Women’s participation in workforce rising in Bangladesh: ILO

• The participation of women is increasing
• Women’s participation in the workforce rising in Bangladesh
• women in Bangladesh have increased from 29.2 to 42.8 percent.
• World Employment and Social Outlook Trends 2024

 

The International Labour Organisation report revealed that in the Covid period, the participation rate of women in the labour market in Bangladesh has increased from 29.2 per cent to 42.8 per cent.

This progress report came in the ‘World Employment and Social Outlook Trends 2024’ of the ILO which was published on January 10, 2024.

According to the report, the participation rate of all classes of people in the labour market will not return to the same rate as the pre-epidemic level, but there will be differences in this regard.

But the participation of women is increasing. Yet the gender gap persists, especially in emerging and developing countries. These issues remain a challenge for long-term employment.

ILO Bangladesh country director Tuomo Poutiainen said, ‘Increasing women’s participation in the labour market can be achieved by reducing child marriage, and increasing women’s and girls’ participation in education and technical training.’

‘Bangladesh’s overall economic growth has created new job opportunities for women. What we need to do now is to develop the skills of women, youth, and disabled people and create opportunities for them to participate equally in the labour market,’ said the ILO country head.

The report said that the impact of the pandemic was still being felt in the labour market. Global youth unemployment rates remain a challenge. The number of people not in employment or employment training is still high, especially among young women.

However, in the later stages of the epidemic, the participation rate of women in the labour market in Bangladesh increased from 29.2 per cent to 42.8 per cent.

This year’s report trends provide a comprehensive assessment of the latest labour market trends, including unemployment, job creation, labour force participation and hours worked.

The report finds that although some of the data are encouraging, notably on growth and unemployment, a deeper analysis reveals that labour market imbalances are growing and that, in the context of multiple and interacting global crises, this is eroding progress towards greater social justice.

So, although in 2023 global unemployment dropped to the lowest level since the start of the pandemic, and working poverty and informality approached pre-pandemic rates, the ILO’s projections suggest that little positive change in these indicators can be expected in 2024.