Women’s unpaid activities outside the traditional framework of GDP estimation should be revaluated and recognised as women’s contribution towards the economy.
More wage-based work opportunity in formal sector is key to making women’s unaccounted contribution more visible in the society, which calls for reforms in policy space and changes in social perception towards women alongside amendments in traditional accounting method.
The views emerged from a dialogue on “How much Women Contribute to the Bangladesh Economy: Results from an Empirical Study,” jointly organised by CPD and Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), at Amari Dhaka Hotel on Saturday 25 October 2014.
(left) Sayema Bidisha, Fahmida Khatun, Shaheen Anam, A H M Mustafa Kamal, Debapriya Bhattacharya, A B Mirza Azizul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Mustafa K Mujeri
The dialogue, chaired by Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow, CPD, was preceded by a presentation on the field-level study titled “Estimating Women’s Contribution to the Economy: the Case of Bangladesh,” led by CPD Research Director Dr Fahmida Khatun.
Summary of the study findings and recommendations (English and Bengali)
Summary of the study
Dr Khatun drew on research findings from two different methods deployed by the study that showed the estimated value of women’s unpaid household work in Bangladesh to be equivalent to 76 to 87 percent of the monetary value of the GDP of FY2013-14.
View and Download the Presentation
The study used International Classification of Time USE (ICATUS) parameter developed by the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD) that classify women’s unpaid household work outside the UN System of National Accounts (SNA) activities, or as non-SNA activities. The SNA activities are defined as “Market oriented and non-market oriented economic activities.”
Commenting on the background of the study, Ms Shaheen Anam, Executive Director, Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), said that one of the reasons why the study had been undertaken was to assess the substantial portion of women’s work that remain unaccounted, and to know the actual contribution women were making towards the society.
The study made a number of recommendations addressing the government to undertake policy reforms and the Bureau of Statistics (BBS) to use extensive methods to include women’s unaccounted contribution.
The study recommendations also covered issues such as lowering discrimination against women and facilitating women’s formal work, for which the NGOs, women organisations, the media and the private sector were deemed instrumental. The think tanks and the academia were also recommended to conduct in-depth study in this area.
Guest of Honour Dr A B Mirza Azizul Islam, Former Advisor to the Caretaker Government, highlighted that the purpose of such studies should be to enable women’s participation in the formal sector and to empower them with education and training.
Chief Guest Mr A H M Mustafa Kamal, MP, Hon’ble Minister for Planning, appreciated the initiative to undertake such study and mentioned that constitutional provision ensures no difference between men and women in terms of economic emancipation which is a step towards women empowerment in Bangladesh.
Distinguished Discussants Dr Mustafa K Mujeri, Director General, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) and Dr Sayema H Bidisha, Associate Professor, Department of Economics came up with additional recommendations and commented on the methodological framework of the study and survey methods.
Highlighting the significance of the study, Professor Mustafizur Rahman, Executive Director, CPD expressed his gratitude to MJF that shares views with CPD in envisaging an equitable and socially justifiable society in Bangladesh.
Valuables remarks and observations at the floor discussion came from Dr Hameeda Hossain, Chairperson, Ain O Salish Kendro (ASK); Ambassador Munshi Faiz Ahmad, Chairman, Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS); Mr AEM Golam Kibria, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs; Mr Abul Kalam Azad, Head, National Accounting Wing, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS); Dr Kazi Saleh Ahmed, Former Vice Chancellor, Jahangirnagar University; Ms Tania Haque, Associate Professor and Chairperson, Department of Women and Gender Studies; Dhaka University; Mr Salman Zaidi, Lead Economist, The World Bank; Mr Aminur Rahman, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Economics, Independent University, Bangladesh; Dr Faustina Pereira, Director, Human Rights and Legal Services (HRLS), BRAC; Ms Rabeya Khatun, Lecturer, Department of Economics, Dhaka University; Dr Ashikur Rahman, Senior Economist, Policy Research Institute (PRI); Dr Maleka Begum, Professor, Central Womens’ University; Ms Ayesha Khanam, President, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad; Ms Rokeya Kabir, Executive Director, Bangladesh Nari Progoti Sangha; Ms Luna Shamsuddoha, President, Bangladesh Women in Technology (BWIT); Ms Ferdaus Ara Begum, CEO, BUILD Project, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI); Ambassador Salma Khan, President, NGO Coalition on CEDAW and Beijing Process (NCBP); among others.
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