Business Desk :
Bangladesh is among the few countries in South Asia that has increased female employment in the last decade cutting the wage gap significantly between men and women and it should keep this momentum to create more gender equality, said a WB press release.
The report acknowledged Bangladesh’s achievements and also noted that women still have limited choices, control and decision-making power over their employment, finances and economic assets even though the female labor force participation rate increased to 36 percent from 26 percent between 2003 and 2016.
The report, ‘Voices to Choices: Bangladesh’s Journey in Women’s Economic Empowerment,’ finds women’s participation in the workforce is less than half of that of men in Bangladesh, and the country can become more prosperous more quickly if more women get work with higher-quality and higher-paid jobs.
More than one-third of women in the labor force are unpaid family helpers.
“Bangladesh has made great strides towards making men and women equal in many areas, particularly in health and education. But, women need more economic empowerment,” said Robert Saum, Acting World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan.
“Bangladesh’s female labor force participation is lower than that of Nepal (80 percent) and Vietnam (77 percent) and lifting social and economic barriers will help Bangladesh unlock a significant part of the country’s productivity.”
Bangladesh is among the few countries in South Asia that has increased female employment in the last decade cutting the wage gap significantly between men and women and it should keep this momentum to create more gender equality, said a WB press release.
The report acknowledged Bangladesh’s achievements and also noted that women still have limited choices, control and decision-making power over their employment, finances and economic assets even though the female labor force participation rate increased to 36 percent from 26 percent between 2003 and 2016.
The report, ‘Voices to Choices: Bangladesh’s Journey in Women’s Economic Empowerment,’ finds women’s participation in the workforce is less than half of that of men in Bangladesh, and the country can become more prosperous more quickly if more women get work with higher-quality and higher-paid jobs.
More than one-third of women in the labor force are unpaid family helpers.
“Bangladesh has made great strides towards making men and women equal in many areas, particularly in health and education. But, women need more economic empowerment,” said Robert Saum, Acting World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan.
“Bangladesh’s female labor force participation is lower than that of Nepal (80 percent) and Vietnam (77 percent) and lifting social and economic barriers will help Bangladesh unlock a significant part of the country’s productivity.”
