualitative field work in addition survey and qualitative field work in addition to analyzing large national data setsto analyzing large national data setsIn terms of process we wanted to be relevant In terms of process we wanted to be relevant to government but also to lobbyists and to government but also to lobbyists and provide empirical evidence for further changeprovide empirical evidence for further changeSo our analysis is grounded in the national So our analysis is grounded in the national discoursediscourse

Focus of this presentationFocus of this presentation

Health and education have been written Health and education have been written about at length about at length –– we use the dramatic we use the dramatic growth in education as a hook to growth in education as a hook to understand other outcomesunderstand other outcomesFocus on change in norms and attitudesFocus on change in norms and attitudesIdentifying key areas of change and Identifying key areas of change and emerging challenges, with regional emerging challenges, with regional variationsvariations

EducationEducation

Enrollment rates doing well Enrollment rates doing well -- remaining remaining issues of quality, dropissues of quality, drop--out ratesout ratesOthers askOthers ask……how can we improve the quality how can we improve the quality of education, and we ask of education, and we ask –– what has what has education done to the social landscape?education done to the social landscape?Qualitative evidence Qualitative evidence –– ““nijer paaye danranonijer paaye danrano””and and ““ability to speakability to speak”…”….but also .but also compromising compromising ““lojjalojja”” and traditionand traditionButBut…….also changing norms regarding .also changing norms regarding education of sons and daughters education of sons and daughters –– pointers pointers for future demand and progressfor future demand and progress

Attitudes to equal education for girls and boysOr Sylheti women's yearning for education?

Source: World Bank staff estimates controlling for background characteristics (WBSGN 2006)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Dhaka(comparsion

division)

Barisal Chittagong Khulna Rajshahi Sylhet

Odd

s R

atio

s si

g at

.001

leve

l unl

ess

note

d

Older women (45-60) Younger Women (15-25) Men

sig.05

A yearning for

education?

Bangladesh: More women marrying men less educated than themSource: World Bank Gender Norms Survey 2006

44.534.3

46.8

29.4

8.6

36.3

0102030405060708090

100

Older women (45-60) Younger Women (15-25)

%

Women less educated Women equal educated Women more educated

Bangladesh: Attitudes to gender equalitySource: World Bank Gender Norms Survey 2006

0102030405060708090

100

Will consider living withdaughter

Will consider receivingfinancial help from

daughter

Women should have rightto divorce

Perc

ent

Older women (45-60) Younger women (15-25) Men

HealthHealthBangladesh: Progress in mortality faster than any comparator country

Source: Calculated from World Population Prospects 2004

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Absolute change in lifeexpectancy for men (in years)

Absolute change in lifeexpectancy for women (in

years)

Absolute change in IMR forboys (per 1000 births)

Absolute change in IMR forgirls (per 1000 births)

Bangladesh India Pakistan Less developed regions (e

14 14

43

23

87

0

20

40

60

80

100

AfghanistanBangladesh India Pakistan Sri Lanka

Percent births attended by skilled birth attendant in South Asia

Source: WDI 2005

Bangladesh: Trends in LFP by age-group 19995-96 to 2002-03Source: Das, 2006 based on LFS

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65 +

Age-group

Perc

ent i

n th

e LF

P

Female 1995-96Female 2002-03Male 1995-96Male 2002-03

Younger men's LFP decreasing

Younger women's LFP increasing

Dashed line is base 1995-96 and solid line 2002-03

Labor force participation Labor force participation

FLFP has doubled from 1995-2004 but still low at 26%

Dramatic rise in FLFPR in last decade, but levels are Dramatic rise in FLFPR in last decade, but levels are low compared even to SAR standardslow compared even to SAR standardsLow access to wage work in generalLow access to wage work in generalGrowth driven by community and service sectorGrowth driven by community and service sectorDynamic story with education leading to greater Dynamic story with education leading to greater participation participation –– different from India & West Bengaldifferent from India & West BengalBut poor women's access to employment limited But poor women's access to employment limited --largely explained by low importance of agr. in womenlargely explained by low importance of agr. in women’’s s employmentemployment……which affects structure of the casual labor market which affects structure of the casual labor market --women have a disadvantage at both entry and wageswomen have a disadvantage at both entry and wages

Changing labor marketChanging labor market

Violence: A serious Violence: A serious hindrance to developmenthindrance to development

But measuring violence is But measuring violence is difficultdifficult

Not only is it difficult to say if violence is on the rise Not only is it difficult to say if violence is on the rise but its even difficult to measure its prevalencebut its even difficult to measure its prevalenceViolence is associated with a number of negative Violence is associated with a number of negative consequences on health and wellconsequences on health and well--being of women being of women and the familyand the familyAlso, its not just women who experience Also, its not just women who experience violenceviolence…….but here we address only violence .but here we address only violence against womenagainst womenBy international comparisons, Bangladeshi women By international comparisons, Bangladeshi women tend to condone violence more and do not seek tend to condone violence more and do not seek help as oftenhelp as often

Empirical resultsEmpirical results

Women say they have experienced violence Women say they have experienced violence lessless often than men say they have been often than men say they have been violent (both in our survey and DHS)violent (both in our survey and DHS)Qualitative evidence seems to suggest that Qualitative evidence seems to suggest that violence is on the declineviolence is on the declineWomen who condone violent behavior also Women who condone violent behavior also seem much less likely to say they have seem much less likely to say they have experienced violenceexperienced violenceAt the divisional level too, regions where At the divisional level too, regions where womenwomen’’s attitudes condone violence also s attitudes condone violence also show low perception of insecurity show low perception of insecurity

Perceptions of insecurityPerceptions of insecurity

Dowry: the new Dowry: the new preoccupationpreoccupation

Marriage is universal Marriage is universal and stableand stableAge at marriage is Age at marriage is changing very slowlychanging very slowlyBut it does not seem to But it does not seem to have hampered other have hampered other trendstrendsThe new preoccupation The new preoccupation of girls and the their of girls and the their families is dowryfamilies is dowry 7.7

46.4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

%

Older women (45-60) Younger women (15-25)

Bangladesh: The practice of dowry has increased over timeSource: World Bank Gender Norms Survey 2006

(based on whether dowry worth Tk500 or above was paid)

Assets: Ingrained cultural issues and Assets: Ingrained cultural issues and changechange

Bangladesh: Women's access to propertySource: World Bank Gender Norms Survey 2006

38.7

15.911.92.7

0102030405060708090

100

Parental property: Denied or voluntaritygiven up

Marital property: Name on homesteadownership/rental papers

Older women (45-60)

Younger women (15-25)

Political participationPolitical participation

Reservation of seats in local governmentsReservation of seats in local governmentsStructure of reservations is Structure of reservations is ““flawedflawed”” in that in that it does not give those elected through the it does not give those elected through the quotas the same rights as those elected quotas the same rights as those elected Participation in informal processes like Participation in informal processes like shalish shalish –– access to conflict resolution access to conflict resolution emerges as an important demandemerges as an important demand

WhatWhat’’s the big picture?s the big picture?

Far reaching changes in Bangladesh Far reaching changes in Bangladesh -- both structural both structural and culturaland culturalMany cultural practices are being renegotiated or are Many cultural practices are being renegotiated or are reinventing themselvesreinventing themselvesSome positive changes have perhaps led to Some positive changes have perhaps led to ““second second generationgeneration”” issues issues Remaining Remaining ““first generationfirst generation”” issues like maternal and issues like maternal and child mortally, access to markets, assets and formal child mortally, access to markets, assets and formal spaces can significantly change outcomes for womenspaces can significantly change outcomes for womenThere is both intrinsic and instrumental value in There is both intrinsic and instrumental value in addressing these as part of the broader development addressing these as part of the broader development agenda for Bangladeshagenda for Bangladesh

Next Steps: Access to Next Steps: Access to markets, better services and markets, better services and ““spacesspaces””

From the informal to formalFrom the informal to formalCredit, land, labor marketsCredit, land, labor marketsPolitical participationPolitical participationDecisionDecision--makingmakingAccess to justiceAccess to justice