Bangladesh Resident Mission

ADB Helps Promote Bangladesh Women as Agents of Development

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Background Women and Poverty Women and Education Women and Health

Violence against Women Women in Power and Decision Making New Focus

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Background

Various projects of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Bangladesh are implementing its Policy on Gender and Development (GAD), aimed at increasing women's role in development. The policy takes into account the recommendations of the Platform for Action (PFA), endorsed by the United Nations (UN) Fourth World Conference on Women (FWCW) held in Beijing in 1995. Through its GAD policy, which supports "gender mainstreaming" as an approach to development, ADB is committed to assisting its developing member countries (DMCs) to implement the commitments made at the FWCW and explore opportunities to directly address some new and emerging concern affecting women in the region.

The Government of Bangladesh has taken various initiatives and achieved significant gains since signing the PFA. However, women are confronted with new issues arising from the changing global and national scenario, such as the expiry of the Multifibre Agreement (MFA) at end-2004, increase in migration and human trafficking, growth in information technology, and issues associated with increased participation of women in public life. ADB's assistance to Bangladesh takes the new issues into consideration and supports the implementation of the Government's National Action Plan for Women's Advancement.

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Women and Poverty

ADB promotes women’s participation both as beneficiaries and agents in planning and implementing development projects. Gender considerations are mainstreamed in ADB’s interventions in health, education, infrastructure, self-employment and microfinance, agriculture, water supply, environment, and governance. ADB projects in Bangladesh are implementing activities that promote qualitative and quantitative participation of both women and men as beneficiaries, agents, and stakeholders. Some projects that directly support poverty reduction among women are highlighted below.

Participatory Livestock Development Project, implemented in partnership with 10 nongovernment organizations (NGOs), supported 337,690 beneficiaries (98% women) in earning their livelihood by providing technical training on livestock and microfinance. A second phase of the project has been approved to support 300,000 beneficiaries (80% women) through NGOs.

The Rural Livelihood Project has been organizing poor women beneficiaries in cooperative societies; training poor women on income-generating skills and leadership; and providing microfinance.

The Small-Scale Water Resources Sector Development Project created jobs for the poor, including women in water infrastructure construction, agriculture, and fisheries activities. Short-term employment for 16,803 women was created in earthworks, tree plantation, and maintenance of infrastructure through labor contracting societies (LCS). Women received self-employment opportunities in fisheries and agriculture, including vegetable cultivation and seed preservation. The project also enabled women to participate in the water management cooperative associations (WMCAs). A second phase of the project will provide not only short-term employment but also self-employment opportunities in agriculture and fisheries.

The Third Rural infrastructure Development Project has constructed special areas in rural markets for women, and enabled 1,136 poor women to have shops and use open platforms in the markets for selling their produce. The project provided employment opportunities to 2,148 women for 2 years and also constructed 22 flood refugee centers with special facilities for women. The design of the union council complexes was modified to give poor women better access to seek support and services from their representatives and other government departments. A subsequent phase of the project will expand opportunities to other areas of Bangladesh.

The Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project will develop rural infrastructure, including roads and markets, and will provide microfinance for employment generation for 355,300 poor, including women.

In line with ADB’s Social Protection Strategy, new areas for supporting women and children have been identified and a project on Social Protection for Disadvantaged Women and Children has been initiated with the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs to provide protection for the socially, environmentally, and economically vulnerable poor.

The Secondary Towns Infrastructure Development Project II and the Urban Governance and Infrastructure Improvement Project support microfinance-based employment creation for urban poor women. The Command Area Development Project helped poor women engage in fisheries and agro-based activities, and the South West Flood Damage Rehabilitation Project assisted flood-affected women restore their livelihood.

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Women and Education

ADB aims to ensure gender equity in primary and secondary education. Creating infrastructure facilities and employing female teachers have increased girls’ access to primary education. The ADB-assisted Second Primary Education Sector Project initiated a review of the primary school curriculum to make it more gender sensitive. The Secondary Education Sector Improvement Project provides stipends for girls in rural areas to help them finish their secondary education. Nonformal education and continuing education programs, implemented through NGOs, provide learning opportunities for illiterate adult women. The Second Primary Education Development Program, a multi-donor supported program, led by ADB, promotes enrollment and completion of primary education of girls.

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Women and Health

ADB's focus is on delivering primary and maternal health services in urban areas. The Urban Primary Health Care Project supports healthcare, immunization, and limited clinical services to urban slum dwellers, including women and children. Services for violence-related injuries, tests, referrals, and counseling are special features to address gender needs. Other gender-based strategies include employing female personnel as doctors and caregivers, increasing accessibility of the clinic to the community, and timing of the services. Awareness on HIV/AIDS has been included as a subcomponent in the Road Sector Development Project, to be implemented by NGOs in three border districts.

The development of water and sanitation facilities and women's involvement in sanitation activities and maintenance have substantially improved health conditions and reduced the vulnerability to diseases of women and children.

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Violence against Women

ADB's efforts to address violence against women are mainly through awareness-raising programs. Healthcare and referral support is provided to victims in urban areas. To address emerging concerns like trafficking of women and children, ADB has provided a regional technical assistance (RETA) to Bangladesh, India, and Nepal to increase understanding of how to mainstream trafficking concerns by analyzing key issues; mapping key stakeholders and their activities; and identifying gaps in legislation, policy, institutional frameworks, and other areas.

ADB's country strategy and program for Bangladesh for the next 5 years also addresses trafficking and aims to systematically mainstream the issue in its operations. Specific components have been identified in the road and urban sector infrastructure development projects, and efforts will be made to ensure social protection of the vulnerable and victims of trafficking. Support is being provided to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs to prepare an Action Plan Against Trafficking of Women. Support was provided under another RETA for women-led NGOs to create awareness among local leaders on violence against women, alternative dispute resolution methods, and area-based monitoring of the incidence of such cases.

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Women in Power and Decision Making

ADB provides support to facilitate women's participation at various areas, including grassroots level organizations, self- employment, rural economy, and local governance. Women's participation in urban governance has been supported by establishing mechanisms to ensure women's participation in municipal-level decision making, citizen committees, infrastructure management, and capacity building of the women ward commissioners, and other activities under the Urban Governance and Infrastructure Improvement Project.

Women's participation in market management committees and traders' associations has been ensured through rural infrastructure development projects. A uniform design of the Union Parishad (UP) building, with specific space and facilities for women, has been adopted, which facilitates women's role as leaders. A technical assistance grant has trained women UP members in their responsibilities, and supported networking for local resources and services mobilization for the benefit of women.

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New Focus

The emphasis on participation signifies a shift in ADB's approach to gender and development. Earlier, the focus was on equity in treatment of women and ensuring access to public services.

The focus now is on the role of women as agents-they are citizens with equal rights, who should be able to participate effectively in public institutions and processes that make development-related decisions. Empowerment is the key element in this approach.

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BRM Quarterly Newsletter, 2nd Quarter 2004