Agriculture and Household Activities

Measure contribution of women to economy

Experts tell post-budget discussion

22 June 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

Women's contribution to national economy through their agriculture and household activities must be measured to prepare a gender-sensitive budget, experts at a post-budget discussion said yesterday. They said as the non-economic household activities are not measured in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the women are deprived of enjoying their economic freedom. Bangladesh Mahila Parishad organised the discussion titled 'Gender sensitivity in the proposed budget' at the National Press Club. Dr Fahmida Khatun, additional director of Centre for Policy Dialogue presented the keynote paper. Criticizing the budget allocation she said women enjoy very insignificant portion of the revenue budget as only 10 to 15 percent women are being employed. Sixty five percent of the development budget benefits men while 35 percent benefits women. The speakers also said that it needs to count total time spent by the women for domestic works, to assess those works and include that in the national economy. Stressing the need for a gender responsive budget, the speakers called for setting up a cell to monitor the allocations and expenditures with regard to women issues in different ministries. Quoting the explanation of economist Abul Barakat, the speakers said if women's contribution in domestic activities is measured economically, it would be 48 percent in the country's GDP. "As the budget is not coming out from the market philosophy, gender budgeting also is not taking place literally," said Assoc Prof Sharmind Neelormi of Jahangirnagar University. President of Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industries Selima Ahmad said the proposed budget does not specify what steps would be taken for the women entrepreneurs. Executive Director of Brac Dr Mahbub Hossain, Prof MM Akash of Dhaka University, Dr Gour Gobinda Goshwami of North South University, Ayesha Khanam, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad and Maleka Banu, general secretary also spoke at the discussion.