The March of Women

More than 40pc of India's women confined to domestic work: report



Women in India depict only 27 percent of the formal labor force, despite recent inspiring statistics of improving literacy rates. Health and nutrition is also being formalized, much so in Bangladesh, which is a diffusion of going one-up on the diminutive status of women in third world countries. This is undoubtedly inspired by the global awareness of the recognition of women and their roles in the community. In India however, domestic household work, a product of historic marginalized attitudes, is still not considered in formal policy. Working 10 times more than men at unpaid work, considering household compensated productivity would contribute US $300 bn to India annually. However, much like Bangladesh, many challenges remain, to liberate women and shine a light of success towards their gender.

Women's economic footprints are growing
Delightful news, in contrast, where women-led households have been noticed to multiply six-folds, in the last decade in Bangladesh. From around 62 thousand, it stood at 3.63 lakh in 2013.

Classification of economic household goes to non-agricultural activities. This is an increase of 49%, reported by the WB which estimated declining growth rate owed to dwindling labor force. Women's potential is now being identified, learning from successful examples in small business with financial aid. These are from govt, non-govt and social interventions. These untangled women from social myths and stereotypes.

Permanent economic establishments owned by women are still not satisfactory, although up 38% in the last decade. This owes to the slow growth of educated women. Of the 2.45 crore active economic population, only around 16% are women, almost half of them in garments. Despite a long way to go, we can celebrate the growth and unlocking potential of rural women in the country.

Women-led startups show strength
"An online startup -- maya.com.bd -- has responded to more than one lakh queries and given solutions to legal, social and health problems in the last one year."
This is what an article read recently, demonstrating the emerging prowess of startup, as well as women. The Bangladesh Women in Technology (BWIT) and Microsoft organinzed an event to showcase startup, digital products for the recent Women's Day. There this startup, with the app called "maya apa" displayed their working model to help female issues through question and answers. The president of BWIT lauded these initiatives, but conceded that women must take more of them.

Women executives help fuel profits: study  
And why shouldn't women be proud of themselves? With their initiatives across the lower income line as well as the ones embracing IT in Bangladesh: women of the world have been said to increase profitability in corporate business! Statistics from a a 91-country study of 22 thousand publicly traded companies say 30% women hoarded 6% of profits. That is more profits. As well as corporate performance when in leadership positions. Realities lie varied though, where some companies incentivize women through helpful corporate policies, while others appoint them in upper executive ranks. Worldwide right now, 3 in 10 companies have no women representing executive positions on boards.