Editorial
Amartya Sen's heartening observation
No scope for complacency, however
Nobel laureate and economist Amartya Sen's observation that Bangladesh has outperformed India in all social indicators is certainly heartening news, but there is no room for complacency. Granted, our nation's concerted efforts to promote gender equality has contributed significantly to this positive trend, with Bangladesh's life expectancy, gender inequality index and infant mortality rates faring better than India's. However, much remains to be done.
While gender parity has been achieved in primary and secondary school enrolment, drop out rates remain higher for girls than boys. A significantly lower percentage of Bangladeshi women than men participate in the labour force, and are concentrated in lower level jobs earning half the wages of men. This is also true of the booming garments industry of which women make up 80% of the work force, but are limited to low-level positions and poor wages and working conditions. Maternal mortality rates remain high. The trend of early marriages persists and, despite laws to prevent violence against women, the number of incidents is high and the percentage of cases in which the laws are properly implemented, low. The recent cases of rape highlighted in both the Indian and subsequently Bangladeshi media have accentuated the need for greater security for women and more stringent laws and their more effective implementation. In terms of political representation, too, while quotas and other special measures have been adopted to boost women's participation, the majority of women serve an ornamental function.
A more participatory approach for women in development as well as the political, economic and social sectors, is required to make women count. Until then, we may be well on our way, but still have a long way to go, towards fulfilling the Millennium Development Goal of promoting gender equality and empowering women in the true sense by the year 2015.
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