Women in Local Government in Bangladesh

1. To Our
Presentation

3. ObjectivesObjectives
To Show the position and situationTo Show the position and situation
of Women in Local Government,of Women in Local Government,
To identify Scene behind the FactsTo identify Scene behind the Facts
in women backwardness,in women backwardness,
Recommendation to overcome thisRecommendation to overcome this
Situation.Situation.

4. Session:1
Women in Local GovernmentWomen in Local Government

5. Historical Background
Local Government Ordinance 1976
>> 2 seat reserved
>> Nominated by UP

6. Historical Background
Union Parishad Ordinance-1983
>> increase the reserved seat 2 to 3
Local Government (Union Parishad)
act-1997
>>Introduce Direct election instead of
Nomination.

7. Position of Women in LGPosition of Women in LG
UNION PARISHAD ELECTION
Elections Year Women Candidates Elected Chairmen
and Members
Chairmen Members Chairmen Members
1st
1973 ----- ----- ----- ----
2nd
1977 19 19 04 07
3rd
1984 --- --- 06 ---
4th
1988 79 863 01 ---
5th
1992 115 1135 08 20
6th
1997 102 43969/456* 20+3 12882/110*
7th
2003 232 43764/617* 22 12684/79*
Source: Nazmunnsa Mahtab; women, gender And Administration

8. Upazila Election-2009
Upazila
Women
Chair
(Direct
Elected)
Vice Chair
(Reserve
Seat)
Councilor
481 03 481 933
Source: Professor Dr. Zarina Rahman Khan

9. First Elected Women MayorFirst Elected Women Mayor
Selina Hayat Ivy
• First Elected WomenFirst Elected Women
MayorMayor
• Many voters favour Ivy, a vice-
president of Narayanganj town
unit of Awami League
• And present Mayor of
Narayanganj city corporation

10. Problems women are facingProblems women are facing
01.Lack of Specific Job description01.Lack of Specific Job description
02.Tending to the exclusion of the02.Tending to the exclusion of the
representation from the Standingrepresentation from the Standing
CommitteeCommittee
03.Lack of notification about the time of03.Lack of notification about the time of
meetingmeeting

11. Problems women are facingProblems women are facing
04. Pressure by the Chair to sign the04. Pressure by the Chair to sign the
minutes of a meetingminutes of a meeting
05. Verbal abuse05. Verbal abuse
06. No participation in budget meeting06. No participation in budget meeting
07. Lack of proper training07. Lack of proper training

12. Problems women are facingProblems women are facing
08. Absence from development activities08. Absence from development activities
09.Discrimination of the male counterparts09.Discrimination of the male counterparts
10. Lack of knowledge and expertness in10. Lack of knowledge and expertness in
politicspolitics
11.11. Self declared ChairmanSelf declared Chairman
12. Same Honorarium.12. Same Honorarium.

13. Session:Session:
22Scene behind the Facts in womenScene behind the Facts in women
backwardnessbackwardness

14. Scene behind theScene behind the
Facts in womenFacts in women
backwardnessbackwardness
 Economic ConstrainsEconomic Constrains
 Political ConstrainsPolitical Constrains
 Social ConstrainsSocial Constrains

15. Economic Constrains
• Dependency on men
• Lack of wealth ownership
• Inadequate employment opportunity
• Lack of power resource
• Poverty

16. Political Constrains
• Limited participation in politics
• Lack of interest of Political Parties
• Traditional facts
• The worst political environment
• Male dominant political culture

17. Social Constrains
• Patriarchal Society
• Illiteracy
• Socialization
• Misinterpretation of religion
• Lack of legal rights

18. Session:
3Recommendation to overcomeRecommendation to overcome
this Situationthis Situation

19. RecommendationRecommendation
Removal of patriarchal society
Raising awareness among
women About their right
Provision of Education
Creating opportunities of
employment

20. RecommendationRecommendation
Women’s access and control
over resource
Expansion of legal Right
Consider women issue as
global issue
Ensure Women’s political
empowerment

21. RecommendationRecommendation
Positive Socialization
Positive role of media
Expansion of NGO’s activities
Ensure Women’s Economic
empowerment
Provision of proper training

22. RecommendationRecommendation
• Removal of Family and religious
constrains
• Better Administrative help

24. Presented by In Cooperation
Helal Uddin
Mohon Robi Dash
Tonuka Bhowmik
• Mang A sen
• Zia Uddin
• Roman Hossain
• Saifuddin