Gender Development & Business Membership Organizations

The formal participation of women in the economy has been a recent phenomenon in Bangladesh. Only in the recent one and a half decades has the country witnessed women participating in significant and increasing numbers in business activities. The ready-made garments (RMG) sector has been the pioneer in this regard, with women comprising approximately 85 percent of the RMG workforce. This is one of the key reasons the SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF) has selected RMG as a sub-sector focus.

Most of SEDF's gender work is currently being channeled through the women Business Membership Organizations (BMOs). Currently SEDF is working with the following major associations:

• Chittagong Women Entrepreneurs
  
  
• Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry
  
  
• Women Entrepreneurs Association of Bangladesh
  
  
• National Women's Association of Bhutan

SEDF works with selected women BMOs to develop their capacity to meet the specific needs of women entrepreneurs and remove gender barriers that prevent the women-owned SMEs from growing.

The following are some positive outcomes of the work SEDF has carried out in collaboration with the women BMOs:

• Increased sales of US$ 1.5 million since 2003 by women-owned enterprises in Bangladesh through both local and international market expansion support;
  
  
• A three-fold increase in service delivery to women entrepreneurs by women BMOs;
  
  
• Increased visibility in mainstream business forums such as liaison with the Ministry of Commerce, the Export Promotion Bureau and various business chambers in Bangladesh.
  
  
• Introduction of a pilot project for women entrepreneurs in rural areas in Bhutan. The project is expected to generate employment and income for about 2,000 potential women entrepreneurs.