Empowering working women beyond corporate peripheries in Bangladesh

In our fight for gender equality and economic inclusion, we must talk about the often-overlooked women who work in the shadows of corporate landscapes and white-collar fields. These women, whether tending to households or labouring in the grit of manufacturing or service sectors, are the unsung heroes of our society. Nonetheless, they live on the margins, lacking economic security and societal respect.

The journey towards rectifying this begins with recognising the indispensable role these women play in our economy and society. Take homemakers, for example. Their daily labour-childcare, eldercare, household management -- is the bedrock of our formal economy, yet it remains unappreciated and unpaid. Similarly, women in labour-intensive industries, like manufacturing and services, are the unseen hands behind production and service delivery, often enduring exploitative conditions and meagre wages.

To include these women in the economic sphere requires prioritising policies and interventions. We must fashion social safety nets tailored to the needs of caregivers and informal workers, ensuring access to healthcare, childcare support, paid family leave, and pensions. Governments and employers must ensure equitable wages, safe work environments, and avenues for progression, particularly in labour-intensive sectors such as the garment, healthcare and domestic care industry. Particularly, domestic workers employed directly by households have the most significant proportion of women that have no formal institutional protection.

Initiatives fostering financial literacy, vocational training, and entrepreneurship can emancipate these women, granting them access to economic pathways and sustainable livelihoods. Reducing gender-based educational disparities is pivotal in enabling full participation in the economy. Cultural and societal attitudes must undergo change as well. We must debunk stereotypes belittling unpaid care work and deeming traditionally female-dominated roles as inferior. It should begin at our individual's homes.

Celebrating women's diverse contributions across sectors is critical for cultivating an atmosphere of equality and respect. It is not solely through men that women can be empowered; empowered women in each household themselves can uplift and advocate for further women's empowerment. Prioritising these women's perspectives and voices is essential when creating policy. Collaboration with grassroots organisations and community leaders ensures interventions resonate with the needs of marginalised women.

In Bangladesh, specific actions can be taken to dismantle economic invisibility:

• Tailor social protection schemes to address the unique needs of caregivers and informal workers, offering healthcare, childcare, and pensions.

• Ensure equitable wages and safe conditions for women in labour-intensive sectors.

• Provide tailored vocational training and entrepreneurial support for rural women to nurture economic independence.

• Promote financial literacy among rural and semi-urban women, enabling informed decision-making.

• Challenge societal norms devaluing unpaid care and underpaid domestic work through awareness campaigns.

• Bolster enforcement of labour laws to safeguard women workers against exploitation.

• Foster public-private collaborations to maximise impact in addressing economic invisibility.

The first step would be to recognise the fact that our apex corporate houses and advocacy platforms need more dialogue and action towards helping these invisible female workers. Then gradually by adopting these actions, we can pave the way for a time when every woman, irrespective of her circumstances and socio-economic position, can grow economically and enjoy the dignity she rightfully merits.

The writer is an avid reader and a startup enthusiast. She is studying BBA at BRAC University.

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