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Articles 1 - 14 of 14
Full-Text Articles in Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
On Being Biranganas: Passivity, Agency, And Wartime Rapes In Shaukat Osman’S Nekre Aranya, Madhurima Sen
On Being Biranganas: Passivity, Agency, And Wartime Rapes In Shaukat Osman’S Nekre Aranya, Madhurima Sen
Journal of International Women's Studies
The 1971 War of Bangladesh witnessed one of the worst incidents of gender-based violence in history in which women’s bodies became the site for asserting victory or dominance. The newly formed nation focused on the image of the violated women and was united in its thirst for revenge against Pakistani perpetrators. The nation bequeathed the apparently reverential title of birangana (brave women) to the rape survivors in recognition of their “sacrifice.” However, even though the image of the birangana circulated in the public sphere in various forms, the narrative of the women themselves got suppressed under national legend-building. This article …
Hasina’S Sisters Are Machine Women: Women’S Violated Bodies And/In Bangladeshi Garments Factories, Umme Al-Wazedi
Hasina’S Sisters Are Machine Women: Women’S Violated Bodies And/In Bangladeshi Garments Factories, Umme Al-Wazedi
Journal of International Women's Studies
Hasina and Shimu are garment factory workers; Hasina’s life is portrayed in Monica Ali’s 2003 debut novel, Brick Lane. Shimu is the main character of Rubaiyat Hossain’s 2020 film Made in Bangladesh. Hasina and Shimu suffer from violence enacted on their bodies by both male garment factory workers and their husbands. They suffer from male hegemonic masculinity, patriarchal norms, and discriminatory economic structures. Furthermore, the dominant image of a female garment factory worker as sexually promiscuous enables more violence against them. In addition, economic violence is used to control and limit women’s bodies. Their bodies become a site of control …
Packing: A Poem, Qazi M. Noor
Packing: A Poem, Qazi M. Noor
Journal of International Women's Studies
For the student planning to venture out of their home and set sail for higher studies, the busiest time of the year is in the Fall. University application season is hard, but it is harder still to pack one’s bags and leave everything familiar behind. The international student feels especially divided at a time like this: the excitement of experiencing something new and the feeling of bereavement while leaving their world behind. “Packing” speaks of the act of taking with one the things that are important, special, and worthwhile. Though it is virtually impossible to carry one’s whole world in …
Socioeconomic And Demographic Predictors Of Women's First Birth At An Early Age: Evidence From Bangladesh’S Demographic And Health Survey, 2004-2014, Akhtarul Islam, Sharlene Alauddin, Sutapa D. Barna
Socioeconomic And Demographic Predictors Of Women's First Birth At An Early Age: Evidence From Bangladesh’S Demographic And Health Survey, 2004-2014, Akhtarul Islam, Sharlene Alauddin, Sutapa D. Barna
Journal of International Women's Studies
Women's health is highly influenced by early childbearing in 95% of developing countries such as Bangladesh. Women who have their first child at an early age receive fewer years of schooling, which also influences their employment life. Women's early age at first birth creates health complications, increases both maternal and child mortality, and prolongs the reproductive duration as well as a country's fertility rate. This is a major social and public health problem around the world. This study aims to investigate the existing situation in Bangladesh and to identify the triggering influencing factors of age at first birth. A cross-sectional …
Risks Of Hiv/Aids Transmission: A Study On The Perceptions Of The Wives Of Migrant Workers Of Bangladesh, Humayun Kabir, Syadani R. Fatema, Saiful Hoque, Jesmin Ara, Myfanwy Maple
Risks Of Hiv/Aids Transmission: A Study On The Perceptions Of The Wives Of Migrant Workers Of Bangladesh, Humayun Kabir, Syadani R. Fatema, Saiful Hoque, Jesmin Ara, Myfanwy Maple
Journal of International Women's Studies
In recent years, an increasing number of Bangladeshi men have been working overseas. Whilst working abroad, some migrants engage in unprotected sexual activities, making them vulnerable to different kinds of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Upon return home, the wives of these migrant workers are also highly susceptible to contracting HIV/AIDS. This study explores how and what the wives of the migrant workers perceive as practices of health safety regarding HIV/AIDS. In this connection, the Health Belief Model (HBM) was used as a theoretical lens for this study. Data were collected …
Socioeconomic Status And Maternal Health-Seeking Behavior: A Comparative Study Between A Rural Site And An Urban Community In Bangladesh, Delwar Hossain
Socioeconomic Status And Maternal Health-Seeking Behavior: A Comparative Study Between A Rural Site And An Urban Community In Bangladesh, Delwar Hossain
Journal of International Women's Studies
Maternal health-seeking behavior is not only a crucial public health issue but also a serious women’s health concern in Bangladesh. The present study examines the relationship between couples’ socioeconomic status and maternal health-seeking behavior in comparison of rural areas and urban communities in Bangladesh. Based on the research objectives, it included 95 rural and 95 urban couples (total 190 couples) randomly selected from purposively selected rural areas and urban communities in Thakurgaon District (north western area of Bangladesh). Results of the present study indicate that the rate of illiteracy was higher in rural sites than in the urban communities (rural: …
History And/Through Oral Narratives: Relocating Women Of The 1971 War Of Bangladesh In Neelima Ibrahim’S A War Heroine, I Speak, Sanjib K. Biswas, Priyanka Tripathi
History And/Through Oral Narratives: Relocating Women Of The 1971 War Of Bangladesh In Neelima Ibrahim’S A War Heroine, I Speak, Sanjib K. Biswas, Priyanka Tripathi
Journal of International Women's Studies
In the postmodern era, one of the primary objectives of oral narratives is to tell the untold stories of history. Amidst the allegations that historical representation of war narratives often tends to be gendered and biased, these oral narratives of women offer not only a fresh perspective to the wars like the 1971 war of Bangladesh, Sri Lankan Civil War (1983 – 2009) and Kashmir Insurgency (1989 – Present), but also become their own version of pain, suffering, prejudice, and plight. In that sense, they become the voice of the voiceless, giving the victims a chance to assert themselves, despite …
Gender Is A Human Rights Issue: The Case Of Women’S Entrepreneurship Development In The Small And Medium Enterprise Sector Of Bangladesh, Chowdhury Dilruba Shoma
Gender Is A Human Rights Issue: The Case Of Women’S Entrepreneurship Development In The Small And Medium Enterprise Sector Of Bangladesh, Chowdhury Dilruba Shoma
Journal of International Women's Studies
This article explores the significant gender gap that currently exists in regard to power relations in the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector in Bangladesh. Particularly, the focus is on the discrepancy between the economic and social opportunities available to women as compared to men. The problem is treated in the context of the research theme “gender is a human rights issue”. It is argued that this gender gap impacts negatively not just on women but also on the performance of the national economy as a whole. Taking a broad international comparative approach informed by a liberal-feminist perspective (articulated most …
Women's Rights And Voice In The Ready-Made Garments Sector Of Bangladesh: Evidence From Theory And Practice, Dilruba Shoma Chowdhury
Women's Rights And Voice In The Ready-Made Garments Sector Of Bangladesh: Evidence From Theory And Practice, Dilruba Shoma Chowdhury
Journal of International Women's Studies
Since the 1980s, the ready–made garments (RMG) sector has opened up the door that allowed poor people, particularly women, to potentially lead a better life in Bangladesh. Economic globalisation has led to the growth of more employment opportunities for those women who are from the most disadvantaged sector of the society and the greatest beneficiaries of employment in the RMG sector as they have gained the power to earn. However, these women workers are also the most vulnerable to the weak legal provisions and compliance enforcement of this sector. Given the situation, the intention of the study is to highlight …
A Chronicle Of The Global Movement To Combat Violence Against Women: The Role Of The Second-Wave Feminist Movement And The United Nations: The Perspective Of Bangladesh, Anisur Rahman Khan
A Chronicle Of The Global Movement To Combat Violence Against Women: The Role Of The Second-Wave Feminist Movement And The United Nations: The Perspective Of Bangladesh, Anisur Rahman Khan
Journal of International Women's Studies
Violence against women strikes countless women in epidemic proportions across the globe. At present, it is treated as the most pervasive violation of human rights and a serious impediment for development. Shockingly, for many years, a huge culture of silence was associated with the acts of violence of men against women. The second-wave feminist movement of the late sixties and early seventies brought the issue into public discourse, provided a theoretical foundation to analyse the problem and commenced an all-out campaign to redress the problem. For the second-wave feminist movement, patriarchy or unequal power relations between men and women is …
Dowry In Bangladesh: A Search From An International Perspective For An Effective Legal Approach To Mitigate Women's Experiences, Afroza Begum
Journal of International Women's Studies
For some 40 years, Bangladesh has fought a losing battle against the existence of dowries and their associated abuse with no indication of even a minimal impact as dowry demands inflate and violence increases. In one year alone, dowry related violence claimed the lives of 325 women and contributed to 66.7 per cent of the violent incidents against women. This article aims to investigate the appropriateness and effectiveness of legal approaches to dowry and propose a different standard for redressing women’s disadvantaged situation in the traditional culture of Bangladesh.
Gender Awareness Of Rural Women In Bangladesh, Shahnaj Parveen
Gender Awareness Of Rural Women In Bangladesh, Shahnaj Parveen
Journal of International Women's Studies
This study aims to determine the social status of rural women and their level of gender awareness (GA) in three villages within the Mymensingh district of Bangladesh. Data were collected from 156 respondents through group discussions and personal interviews from December 2002 to April 2003. Women’s social status and GA was determined following the Likert scale method. The study reveals that personal income and physical beauty of rural women are the most important factors determining a higher social status while women with distressed conditions including mental and physical disabilities were found to have a lower social status. Among ten pre-selected …
Determinants Of Living Arrangements, Health Status And Abuse Among Elderly Women: A Study Of Rural Naogaon District, Bangladesh, Ahmed Mohammad Munsur, Ismail Tareque, K. M. Mustafizur Rahman
Determinants Of Living Arrangements, Health Status And Abuse Among Elderly Women: A Study Of Rural Naogaon District, Bangladesh, Ahmed Mohammad Munsur, Ismail Tareque, K. M. Mustafizur Rahman
Journal of International Women's Studies
In this study, the socio-economic backdrops, living arrangements, health status and abuse of the women aged 60 years and older in the rural Naogaon district of Bangladesh are examined. The data were collected from seven villages by using probability proportional to size (PPS) sampling and the results show that an overwhelming majority of the elderly women in the age group 60-69 years who are widowed, illiterate, have no education and income, economically dependent, living with married children, unhealthy, suffer from arthritis related illness and are taking treatment from village doctors. Furthermore, the study shows that, nearly 35 percent elderly women …
The Ready-Made Garments Industry In Bangladesh: A Means To Reducing Gender-Based Social Exclusion Of Women?, Nidhi Khosla
The Ready-Made Garments Industry In Bangladesh: A Means To Reducing Gender-Based Social Exclusion Of Women?, Nidhi Khosla
Journal of International Women's Studies
Women in Bangladesh have traditionally been excluded from taking part in social, political and economic activities by means of institutions such as the purdah (veil). However, the rise of the ready-made garments industry in Bangladesh since the 1970s has provided women with opportunities to work outside the home for wages. This change coincided with changes such as a decline in the rural sector, increased emphasis on girls’ education and campaigns to improve women’s health and reduce fertility. As a result of these changes, the social exclusion of women has reduced considerably. This paper analyses existing literature on women’s employment in …