The New Nation - Internet Edition

Taskina Yeasmin

Hasina Akhter Nainu, 32, a development worker, lives in Dhaka city's Khilgaon area. Her office hours are from 9 am to 5 pm. She has to wake up at 6 in the morning to do domestic works. Nainu is lucky as she gets help from her working husband, but only on holidays. Her husband also extends his helping hands on those days when he returns home early. He even does the cooking on weekends.

MA Hanif of Mirpur also shares household works with her working wife. First thing in the morning Hanif arranges is a rickshaw for the children to go to school. Then, he does some housekeeping. Although he and his wife do the weekly shopping together, Hanif does light shopping everyday. After returning home at night, he teaches the children. Hanif says his wife does 60 percent of the household works and he does the rest.

Most women in Bangladesh spend more time in household works. Conventional thinking is that earning money by men is more important than doing household errands by women. The financial or social worth of the labour exerted by women in domestic works is hardly taken into account.

Take the instance of Ishrat, a housewife of Kalyanpur. Her hubby barely does any household works. She says, "I do all the works from dawn to midnight cleaning his shoes, mopping floors and looking after children. He only does the shopping on his way back home. He can help me in household works if he wants to. But, his mentality is 'I'm a man. Why shall I do the domestic works'?"

Ihsrat goes on: "I work all day long. Despite that my mother-in-law complains that her son is not taken care of well. But she is not at all concerned about me. So, I think, first of all the change of mentality is essential."

In 1993, a United Nation report highlighted the contribution of women. It showed the market price of the products produced and consumed in families is US$ 16 trillion. Of this, women produce products worth US$ 11 trillion. It says 10-65 percent of the total products in the world are produced in domestic works done by women. But, this value is not calculated.

A UN survey in 1990 shows that the national income of a country will be increased by 30 percent if the cost of domestic works done by women is taken into account and included in it. Different studies in western countries on domestic labour show that 80 percent of the household works are done by women. In developing countries, women on average spend 7-9 hours on collecting water and firewood.

Another UN survey shows working women work 8 hours a week for only their husbands while the working husbands hardly work more than half an hour a week for their working wives. Working women have to spend 30 hours a week to look after families while non-working females have to spend 40 hours.

In Bangladesh, the discrimination between men and women in household works is even greater. Seventy-seven percent of women are considered as housewives and they spend 200 days a year in family activities. On the other hand, other members of the family spend only 100 days. The contribution of a female to domestic works is 64 percent while a male's contribution is 36 percent.According to a study by Hunger Project, 46 percent of the poor women work in different organizations, 60-70 percent work as farm labourers, while 80-90 percent garment workers are women. But, it is assumed that only 23 percent of the national income is earned by females.

Dr Gitiara Nasreen, a professor of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University, says, "There is no doubt that both indoor and outdoor errands are imposed on women. Doing domestic work is a full-time job. Over the years the participation of women in outdoor activities has increased significantly. But, men have not come up to help their wives in domestic works. The participation of men in household activities is even decreasing."

She blames chauvinism for the discrimination between men and women in doing household works.

Fawzia Khanam, a teacher of Dhaka University's Women Studies, says, "It's actually a matter of social attitude. Our social norms are separating the works of men and women. Children are raised with an impression that boys will only work outside while girls will do the household works. We'll have to get rid of this impression."

She also says, "Then again we are imposing double burden on women in the name of freedom of women. Referring to women's economic freedom they are made to earn in addition to domestic works. To address this problem, we'll have to get out of the conventional male-dominated system. And, males will have to be more conscious in this regard. There should also be changes in legal, political and social systems. Women will have to come out of 'good wife or good wife role model'. If we move forward through understanding change is possible."

"These days men even cook food in some families. And it has been possible due to understanding," Fawzia added.

Shahin Rahman, director, Gender and Development Centre of Steps Towards Development, says, "Apart from being father and mother all works are replaceable. But, the male-dominated social system has created the division in doing household works. Men are not participating in the household works to the extent women are going out and taking part in development activities. As a result, an imbalance is being created. "

He further says, "Time is changing fast and the change in this conventional attitude is inevitable. If men don't come up to address the issue, there will be a conflict in the society. We'll have to free ourselves from this unjust labour sharing. The state can play a bigger role in this regard by creating various opportunities. The whole society should come forward to bring this change."

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