The July 2019 issue of Thinking Aloud focuses on “Gender and development”. The first-page article titled “Challenges of female employment in Bangladesh” emphasizes that supply-side factors like child marriage, early pregnancy, reproductive and domestic responsibilities, and low level of skill and education restrict female labour market participation. On the demand side, in recent decade, slowing down of the growth of the readymade garment sector – the major sector of females’ wage employment, increased automation in the garment factories, sluggish private sector investment, lack of economic diversification, lack of social and work-place safety, lack of transport facilities for female workers, long working hours and overtime, and lack of women-friendly machine have adverse impact on female employment in particular. The second-page article on “Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment” stresses the need for development and implementation of inclusive trade policies that leave no one behind. Appropriate policies will help bridge the gender divide in trade and foster women empowerment. When women are empowered economically through their involvement in trade it leads to spillover benefits in terms of job creation which will benefit the economy as a whole. In order to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth, the economic potential of women needs to be utilized. The third-page article titled “How is Bangladesh progressing in gender equality?” emphasizes that Bangladesh has progressed in infant mortality, life expectancy, female health and education. It has seen positive trends in women’s participation in economic life, politics and decision-making. Bangladesh has undertaken national plans and strategies to fight violence against women. However, despite the progress made so far, the educational gains achieved by women are yet to translate into greater empowerment and participation of women in social and economic life. The fourth page covers the events that took place in the month of June.
