power of woman bangladesh

In this path breaking study, social economist Naila Kabeer examines the lives of Bangladeshi garment workers to shed light on the question of what constitutes “fair” competition in international trade. While Bangladesh is generally considered a poor, conservative Muslim country, with a long tradition of female seclusion, women here have entered factories to take their place as a prominent, first generation, industrial labor force. On the other hand, in Britain's modern and secular society with its long tradition of female industrial employment, Bangladeshi women are largely concentrated in home-based piece work for the garment industry.
This book draws on testimonies of both groups concerning their experiences at work and the impact these have on their lives generally to explain such paradoxes. Kabeer argues that any attempt to devise acceptable labour standards at the international level which takes no account of the forces of inclusion and exclusion within local labour markets is likely to represent the interests of powerful losers in international trade at the expense of weak winners.“A fascinating study of how women workers at two geographic poles of the global garment industry view their lives and work. Textured, ethically probing and challenging—a must read for anyone concerned about the impact of globalization on workers.“— Gita Sen, Professor, Indian Institute of Management“Kabeer has provided valuable statistical data and informative personal testimonies on the lives of an often neglected section of women workers.” – Socialist Review
Naila Kabeer is a Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex. She has worked extensively on issues related to gender and development in Bangladesh, India and Vietnam. She is the author of Reversed Realities: Gender Hierachies in Development Thought, also from Verso.