Apart from being the worst victims of corruption in availing of services from different public institutions, a new TIB study reveals that women are frequently used as an instrument of corruption in these institutions.
The research shows that women have to give bribe to get service from education sector, health sector, local government institutions, police, non-government organisations (NGOs), land office and banks.
Women also become victims of graft in getting special service, offered for them by the government like reproductive healthcare, maternal healthcare, vulnerable group development (VGD), vulnerable group feeding (VGF) and stipend. Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) conducted the study titled, ‘Corruption in women’s experience: Scenario of two Union Parishads in Bangladesh’ which was released on Thursday.
Former deputy programme manger of TIB Dr Sharif Ahmed Chowdhury presented the findings of the study at a press conference held at TIB conference room in the capital.
The study was carried out on two Union Parishads of Gazipur and Jamalpur during January 2013 to December 2014, aiming to find out the graft intensity experienced by women to get services.
However, bribery is a common phenomenon in getting a government job in the country. The study pointed out that women must pay Tk 3-5 lakh as bribe to get a job of family planning assistant post while Tk 2 lakh on average for the post of assistant teacher of primary school.
Speaking at the press conference, TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said corruption is being adopted as a normal practice due to ‘institutionalisation’ of corruption, which is a great concern for the nation.
He observed corruption is also creating impediment towards the process of women empowerment in the country.
The sturdy also found that a section of women are involved in corruption whose provide services in health sector, education sector and local government bodies and land sector.
It put forward a 10-point recommendation to minimise corruption in service providing institutions to cut sufferings of women.
The recommendations included dissemination of service-related information through gender sensitive way, ensuring transparency and accountability in public institutions, and implementing the national work plan announced as per the National Women development Policy 2011.
