Women’s Empowerment in Bangladesh: Contributions of Social Protection Plans (Stipend for Girls’ and Housing Project)

Social norms and patriarchal cultures in Bangladesh shaped social structures in such a way that worked as an impediment to women’s empowerment over time. Less access to education, early marriage, being confined to household activities, no participation in decision-making, and no strategic life choices etc. were common for women, which goes to the opposite of women’s empowerment. To empower women in Bangladesh, the government has taken several policies where social protection plans play an important role. The present study tried to evaluate two social protection plans: an asset transfer programme (a housing project) designed for both males and females and a conditional cash transfer (a stipend for schoolgirls) intended for females only. The study discussed the empowerment aspects of these instruments in terms of Kabeer’s empowerment framework (resources, agency, and achievements), the transformational features of the instruments, and the success of facing existing structures. Both instruments seem effective in terms of empowering women through the creation of resources, agency, and achievements. Stipends for girls increased enrolment of girls in school and average educational qualifications which helped them to enter the job market and have authority in the family. Ashrayan project helped women to have control in family matters through absolute ownership in assets and increased the average income level of the women beneficiaries. Though these instruments fight against structural barriers, policymakers still need to work more as long-term perceptions still exist as impediments to women’s empowerment and sometimes stakeholders cannot realise the ultimate meaning of empowerment. Policies can be designed to ensure the full authority of women over their resources, and it is essential to monitor the true essence of empowerment. The government may need to implement policies which will ensure not only resources but also the agency of the women. Overall, social protection instruments work effectively to empower women, bringing them out of their discomfort zone with a set of resources. To address deep-rooted structures and encourage a thorough knowledge of empowerment among all stakeholders, however, a concerted effort is needed as the journey continues.