The empowerment of women in Bangladesh is observed bellow which is attempted by the government and NGOs.
Women’s Political Empowerment: the Impact of Quota on Women’s
Women in Bangladesh constituting fifty percent of the 130 million people have made important progresses in different development fields.
• School enrolment increase
• Women’s entry into garments and related industries.
• Employment in public and private sector increased
• Women’s participation in political movements and independence struggles
• Strong women’s movement strengthened by NGO social development programmes Contradictorily, however countervailing forces have also been on the rise.
• Patriarchal structures strengthened conservative values, emerging trend of religious fundamentalism
• Women major targets as boundary markers of culture and tradition
• Rights of women in family, work place and statehood largely unattained
• Rising social and political violence against women
• Women’s roles in politics and administration made problematic by conservative attitudes and practices
• Lack of support to policies for women as women’s political participation and empowerment is extremely low. Existing policies not translated to impacts
• A growing consensus of political empowerment as a necessary condition for sustained economic and social advancement of women
• This presentation is on women’s participation and empowerment in governance vis-à-vis the impact of quotas on their status and position in the Civil Service, the Parliament and Local government
• The objective is to identify and understand the underlying obstacles and potentials of women’s effective leadership and advancement.
Constitutional and Legal framework of Women' Status
Strong constitutional rights and opportunities for women:
• Article 27, 28 (1)(3): equality in the eyes of the law, no discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth and equal protection under law
• Article 28(2), 29(1): equal opportunity for men and women in all spheres of state
and public life, also in respect to employment in the service of the Republic
• Article 65(3): Women are free to contest election from any constituency
• Enabling laws framed to enhance women’s participation in the economy, in social
and political structures
• Government policy commitments: PRSP, MDG, CEDAW endorsement
In cognizance of the general backward status of women in the country
quota was introduced in the CS
• 10% reserved quota for women introduced in 1972, made effective in1976 (women debarred
from defence services, other posts considered unsuitable)
• In1985, mandatory 10% reservation for women in gazetted posts, I5 % in non-gazetted
posts in addition to merit
• Reservation of 60 % posts of primary school teachers for women
Despite the legal/constitutional backups and quotas women in the CS remained limited
• From 1972 to 1983 only 4.89% women recruited in 15 cadres, mostly in education and
health and in lower levels
• Prior to the quota policy only 6.60 % were women
• In the nineties, only 8.56% women in public sector employment. Of them over 90 % in class
III and class IV employees. Majority of women in civil service in low-paid and clerical jobs
• Women at top administrative and management levels with higher prestige and pay constitute
hardly 10%.
• In 2004, 212 women out of 2,070 gazetted officers in class I and II services. Of 6,541 civil
servants about 572 women non- gazetted officers and employees in class III and IV
• In Secretariat Ministries and Divisions, only 784 out of 8611 employees females (about
9.1%)
• Only one Secretary, one Additional Secretary, five Joint Secretaries and eight Deputy
Secretaries
• Currently only one woman secretary, the highest post in civil administration, a few joint and
additional secretaries.
• The situation of women in the CS bottom heavy with most in mid and lower levels of
administration
Quotas did not dramatically increase numbers of women in Civil Service.
• Only 11% women’s representation, quota remains unfilled in most cadres
• Skewed distribution, most in education and health, traditionally jobs suitable for women
• Recently women opting for administrative services but cannot score high points in the
entrance exams
• Women’s promotions slower, they forego administrative cadre with potential of important
decision making posts in the secretariat and in field administration to avoid rigorous training
and postings in remote areas, particularly in early and mid career points
• Women’s promotions often delayed because of non-cooperation of supervising officers,
mostly men
• The system fails to facilitate development of women career paths resulting in relegation to
lower levels
• Women in less important administrative and clerical jobs in class III and IV categories, lack
of adequate educational background
• Generally women not favoured by the quotas, in women’s large scale entrance to Civil
Service or attaining positions of authority and responsibility
Women in Parliament
A quota of reserved seats for women in Parliament adopted by the State
• The first government in 1972 reserved 15 in addition to 300 general seats in Parliament for
women for 10 years
• Amendment in 1978 increased this to 30, extended the period of reservation to 15 years.
• System interrupted in1987, no provision for women’s seat in the 1988 parliamentary election
• Reinstated by tenth Amendment in 1990, 30 seats for 10 years
• On expiration of this in 2000 neither incumbent government nor newly elected one in 2001
moved to reinstate quota
• One year to the end of its term the government enacted reservation of 45 additional seats
for women
• (Country currently under Caretaker government with parliament standing dissolved. The CG
advisory group of ten reshuffled several times since its takeover in January 2007. Five
women as against 23 men were/are by turn in the Council of Advisors in the CG)
Women’s presence in Parliament is token and symbolic.
• Women’s entry to parliament through nomination retrogressive to the process of women’s
political participation
• Chosen on basis of party allegiance, not on merit/qualification, women represent neither
women nor general constituencies
• Nomination adversely affect development and maturity of women as party members. Parties
not obliged to nominate women for general seats, they are ornamental to the party and the
Parliament
• Women hold minor positions in mainstream parties though ironically women head the two
major ones, positioned by default through dynastic control
• Women parliamentarians became ‘yes’ persons to parties, obliged for the opportunity to
enjoy all rights, privileges’ due to parliament members including the right to vote on motions
• Nominated women considered only for deputy minister’s office headed by male minister
• Quota became instrument for use of women in Parliament for party purposes. In the last
eight Parliaments a total of not more than 10 were elected to office
• Most important objective of quota in Parliament, that of enabling and promoting women to
hold office of authority, represent their constituencies could not be reached
Women in local government
Unlike in the CS and Parliament reservation of seats for women councillors in the
elected local government more effective
• Milestone legislation in 1997 opened the door for women’s participation by reservation of
25% seats in the lowest level rural councils, Union Parishads (UP), the urban Municipalities
and the City Corporations
• More than 40000 women contested, 15000 elected directly to the UP with similar
participation recorded for the urban councils. This demonstration of women’s active
engagement in public, political arena unleashed great enthusiasm among growing numbers
of community women leaders, an unprecedented scenario in the countryside
• Sudden appearance, activation of large numbers of women in the public sphere shook up
the bases of male power structure both in the councils and outside. Threatened male
leaders resisted women councillors’ participation in local governance. A similar situation was
witnessed in the case of the urban municipalities and City Corporations
• The new law enabled women to be elected to the councils but made their effective
participation problematic; women’s constituency overlapped with those of three other
members, mostly men; roles, functional jurisdiction for reserve seat not specified
• Gap in the law provided male councillors opportunity to refuse women’s right to participate,
have access to information, resources
• On protest by women councillors, concerned local community, civil society, the government
assigned functions for women by orders and circulars. Not effective with women not aware
of mechanisms of implementation, male resistance persisted
• Strong deterrent to women’s participation manifested in lower numbers of women
contestants in the second round of elections
Due to incompleteness of the reformed policy, quota for women’s representation in local
government councils did not enhance their participation
• Lack of implementation monitoring and responsiveness to emerging issues allowed the
continued male resistance
• Societal reluctance to accept women leadership, a new phenomenon and family noncooperation
obstructed women councillor’s participation
• First timers in the formal world political institutions, women severely handicapped by lack of
knowledge and understanding of formal functions, responsibilities
• Absence of support , efforts to organise councillors for collective voice and action, frustrated
women in their new roles
• However continuous training, programme support gradually encouraged them to face
challenges
• Being large in numbers helped women gain confidence in raising collective voice. UP
women councillors now engage in interaction with local government departments for access
to information, activities in facing the challenge of male councillors. The female
Commissioners of one of the City Corporations filed a writ petition, won from the court the
right to participate in all functions of elected councils
Conclusion and reflection on future action
Conclusion:
• Process of political empowerment of women in Bangladesh slow in spite of strong
constitutional mandates and policy for advancement of women’s rights.
• Quotas in three critical sectors of governance, the Civil Service, the Parliament and the
Local government not equally effective in facilitating women’s participation & representation
Add from writeup, go to recoms in 3 sectors, conclude with the following points
• Adoption of quotas does not ensure women’s effective roles: appropriate implementation,
continued support important
• Willingness of government to empower women is essential for quota or any other instrument
to facilitate women’s participation and representation in the political space.
Suggested Future Actions:
In the CS the quota failed to create much impact particularly at the higher positions due to
inadequate education, social, family obligations, insensitive attitude of men
in the services, lack of appropriate monitoring of implementation of quota policy, nonresponsiveness
towards emerging issues etc.
After over three decades of Independence and despite affirmative actions women still constitute
not more than 12% in Class I Services.
In all categories of government jobs women hold less that the quota reserved for them.
Following from these a few measures may be suggested for making the quota effective in the
CS:
• Focussed attention to provision of lateral entry of women to higher levels of administration
• Priority in career advancement of female candidates as interim measure for a certain period
of time
• Careful monitoring of implementation, quick measures to address the emerging issues
• Motivate female officers to join challenging cadres involving transfers, frequent mobility;
ensuring adequate support structures
• Ensure appropriate accommodation, transport, schools and health facilities for children of
female officials
• Rigorous enforcement of such government orders as placement of couples in government
service in same or adjacent regions
The reservation of parliament seats for women filled by nomination proved a farce
Lack of willingness of parties in power to advance political role of women in the national
context a key reason for failure of quota system to empower women in Parliament
All parties in government avoided enabling capable, qualified women to enter Parliament by
introducing direct election of women reserved seats
Nomination allowed to continue only for benefit of the parties
Women’s movement demands actively engaging with different governments for reform cater
around the following:
• Constitutional provision of 60-100 reserved seats for women on rotational basis, raising the
total number of seats to 360-400.
• Clear demarcation of separate constituencies for women seats
• Infrastructure and other facilities for women candidates
• Mandatory nomination for women by all political parties
• Reduction of limit to election expenditures
The effectiveness of women to directly elected reserved seats in Local Government
marred by the flaws in the law, posed challenges to participation. Overlapping, larger
constituencies, un-clarity in orders, lack of information and orientation, social-cultural
obstacles and stiff resistance by men are issues hindering women
Representing the quota in local government served as a key instrument for opening the door
to formal political institutions to a large number of women at community level
Being elected on their own right and merit enables women councillors to raise voice,
demand for due rights
(Read from here)
• Facilitated large numbers of grassroots women to occupy formal political space, a potential
process towards formation of critical mass for social, political transformation
• Changing women’s role in family, society and politics hold potential of change in attitudes
towards women
• Presence in large numbers holds potential of formation of counter forces against
conservatism and patriarchal structure
• Created aspirations for public/political role among community women
Actions suggested to strengthen process of women’s empowerment in local government:
• Immediate review and revision of the faulty law, ensuring function and roles,
adequate resources and logistical facilities to women.
• Ensure direct access to relevant information to women councilors
• Facilitate networking of women councilors
• Ensure extensive training for councilors on LG and gender issues
• Ensure election to all LG s, Upazilla and District in order to enlarge number of
elected women representatives
