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Women Empowerment in Bangladesh: Household Decisions under Development of Non-Farm Sectors and Microfinance Institutions

Author

Listed:
  • Mahmud Minhaj
  • Otsuka Keijiro
  • Sawada Yasuyuki
  • Tanaka Mari
  • Tanaka Tomomi

Abstract

We analyze the factors and dynamics that contributed to the empowerment of women in Bangladesh. We first investigate the role of non-farm sector growth in facilitating female labor force participation and educational attainment, and then we explore how women’s decision-making roles in a household have improved over the same time period. Our results indicate that the proportion of village non-farm labor force participation is positively associated with female school enrollment as well as other indicators of women empowerment. Moreover, microcredit participation is found to be associated with larger roles for females in making household decisions particularly on non-farm activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Mahmud Minhaj & Otsuka Keijiro & Sawada Yasuyuki & Tanaka Mari & Tanaka Tomomi, 2017. "Women Empowerment in Bangladesh: Household Decisions under Development of Non-Farm Sectors and Microfinance Institutions," Working Papers 154, JICA Research Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:jic:wpaper:154
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    5. Anderson, Siwan & Eswaran, Mukesh, 2009. "What determines female autonomy? Evidence from Bangladesh," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(2), pages 179-191, November.
    6. Abhijit Banerjee & Esther Duflo & Rachel Glennerster & Cynthia Kinnan, 2015. "The Miracle of Microfinance? Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 7(1), pages 22-53, January.
    7. Sidney Ruth Schuler & Elisabeth Rottach, 2010. "Women's Empowerment across Generations in Bangladesh," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(3), pages 379-396.
    8. repec:wbk:wbpubs:11843 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Alam, Saad, 2012. "The Effect of Gender-Based Returns to Borrowing on Intra-Household Resource Allocation in Rural Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(6), pages 1164-1180.
    10. Naila Kabeer & Simeen Mahmud, 2004. "Globalization, gender and poverty: Bangladeshi women workers in export and local markets," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(1), pages 93-109.
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