The New Nation - Internet Edition

Salma Khan

What we need are not just few women who make history but many women who make policy". Geraldine Ferraro

The main characteristic of economic development of the second half of the last century has been a wide recognition of women's contribution in the whole process of growth, particularly in food security, poverty alleviation and health care system leading to a realisation that for sustainable development and peace, there is a need to promote and protect those rights of women which matter.

However, in many societies spheres of activity women are still subjected to inequality in law and in fact. Intentional and unintentional discriminations against women prevent society as a whole from recognising equal rights of women in both domestic and public spheres. As they are kept out of the top decision making process, important political, legal and economic trends which affect their lives directly, are forged and reinforced bypassing them.

Since last two decades with global awareness on women's issue, it is now moving to the forefront of national agenda for social and economic development. Women in Bangladesh have made significant strides in education and fertility control leading to their increased participation in nations' socio-economic development. They are increasingly visible as workforce, entrepreneurs, healthcare giver and household managers. In our democratic process women are a major factor not only as voters but also as frontline participants at different political rallies and party campaigns. In spite of such gains unfortunately women are being systematically kept outside the power corridoor both in politics and higher public offices. Such exclusion of women from top policy formulation and implementation process is not only contrary to achieving a squarer deal but also stands as a stumbling block to desired social transformation in Bangladesh. To remedy such inadequacy, women's equal participation in power is seen as a necessary condition.

A New Horizon for Bangladeshi women: According to the World Bank report (March 2008), Bangladesh stands as a shinning new example in South Asia, "a poor country achieving impressive gains in gender equality". Bangladesh has experienced a significant decline in birth rate in a very sort time. Between 1971 and 2004, the country halved its fertility rate and gender gap in infant mortality has closed, both of which have impacted favourably on women's mobility and reproductive burdens. Near universal primary education has been achieved and girls secondary school attendance exceeds that of boys. Adult literacy rates for women have increased by 9 per cent compared to 7 per cent increase for men. In educational attainment the country has surpassed all expectations. Bangladesh used to be in the rank of countries having life expectancy of women lower then men, but now enjoys a higher female life expectancy than men which is a better performance on the scale of South Asia.

Micro-credit revolutions substantially increased women's earning potential. Female labour force participation rate has increased dramatically between 1983 and 2000 both in urban and rural areas. Vast numbers of young women are leaving their villages to work in factories in urban areas. Nearly 2.5 million women are working in garment industries alone. Women also comprise a significant majority of primary school teachers and healthcare workers.

Undoubtedly, in the achievement of such impressive development indicators women have been the hidden engine of growth. A quiet revolution has taken place in transforming the gender norms and roles. More women are taking part in the functioning of informal decision making in the household and community level. Yet they are largely excluded from rights that are aimed at free agency of women.

Women's exclusion from power in public arena now remains a major concern for their equal participation in high level decision making and policy formulation process which is essential both from the point of justice and ethical dimension of democracy as well as a necessary pre-condition for sustainable development.

Equal participation of women in politics and decision making: The declaration of the International Women's Year in 1975 by the United Nations followed by the Decade of Women 1976-1983 and adoption of the historic UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1981, brought about discernible change in the global attitudes towards women's role in power and decision making. The Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995 gave further impetus to the issue reaffirming the need for equal participation of women in decision-making process as a pre-condition of establishing a democratic society.

The Constitution of Bangladesh (articles 9-10, 27-28, 37-39, 50, 66 and 122) guarantees equal rights of men and women in matters relating to state and public life and further states that steps should be taken to facilitate women's participation in all spheres of national life. Unfortunately their participation in politics and decision-making levels does not reflect such policy imperatives.

Like most countries women in Bangladesh make up half of the electorate and have attained the right to vote much earlier (since 1920s' erstwhile Bengal/ East Pakistan) compared to many developed countries. But in real sense women's participation in the political process has been very limited except in case of two women in the top leadership positions who made lateral entry into the party through political inheritance. Generally, women remain unrepresented at various levels of the government, in the Parliament and other executive bodies.

From 1972 and 2006, during the rule of Awami League, BNP and Jatiya Party, only 23 women held cabinet positions as against 395 men. In successive Caretaker Governments, women's presences were also minimum.

In the first parliament of 1973, 15 seats were reserved for women who were nominated by the ruling party. From the second parliamentary election in 1979 onward up to the eighth parliamentary election held in 2001, major political parties gave nomination to only 159 women candidates (including women party leaders), out of which 34 were elected.

During the same period the Awami League, BNP and Jatiya Party led governments gave cabinet positions to only 23 women (including the Prime Mister and the Leader of the Opposition) as against 395 men. Furthermore, when women are included in the cabinet they are always given less important portfolios with the rank of deputy minister.

Women's participation in the local government bodies depicts somewhat better picture since 1997 after the introduction of reservation of one quarter seats for women in Union Parishad and municipalities. At present over 13,440 women are involved in the local self-government and 22 women are holding the position of chairman out of a total of 4480. However research findings indicate that though the quota system played definitive role in enhancing women's participation, they face difficulties in performing their functions due to lack of appropriate organisational arrangements, political support and gender stereotyped social attitudes.

Women in Bureaucracy and Civil Service: Since 1982 women were allowed to compete in civil service examinations which is a requirement for being recruited into the cadre service of the Government of Bangladesh.

Though earlier in 1976, the Government undertook a policy of reserving 10 percent gazzetted posts (officer level) and 15 percent non-gazzetted posts for women in order to bring in more women in the government service, interaction of various factors have obstructed effective implementation of the quota policy.

According to latest data, out of 49 secretaries there is only one woman, at the next step out of 55 additional secretaries there is only 1 woman and out of 275 joint secretaries there are 5 women. Only 4 women are holding the post of Ambassadors.

Bangladesh now has a flourishing private sector playing dominant role in employment creation both at the executive and management level. Though the strength of women's employment in private sector is not available, it is apparent that nearly in all multinational and corporate bodies including private commercial banks, CEO's are men. However, in some commercial banks there is a percentage of women director.

Critical areas of concern: Lack of commitment within the government, political parties and private sector entities to establish the goal of gender balance in power structure and decision making. Lack of awareness about constitutional provisions and international obligation (CEDAW, PFA) to establish substantive equality of women.

Inefficacy of quotas or reserved seats in legislative bodies and executive committee of political parties.

Insufficient machineries and strategies for women's access to decision making positions both in public and private sectors.

Discriminatory social attitudes and practices and unequal power relations between men and women within the family limiting women's potential to develop required skills to break the glass ceiling.

Gender role conflict at home makes it difficult for women to reconcile between the family and demanding professional life.

Strategic interventions: To ensure women's equal participation at political and decision making process, which is essential both from the point of view of ethical dimension of democracy as well as a necessary condition for balanced growth and sustainable development, temporary special measures aimed at accelerating defects equality between men and women must be established. In the present political context of Bangladesh, reservation of 33 percent seats for women in the national Parliament should continue.

However, for women to be directly elected against these seats, reserved constituencies have to be redefined. As an alternative, it may be made mandatory for political parties to nominate at least 30 percent women candidates for the next election.

To increase women's presence at higher level of administration and policy formation bodies, the existing quota system should be revisited. Experience indicates that instead of facilitating women's recruitment, in many cases this has worked as a ceiling when jobs are distributed on the basis of regional population density. For effective monitoring of quota system, gender desegregated data should be generated.

To facilitate women's employment in private sector decision-making level, women's groups and NGO's should form alliance with national business federations, chamber of commerce and other trade bodies to propel women into positions of power. Parliaments and corporate offices are basically women unfriendly and maintain odd working hours. Change in social perception on gender roles, more flexible working hours and sexual harassment, free working environment will encourage more women in political and decision making careers.

To bring about a systemic change in levels of participatory decision making and to make it gender balanced, increased awareness at all levels is the first pre-condition. The administration, policy makers and media are needed to be sensitised for this. Targeted and appropriate training programmes for women leadership should be introduced.

Concluding remarks: Virtually in all countries in the world women make half of the population and it makes sense that they equally participate in the policy formulation and decision making process so as to influence matters that affect their lives in the family, community and society at large.

For building a more equitable, harmonious and discrimination free society, there is increasing consensus that good governance must involve a equitable partnership between men and women in the process of decision making at a level generally considered the "critically mass" (30 to 35 percent) necessary for qualitative change in the gender relationship.

Today's daunting social, economic and political problems, emerging issues of structural adjustment, environmental degradation, and trans-border migration - all create a disproportionate impact on women and children. This on the one hand, necessitates putting women's issue and concerns in the relevant agenda; on the other hand, access must be created for women in the top decision-making level for infusing gender perspective in all these areas. Equality is the only way to achieve development and peace.

While women are increasingly gaining access to polities and public service, when it comes to leadership and decision making positions, they are still a distinct minority.

To bring about a systematic change in the participatory decision making process, the Government must take into account that many important political, legal and social trends are both forged and reinforced at the national and international levels, which is entirely male dominated, and therefore, it is essential that women are adequately represented in national delegations, negotiation teams and employees of the international organisations. To achieve the desired goal of de jure and de facto equality of women, Bangladesh Constitution and the CEDAW Convention suggest adopting temporary special measures aimed at accelerating the process to ensure equality of opportunity and equality of outcome. There has been enough evidences that when women assume power at the top decision-making level, they wield power for political and social change and bring about new agenda for peace in a more creative method.

A society that foster women's leadership career along with men can also foster peace, progress and sustainability.

(The writer is former chairperson UN CEDAW Committee and former Division Chief Planning Commission)