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Some 30 per cent of women workers remain unpaid while 18 per cent cannot join work as their workplaces are closed due to Covid-19 pandemic, according to a survey of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) revealed on Wednesday.
It said about 16 per cent of the women workers are being provided with partial wages by their employers, another 16 per cent were sacked while 20 per cent lost their jobs temporarily.
The findings of the survey on Covid-19: Economic-Social Condition of Women Workers in Bangladesh, were disclosed at an online press conference, by BMP. It was conducted between June and July this year.
Participating in the survey, about 67 per cent of the women said domestic violence has increased at their families during the Covid-19 period as they lost income.
In-laws quarrel with them as they cannot meet family expenses and neighbours misbehave with them as they seek financial helps several times.
They are also facing exploitation and tortures from house owners, health service providers, political leaders and public transport service providers.
But very little number of them went for legal assistance as they feared that they would be exploited or tortured again, according to the survey.
The survey covered 26 districts while 130 women workers participated in it. The districts include Dhaka, Narayanganj, Tongi, Savar, Munshiganj, Kishorganj, Barishal, Fridpur etc. It interviewed five women workers from each district.
The women are facing difficulties to run their families following job cut and wage-related problems. About 32 per cent of them are maintaining their family expenses through loans. Only three per cent women can meet family expenditures with their salary.
Nearly 20 per cent of women workers cut family expenditures because of losing income. Some of them are selling assets and some others seeking assistance from their relatives.
They are facing insecurity, extra works and mental stress while their children are deprived of schooling following such financial condition.
The maximum number (39 per cent) of women works at different factories while others engaged as domestic helps, cook at hotels, tailors, hawkers, construction workers, shoe repairers, fishing workers and day labourers.
About 18 per cent husbands of the workers work at factories while rest of them are small businessmen, fishermen, agriculture workers, day labourers, NGO workers, drivers etc.
Rina Ahmed, training-research and library subcommittee secretary of BMP, conducted the session while Afroja Arman, research and training officer of the subcommittee presented the survey findings.
Shima Moslem, joint general secretary of BMP said usually women face vulnerability in the society. But such vulnerability is increased during pandemic time.
She hopes the survey will help to take proper action for the protection of women workers.
Fawzia Moslem, acting president of BMP, said the government assured that the workers will not lose jobs in the pandemic. But many women workers have lost jobs and are living in a miserable condition.
She sought proper support and legal protection of the women workers.
Although women workers are facing different kinds of exploitations, they are not getting legal support as concerned organisations are not working actively because of pandemic, she said
Ms Moslem also said it is primary data. They will go for further survey on this issue that will help to explore women workers condition.
However, the survey recommended extending social safety net programme. The women workers who became jobless due to Coronavirus pandemic should be brought under the programme.
Other suggestions of the BMP survey include ensuring skill training, incentive and relief and legal supports to the women workers.