CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

Development means the overall Development like social educational, economical, political etc. all sector of a country or region (UNDP). Development of a society comes from both of men and women and both of towns and village. Socio Economic Development means all kinds of social and economical activities and acceleration of it. Bangladesh has 86,174 village and 4,448 unions (BIDS, 2005). So, we have to develop our rural areas specially unions. But there ate many villages and unions, which are, not so develop and the main reason of it is backwardness of women in this region. As half of the population of our country are women most of the people live in villages, so, we can't imagine our development especially rural development without women our country development is also incomplete without it's rural development. So, we should ensure the activity and participation of women equally with man in order to rural development as well as country development depends on it. Development is an essential part for any country. In the world, there has no any country or region which has no idea about it and every one is interested to get it. Without development one nation cannot be advance. National progress and prosperity is the back bone of a nation. So, for sound development of a country or nation, we have to develop it’s whole nation, it means men and women and it’s whole area, it means urban and rural area (towns and villages), equally.

1.2 Significance of the Study

Women development is a key factor of development for any country. In Bangladesh, they are in low status in everywhere. But, we have to develop their condition and their participation and empowerment have to be ensured so that they can develop our rural country. As half of the population of our country area women most of the people live in villages, so, we can not imagine our development especially rural development without women our country development is also incomplete without it’s rural development.

The major significance of the study is as follows:-

1. This study will help to know the social status and condition of rural women in the study area in the context of Bangladesh.

2. It may be discovered the nature of women participation in rural family and society in the study area in the context of Bangladesh.

3.It will also be focused women participation level and role in village level institution and organizations to rural development..

4. It will be emphasis on income generation and human resource development.

Objectives

Every research must have some objectives. The objective determines the subject matters of research. The objectives of the research is given below-

1.To identify the social status and condition of rural women in the study area.

2.To identify the nature of women participation in rural family and society in the study area.

3.To find out the role of women in rural agriculture and economic activities in the study area.

4.To find out the role of participation in rural organization and empowerment.

5.To asses the trend of women participation through over all development.

1.4 Materials and Methods

1.4.1 Study Area: In the light of the above criteria initially its very different to select to area, as a number of rural areas of Bangladesh bear the aforesaid characteristic. But after depth studies its help me to select this study area because its and model union for micro credit program and national landing NGO’s working in the union. That is why one union of Kalidaha Union under Feni Thana has been selected for this study.

1.4.1.1 Location of the Study area: The study area is located at 22º58´N to 23º04´ and 91º22´E to 91º30´E, on the banks of the Muhuri River consists with eleven villages,which are; (1) Alokdia (2) Valukia          (3) Cheoria (4) Goharua (5) Jatrashidhi (6) Kalidaha  (7) Mohespur (8) Maizbaria  (9) West Chiloria (10) North Govindapur      and (11) Tulabaria (Map.01).

Map.01  Study area.

1.4.1.2 Physiographic condition: The area is generally plain land, seasonally flooded by Muhuri River. There are no contain any natural lakes, but it does have artificial lakes.

1.4.1.3 Soil: Bangladesh has a wide range of environment condition. Environmental diversity occurs nut only at national and regional levels, it also occurs at the upazila and village levels. Study area soil condition depends on local climatic lactors like rainfall, moisture and annual flooding condition, due to huge presence of vegetation cover the soil fertility is very high and it varies with different zone.

1.4.1.4 Vegetations: Bamboo and local mostak (use for made shital party) use in collage industry by the poor loance. Mango, jackfruits, and mahogany also very common tress in the study area.

1.4.1.5 Climate: According to koppe climate classification, Feni belongs tropical monsoon climate.

1.4.1.6 Land use pattern: Land use pattern of the study area is very dynamic because most of the land use fur agricultural purpose and double and triple crops are produce here available.

Table 1.1: Types of crops production (Different use of land to product crops)

Land use pattern	Amount of land (hectares)
Single Crop Land	10
Double Crop Land	1169
Triple Crop Land	545

   Source: Field survey 2010 and thana agricultural office.

The above table indicates that most of the land of the study area used for the purpose of double crops. Land use pattern depend on some specific factor and study area show that double crops purpose used most of the agriculture land and poverty level is very low in the study zone. In the study area questionnaire survey indicate that Kalidaha, Tulabaria and West Chilonia Mouza people takes huge number of micro credit from the MFIs because most of the land of those mouza used for the purpose of double crops and loance used their credit in the small cottage industry which raw materials comes from local vegetation cover.

Table 1.2:  Study area different types of land use and it purpose

Types of Land	Amount of Land (ha)	Purpose of Land Use
Cultivatable Land	1724	Agricultural
Fallow Land	262	Grazing Land
Single Crop Land	10	Crop Production
Double Crop Land	1169	Crop Production
Triple Crop Land	545	Crop Production
High Land	105	Vegetation
Medium Low land	410	Vegetation
Low Land	59	water bodies/fresh water fish production

Source: Field survey 2010 and thana agriculture office.

The above table also indicates that grazing field occupy huge amount of land that proof presence of dairy farm and high land use only for vegetation production and all vegetation used in small cottage industry by loance.

1.4.1.7 Population: The union is inhabited by nearly 25790 people (Union Parishad office 2001) and out of this about 12819 and 12819 and 12971 are female and male respectively. Muslims are 45.33 percent and Hindus are  54.67.

1.4.1.8 Literacy: Literacy rate in the study area moderate in term of national literacy rate. The Average literacy rate 56.07 percent male literacy rate 60.66 percent and female literacy rate 51.43 percent , which indicates that women are in behind in education facilities.

1.4.1.9 Religions Institutions: The study area shows that Hindu dominant area and there are about 20 Mosque and 27 Temple (Mandir)

1.4.1.10 Educational Institution: Educational institutions are very limited in term of population size in the study area Only three (3) high school, 3 Madrasha, nine (9) Primary School (Govt.) and one registered primary and five informal educational institution, which art; govern by NGOs (Union parished Office, Feni)

1.4.1.11 Source of income

Figure 1.1: Source of income

Sources: (Bang.Burea of statistics; planning Division; Ministering of Planning.)

1.4.1.12 Major Crops: Paddy, jute, wheat, batlle, batlle nut and vegetables are the major crops in the study area. (Union parished Office, Feni)

1.4.1.14 Women Activities: Major activities of women in the study area are Agriculture, Industry-Cottage, Handicraft, small Business etc. (Union parished Office, Feni)

1.4.1.15 NGOs Activities: Operational importance NGOs are Grameen Bank, ASA, BRAC, Proshika CODCE; NRDA and other local co-operative associations. Large NGOs are operating here about 16 years for poverty reduction and social well fare related activities. (Union parished Office, Feni)

1.4.2 Data collection & sources

Data collection: The data have been collected both primary and secondary sources.

(a) Primary sources: It is comprises with direct field survey and rural women opinion survey through questionnaire. Three villages were selected randomly from the study area. There were 4007 rural households in these two villages. Therefore, 4007 housewives (rural women) of these households constituted the population of the study area. Among them two hundred rural women were selected randomly as sample of the study using a by using random selection method taking 5% of the population. Data were collected from the sample using a pre-tested interview schedule during November to December, 2009. The distribution of the population and the sample size are shown in the Table 1.

Table 1.3   Distribution of Population and Sample size in the study area.

Name of Union	Name of Village	Total Population	Sample Size
			75
			70
			55
Total =			200

Source: Union council office 2009

A. Sample selection and Questionnaire Survey: The population for my study encompasses the women who have been engaged in micro credit activities lives in this Union. We have used structured questionnaire for collecting the data by interviewing. The women for the interview were selected randomly.

B. Questionnaire Survey: The Questionnaire comprised of background Questions about gender, age, education, number of family members and living standards, and Questions related to income, saving, capital etc. Structured questions and some dichotomous questions were given to all interviewees and they received exactly the same interview stimulus. Questions were very specific with a fixed range of answers. Our structured Questionnaire had multiple-choice questions in which the researcher provided a choice of answers and respondents were asked to select one or more of the alternatives, and dichotomous questions that had only two response alternatives, yes or no to measure the respondents’ perceptions based on few statements to perceive the impact of micro credit on their overall living standards. In this Questionnaire, women’s political situation and micro credit activities can be understood.

C. Filed Observation: Observation is one of the principle techniques in a research. Basically a research is beginning with keen observation of that particular thing. For this research keen observation helps to fulfill the goal.

D. Group Discussion: Group discussion is also very important method for performing a research. In this research, A group discussion was arranged among the women mainly workers to find out various events related to this research.

(b) Secondary sources: It is included with Literature survey, previous and present agricultural data, Books, journals, Local agricultural offices records, related GO/NGOs report and others various secondary sources were counted to enrich the study.

1.4.3 Compilation and analysis of data

After completion of field survey all the data of the questionnaire and interview schedule were compiled. Local units were converted into standard unit. Appropriate coding and scoring technique was followed to convert the qualitative data into quantitative forms. The responses of the individual respondent contained in the interview schedules were transferred to a master sheet for entering the date in the computer. As soon as the data entered into the computer, it was then analyzed in accordance with the objectives of the study.

1.4.4 Flowchart of methodology

1.5 Limitation of the study

No study or research is free from problem or limitation. In this study, we were confronted some problems. Among them:

1. Weak response from respondents because of the respondents was female. In the perspective of our countries socio economic condition, our female society is feels very shy, especially rural women. So, they don't want to express themselves at first.

2. Weather at that time was very rough. Rainfall was happened.

3. Some questions were not appropriate or incomprehensible to respondents.

4. There was also lacking to get proper secondary information like, map collection of Kalidaha.

5. Communication cost was too high.

1.6 Literature Review

Although the result of the research is highly dependent on the primary sources that I have gathered from the structured interview, but it also required some secondary sources to understand the concepts, definitions, theories and empirical result. I have used several books like Banglapaedia statistical yearbook etc., research literatures, articles, journals and thesis, as secondary sources for this study. Internet sources were also used as a secondary source for my thesis. Since the internet sources are les reliable; I have limited the use of those sources to the web pages of prominent organizations like Grameen Bank. Many studies have been conducted on micro credit over the last few decades. Nevertheless, from them I had to choose the most appropriate literature for this thesis. For this reason, I had to go through numerous references related to this topic, to find the suitable materials. These materials were mainly collected from the university library and using available search tool.

Chowdhury and Ahmed (1980): Female Status in Bangladesh, Bangladesh Institute of development studies, Dhaka. Women status is an important issue in Bangladesh. They found, women try to build up their rights and status and status in family and society, which face barrier. Their contribution and scarifies yet not get importance. But their status in every sphere of life are glorious not only family and society but also in whole world.

Jaquette (1985): “Women, Population and Food: An overview of the Issues” in women as food producers in developing countries, Jamie Monson and Marion Kalb (eds.), University Press of California. He argued that, women are the best food provider in most of the developing country, like Bangladesh. Women as a food producer done a great job from crop field to kitchen. Food and agricultural related all tasks are very nicely done by women in these country. Sen and Grown (1987): “Empowerment of Women in Bangladesh: An Analysis of Theoretical perspective” Social Science Journal, Vol-10, Rajshahi University, p. 203. They noticed the life sustaining role of women. They stated that i9n every society, women’s daily invisible efforts to feed, cloth, and nurture their families are the actions that sustain their communities. But he not gave any idea of it’s economic value.

Jahan (1989): Women and Development in Bangladesh: Challenges and opportunities, Dhaka: The Ford Foundation. She noted that, women and development is a challenge now. There is no any development activities which can be completed without women participation in it. Men and women together can change their fate. Their living standard, economy, social all kinds of development only and only be possible through women participation and empowerment of them.

Boserup, (1990); "Population, the Status of Women and Rural Development" in Rural Development and Population Institutions and Policy, Geoffrey Mcnicoll and M. Cain (eds.), The Population Council and Oxford University Press, New York. He noted that, Women are responsible for most of the domestic farming activities but maximum are paid less than their male colleagues. In spite of hand working they get less wages than men get. But he gave no solution about it)

Dixon-Mueller and Anker (1990): Assessing Women's Economic Contribution to Development, International Labour Organization, Geneva. The discussed, the value of women’s economic contribution to the household relative to men’s is almost always inversely related to social class. But there was no idea about country wise variation of it.

United Nations (1991): Methods of Measuring women’s Economic Activity, Technical report, Statistical Division, United Nations, New York. Women have the majority share in family food production, world wide, differing by region. In all regions, roughly half of all cash crops are cultivated by women farmers and agricultural labours.

Meekers et al., (1993): Can credit Programs for women affect reproductive Behaviour? The Case for Rural Bangladesh, Population Research Institute, Pennsylvania state University, Working Papers Series No. 1992-15, July. They found that, the combination of credit, women’s solidarity groups and awareness raising is believed to empower women by enabling them to earn a cash income through various types of self-employment activities.

Marchant, K. and K. Kurz (1993): “Women’s Nutrition through the life cycle” in the Health of women: A Global perspective, Marge Kobilnsky, J. Timyan and J. Gay (eds.), West view press, Colorado. They worked about women’s health’s and nutrition and the physical status and affecting factors on health.

Naved (1994): “Empowerment of women Listening to the voices of women” in the Bangladesh Development studies “Special Issue on Women, Development and Change’ Vol. XXII, No. 2 & 3 pp. 155-179 edited ley S. Amin, BIDS, Dhaka. He found that, the women credit program help them to improve their status and improved within the household due to the fact that they were seen as income earners for the family through their access to credit which are delivered by many NGO-Grameen Bank BRAC, ASA etc.

Haider, Raana (1995): “A perspective In Development: Gender Focus”, University Press Limited, Dhaka. He noted that women have the contribution in their family through providing food for all. Women’s work is more harder than man because of their physical structure. But they are not stop them stdves to doing work. There was no idea about other activities.

Pratima Paul Majumder (2003): “Gender Discrimination in Bangladesh labour Market,” Gende Equity in Bangladesh: Still a long way to go, News Network, Dhaka, P. 116, 205. She noted that, women are engaged themselves in various sector in Bangladesh, like, formal sector-school, bank, Ministry, Police, Private firm etc. and informal sector. House tutor, Handicrafts, skilled and unskilled labour. But in these sector the discrimination between men and women are seen during giving monthly wages. Women get less wages from men, but they work hard as same as men.

Shamsun Nahar and Abdul Mannan (2006): Political Rights and the Rural women: A Study of a Bangladesh villages, Afsar borthers, Dhaka. They discussed that, women have the right and great contribution in national politics and decision makings. They can be selected as political figure to develop society. Now, women established their position in parliament. In our rural area, various committees and up election, women have seat and they participated for these post through election.

1.7 DEFINITIONS AND KEY CONCEPT

Development: Development is the degree to which people have the options to enable them to “lead a long and healthy life, to be knowledgeable and to find access to the assets, employment and income needed for a decent standard of living. It accompanied by the process of modernization. (Chairman of WCED)

Economic Development: Economic development is the change with results from societies slowly developing from subsistence economics to high technology societies, a change from family production of goods and services to specialized production. This specialization of production makes it possible to use better technologies, scientific methods and a more elaborate economic and social infrastructure.

Women in Development: Women in development address the centrality of women’s issues and interests to development, then the relations between genders in society have to be given priority in development efforts.

Gender: Gender has been defined by the (European Commission, 1993) as the different roles, responsibilities and expectations of women and men in societies and cultures, which affect their ability and their incentive to participate in development projects and lead to a different project impact for women and men.

Micro-credit: It is a component of micro finance and is the extension of small loans to entrepreneurs, who are too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans. Especially in developing countries, micro-credit enables very poor people to engage in self-employment projects that generate income, thus allowing them to improve the standard of living for themselves and their families.

Empowerment: Empowerment refers to increasing the spiritual, political, social and economic strength of individuals and communities. It often involves in developing confidence of the individual in his/her own capacities. It has different meanings in different social, cultural and political contexts. It indicates the expression of self-strength, control, self-power, self-reliance, freedom of choice and life of dignity, in accordance with one’s values, capable of fighting for one’s rights, independence, own decision making, being free, awakening, and capability. Empowerment is relevant at the individual and collective level and can be economic, social or political. (Carolin Moser)

Economic Empowerment: In our research, we have also emphasized on economic empowerment. As a consequence of economic empowerment, income, savings, employment and self-employment increases and thus reducing unemployment and indebtedness. As a result of this distress, sale of commodities and land also decreases, resulting in the increase of assets and productive investment.

Social Empowerment: Social empowerment refers mainly to the literacy rate and social awareness, especially of women who are much oppressed in many parts of the developing countries. We can say, in general, that is related to the participation of people in different community and political institutions, mobility and decision-making power, access to safe drinking water and sanitation coverage. The other factors, which result as the increase in social empowerment, are increase in contraceptive prevalence rate and access to public and common property resources, and decrease in child and maternal mortality.

1.8 Organization of the Chapter

There are almost six chapter in this thesis. I am trying to give a vivid picture of our rural Bangladesh, it’s women society it’s socio-economic development, women status and participation in these development and their empowerment, which are serially discussed and presented in an organized way through these six chapter.

First chapter, is an introductory chapter where I present my about my work and subject, it’s significance, objectives, methodology of data collection and analysis, related literature review, which enriched my thesis and some limitations and overall key concept of my study.

Second chapter, presents general information of respondents in the study area. 

Third chapter, present women status in family and society.  

Fourth chapter present women participation in rural society.

Fifth chapter, includes women participation in rural agricultural and economic activities,

which established through primary data analysis and related secondary data collection.

Sixth chapter, is summary chapter some recommendation of authors which can be developed this issue to reach it’s goal and fulfill the aim and objectives of the study, are presented here and at last conclusion.

1.9 Conclusion

Women development is a key factor of development for any country. In Bangladesh, they are in low status in everywhere. But, we have to develop their condition and their participation and empowerment have to be ensured so that they can develop them selves. Which can be helping us to develop our rural dependent country.