Empowerment means the process by which any man or woman is given power or authority to participate in earning money and decision making. Empowerment (T) of women is thus a process through which women in general and poor women in particular get opportunity to join the workforce and contribute to family
income and take part in decision making. In Bangladesh, women have always worked within the household but this is not commonly counted as work.
It is unfortunate that women's role in agricultural societies have not been recognised either. Women in Bangladesh are the worst sufferers.
As Bangladeshi women have no economic freedom, they can not enjoy life and power in decision making in their family as well as in society. Our social outlook and religious beliefs are also barriers to the empowerment of our women. Women in our society have always been considered subservient to men. Most of the families are dominated by men. The social prejudices and customs always tend to degrade the position of women. When a girl is born in a poor family, it is not regarded as a happy event. The parents of the girl think that she has come to add to their miseries. They seldom think of sending her to school.
Women, are no less important than men in our society. They constitute half of our total population. So it is undeniable that they too should enjoy equal rights and perform duties as men in our country. Otherwise, all our efforts for development will not be fruitful and effective. All developed countries have been successful by ensuring the participation of women in their development process. So we should educate our women and give them opportunities for employment. The women are now coming out of home and joining job markets. They are proving their skills and efficiency with their work.
Today women are playing a significant role in all spheres of life. Education facilities for the women are being provided and extended. Women are getting free education upto higher secondary level. Thus the process of empowerment of women is going on. The government is also taking many projects to make the women self reliant. Moreover, our govt has set up a separate ministry called "Ministry for social welfare and women affairs". An act to prevent 'repression of women' has been passed. If we want to keep pace with the challenge of the 21st century, both men and women should come forward to work together. People from all walks of life should also take initiative to extend their whole hearted co-operation with a view to ensuring the empowerment of women in Bangladesh.
