The New Nation - Internet Edition

Women often face problem for delayed marriage

Sebika Debnath

Sukrity Dutta, a brilliant student of Dhaka Universitys Mass Communication and Journalism Department, is under tremendous pressure to get married. But, she doesn't want to marry before she joins a good job after university.

"In fact, Ive been under pressure since my admission to the university and now Im facing a mounting pressure. Though my parents understand my feelings a little bit, our relatives arent ready to accept it that a girl can delay her marriage," says Sukrity.

"Are marriage, family and children everything in women's lives? Dont they have any other role to play? Ive decided to not to merry until I become self-reliant. Many of those who are insisting me to get married wont be there when Ill be in trouble,'' a defiant Sukrity says.

She goes on: "After my university, I want to join a good job. I want to prove my worth. There is a plenty of time to think about marriage, family and children.

Shimul Biswas, a fourth-year student of National University, also says she is not in a hurry for marriage. "My parents want to marry me off. Now I have to live in Dhaka, away from my family, due to my education. Whenever I go back home, my parents and close relatives exert pressure on me to get married. But I don't like this," she says.

"Sometimes my relatives want to blackmail me emotionally. I try to make them understand that those days are over when girls used to be married off at an early age. Due to my refusal to marry, I have to eat such bad remarks," Shimul says.

Shimul further says, "Sometimes I think had I been a boy my parents would have put pressure on me to marry before getting self-reliant. This attitude towards girls should go. Given a chance, girls can prove that they are worthy elements in the society.''

Like Sukrity and Shimul, many women want to marry late, as they are more concerned about their economic emancipation than getting married.

Nihar Ranjan Sarker, head of Psychology Department at the Dhaka University, says, "Women are now interested in education, which is certainly a good sign for the country. They want to be self-reliant by proving their worth. Late marriage also contributes to population control and helps save women from diseases caused by having children at an early age.''

"Women will have to play a powerful role. And cooperation from families is absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, the situation in villages is even worse than towns. Girls seldom get the opportunity to establish themselves due to many practical reasons. The change of mentality is essential to address the issue," he says.

Advocate Masuda Rehana Begum, a senior official of Bangladesh Mohila Parishad, says, "The insecurity of women is no more a problem for them. In fact, it has become a national problem. Every woman has to be aware about her own rights. A woman will have to take herself to such a stage where no one will be able to impose anything on her."

Dhaka University law professor Dr Liakat Ali Siddique says women are trying to prove their worth with their increased participation in the economy. It is essential for women to get married within a certain age, as they can't have children after that.

But, if the government provides them special privileges in higher education and jobs, women will become more confident and will not suffer from uncertainty about their lives. Under no circumstances, women should be pressured for getting married early.

Dr Atiqur Rahman, a professor of Dhaka University's Social Welfare and Research Institute, says: Although it is the basic right of every person to take decision about his or her life, women in Bangladesh have no liberty to decide about their marriage. Women have no say in this male-dominated society. Women are cheated everywhere. And the countrys present culture is responsible for this. So, a positive change is desperately needed.

Asked how to change this, he says, "Such an old culture can't be changed overnight. It has to be done gradually. The rights of women have to be ensured by the state. In education and jobs, women will have to be given priorities. There should be more quotas for them, if necessary.''

"We need to keep in mind that women are our assets. Forced marriage is a kind of state offence. Families, the government and most importantly women themselves will have to be aware about that," he added.

Dhaka University teacher Sanjida Akhter says the issue of depriving women of taking decisions should not be taken lightly. Those who are trying to establish themselves overcoming all the obstacles deserve all the assistance.

She also says that a significant change in the education system is needed to reduce the session jam and it help women find jobs and start family life a lot earlier. In case of higher education, quota system can be introduced for women. Women organizations and media should play a stronger role for the welfare of women.

Due to delayed marriage, many think, women face problems like conceiving, difficulties in giving birth and raising children. Even there is a possibility of not having children at all.

Dr Bilkis Begum of Dhaka Medical College Hospital agrees with that and says, "Definitely, it's a good sign that our girls are trying to empower themselves. But it has to be mentioned that conceiving before the age of 30 is considered risk-free while after 30 it is a bit risky. Women having babies at an older age are vulnerable to many diseases. Their babies may also suffer from certain diseases.''

Job opportunity changes women's status in China

Ajitha Menon

The Spring City Golf Club and Lake Resort, near Kunming in China is consistently voted among the world's 100 best golf destinations. And that's not just because of its excellent facilities but also because of its amazing service - which includes 250 world-class caddies, all of them women.

As any golfer will tell you, a caddie can make or break the player's game. The women caddies at Spring City Golf Club earn full praise from their clients for their efficiency and knowledge of the two courses. "I hire Ivy Li as my caddie whenever I play here. Her knowledge about the course is phenomenal and I often depend on her valuable insights for improving my game," says Bada Grey, an American golfer, who comes down to the club every month from Beijing for a game.

"The club has a mountain course designed by Jack Nicklaus and a lake course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. All of us here know the lay of these courses like the back of our hand and often offer helpful tips to the players," says Ivy, 27, from Tiazhi village.

China has around 350 world-class golf clubs, which employ over 70,000 women caddies. For the women themselves, this employment opportunity has brought about a socio-economic revolution.

"All of us come from the villages surrounding this 500-hectare golf resort. Our family income was from farming, which was often uncertain. But now my monthly salary of RNB 2,000 (US$1 = RNB 6.8) and tips from clients at the Spring City Golf Club has brought economic stability for my parents and siblings," says Amy Zhao, 27, also of Tiazhi village. Amy is sponsoring the schooling of her younger brother and saving for a foreign language course.

"The women started here from nothing. The average annual profit of rural farming families hereabouts is only around US$100 - from the cultivation of maize, paddy and vegetables like beans. Their existence was hand-to-mouth.

Most of them worked as daily labourers for a wage of US$2 during the construction of the golf club," says Arthur Yeo, General Manager, Spring City Golf Club. The management decided to utilise this human resource and hired the women as caddies when the Club opened in 1998. They underwent a rigorous training of six months. "We were taught to drive the battery-operated golf buggies, identify the clubs, learn how to care for them, learn also about the course and the game itself, like rules, placing the ball, etc," says Carmen Ly, 28, of Qujing village. Carmen and her husband, a cook in Kunming, have saved and built a concrete house in their village now. They have a two-year-old son, looked after by Carmen's parents when the couple is at work.

Because of their poor economic background, most of these women did not have proper social habits. Many did not bathe for days and personal hygiene was poor. "I know that some clients initially complained to the management that we smell. We were then provided separate washrooms at the club where we bathe as soon as we report for work and then change into our uniforms laundered here," says Susan Yang, 25, who hails from Chao Jian village. "Now I have introduced similar hygienic practices at home. I have built a proper washroom and we all wear well-washed clothes," she adds proudly. Improvement in economic and social standards has also aroused ambition in the women. Mimi Zhao, 22, of Tiazhi village, joined as caddie for RNB 1,500 just two years after finishing school.

"I plan to go to Yunnan University to major in English, which my farmer parents cannot afford. I get good tips here and salary hikes are regular. By working here for about five years, I can not only improve the economic standing of my family, but also save enough for my course fees," says Zhao with conviction.

Even though most women from the surrounding villages had school-level education, there were no prospects other than joining the farming activities along with family members or waiting at tables in Kunming city for a poor salary. There was no scope for bettering themselves. Now, if nothing else, they can even make caddying a profession. Many girls have moved on to other golf courses across the country with salary hikes.

"I worked as caddie for Mr Yeo, the General Manager for a couple of years, saved money and went for a Thai language course. I returned here to be closer home. But now I work at a higher salary in the front office of the Club and act as interpreter for Thai golfers," points out Angel Tang, 29, from Yang Tian Cun village. "Even when I worked as a caddie here I felt it had more dignity and social standing than working as a waitress in the city," she declares.

"I am putting my 17-year-old younger sister through school right now. In a couple of years I will go for a teachers' training course myself. I am sure that with so many families shifting into these villas here, nurseries and schools will come up along with other businesses. I hope to find a job as a teacher here then," says Eileen Mo, 24, from Yang Tian Cun village.

Families from countries such as Thailand, Korea, Japan, the US, Malaysia and Singapore are regular visitors to the golfing and spa facilities. The caddies know that retaining these contacts can help them considerably in the future. "Most of the girls come here to work for two to three years. Then they go on for higher education or languages and secretarial courses. They know that good relations with these families could get them job offers as au pairs, assistants, interpreters or teachers abroad," says Angel Tang, one of the oldest staff members at the resort.

As for the game itself, most women caddies have developed a passion for it. "We encourage them to play regularly during off season. We provide the equipment. We believe a caddie who knows the game can be of better service and more useful for the selection of clubs when the golfer plays," says Arthur Yea, General Manager, Spring City Golf Club. "Under normal circumstances, we could not even dream of being on a course or using these fine clubs. Some of us even contemplate turning professional," admits Ivy.

Golf is known as the game of the elite but by providing employment to such a huge number of women, golf courses in China have expanded choices for rural folk.

Emerging women micro-entrepreneurs

Md. Mahbubur Rahman Bulbul

Bangladesh has created a number of women micro-entrepreneurs whose are highly benefited by a big financial support of ASA. ASA is the one class MFI in the world for their cost-effective model. Many countries of the world are taking as a role model of ASA's MFI program for poverty alleviation in their won country.

Bangladesh is a Model country of Micro credit in the world. It has been proved every time. Micro credit could help millions of poor women to become self-dependent and to support own family and employees working in their projects. Micro credit has created a class of micro entrepreneurs in Bangladesh and it is gratifying to find that women make up a part of that number. In Bangladesh, there are many successful shops, production house and farms owned and managed by women. Some launch a business project to uplift their economic status, while others venture into the business arena to do 'something different' or 'something differently' and importantly, worthwhile for society. Women Entrepreneurs are making their presence felt in rural areas too. Village women mainly start business in the struggle for survival, but with a little support from microfinance institution (MFI) supported by their NGOs and social welfare organizations, they can go beyond the subsistence level and make healthy profits from their thriving business activities. These women innovate and change the production function- the fundamental attributes of an Entrepreneur.

Because, they have modest resources, they are known as micro entrepreneurs; however, they discover new sources of supply of inputs and new markets, just like any other entrepreneurs. There are big MFIs in Bangladesh whose are playing vital role for creating a huge number of women micro entrepreneurs and empowerment of Women by their micro finance assistance. Among them- ASA, BRAC, GRAMIN Bank are very popular and effective MFI in Bangladesh.

ASA is one of them who is the largest MFI in the world. ASA provides number of six loan products in Bangladesh very successfully. All loan products are very effective and successful for building-up women empowerment and women micro entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. Men and women, both are highest benefited from ASA's loan program. Now in Bangladesh, ASA provides their microfinance program to 90 lacks poor and helpless people through their 4000 Branches. As for example, the following case-study can represents the whole successful and empowerment of ASA's women micro entrepreneurs all over Bangladesh.

Shipra Rani is a very happy and successful woman micro entrepreneur who get financial assistance by ASA from Kolatiain Branch under Karanigonj Thana of Dhaka District. She had a long years dream for becoming a proudful woner of a ambroydery & garments has come into reality with financial support from ASA. Now she is 45 years old. The name of her husband is Ratan Chandraw Sharker.

Once, She was purely a house wife. She has been able to set-up "Shipra Handicraft Project" where 20 assistants work alongside her gives satisfactory service to the customers. It is her own project. She and her husband are dealing jointly their Business.

Her academic background is very poor. She had a great ambition about her life. She tried heart and soul to get a better financial support from any govt. or Non-govt. financial Institution & Bank by several times and her conjugal life was not happy at the initial stage. She faced a lot of financial crisis. Just then, she came into touch with ASA, Kolatia Branch of Dhaka district. Rubia got 10,000 taka from that Branch as a small female loan in 2004. She had a practical working experience for making . She completed a Practical course on this priject from Dhaka. Her husband always helps her project. By that experience, she started her new road map of her life. She opened a project house in her won residance under Karanigonj Thana of Dhaka District.

Gradually, she got micro loan from that Branch 15,000, 20,000 and 30,000 taka. Branch Manager Nowshad Hossain and Regional Manager Md. Ataur Rahman always encouraged her to build-up her project every time. She is a successful mother of 1 son and 2 daughters. She has been living with her family in Kolatia area of Karanigonj Thana from starting of her life.

Now, she is rich and self-sustainable woman. Now she gets 1 lack taka as a big amount from ASA Kolatia Branch under SEL loan program in 2008. Gradually, she increased her business by the profit of her project. She invested amount with all cooperation of her husband in her her project. She makes many kinds of product very nicely with her workers. She always busy with her business.

After all cost, she gets profit 20,000 taka per month. For building-up a mini garments industry in Kolatia area of Karanigonj Thana is her future plan. She is always pleased to ASA's authority for the financial assistance under SEL loan program. Lastly, a Philippines MFI team visits her project by very recently. They were be very pleased after visiting her project. The MFI team want to implement like this project according to the system of ASA MFI model. District Manager of ASA Dhaka district Md. Mizanur Rahman Gaji always support for the implementing like these project sy the ASA's SEL loan program. Additional District Manager Iqbal Hossain was present at that moment as a moderator. For this reason,

Here, it is very essential to say that recently, ASA being included in the prestigious Forbes' Magazine first-ever list of the world's Top 50 Microfinance Institution(MFI). It is a tribute to ASA's outstanding work and devotion over the years. The fact that the second position has gone to Bandhan which has been nurtured by ASA says a lot about the sustainability and scalability of ASA's model.