DETERMINANTS OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT UNDER ULLAPARA UPAZILA OF SIRAJGANJ DITRICT

Abstract

Women in Bangladesh have made major strides over the past decades, putting the South Asian country at the forefront among the least-developed countries in addressing gender disparity. The purpose of the study was to describe the selected characteristics of the women; to ascertain the determinants of women empowerment; and the level of contribution of the selected determinants to women empowerment. The study carried out in Ullapara upazila under Sirajganj district. Data were collected from 116 women by using a pretested interview schedule during the period from 10 January to 11 February 2018. Descriptive statistics, multiple regressions were used for analysis. Women empowerment was measured by social, political and economic dimensions. The result also revealed that women education, and knowledge on empowerment had significant contribution on social empowerment, family annual income, knowledge on empowerment, and education had significant contribution on political empowerment and family annual income, age, and body mass index had significant contribution on women economic empowerment. The findings showed that social and political empowerment had positive effects on women empowerment due to empowerment status. It is concluded that women had potentiality to enhance their knowledge regarding empowerment issues and change their present status. Therefore, Bangladesh government should take necessary initiative like introducing self-help program to overcome the existing disaggregated situation.