without mobilization, according to The State - of the World's Children 1989. UNICEF.

Have the development agencies accepted the concept of real development ? There is a big question regarding this. Most of the aid agencies support these parameters to change the quality of life of the poor in the Third World, but many do not. Most of the bilateral aid to government does not involve people ( beneficiaries ) to develop projects and the poor people s wisdom is Ignored. Not to speak of the women, they are always forgotten. "

Invisible women

Hunger and poverty are more women issues. Women experience hunger and poverty In much more intense ways

than do men. Women have to stay at 'home' and manage the family With virtually nothing to manage with. When there Is nothing to eat, husbands prefer to stay away from home to avoid crisis. A mother cannot avoid facing It. She frantically looks for ways to feed the children. It is she who has to invent the last survival manoeuvre, says Dr Mohammed Yunus of Grameen Bank.

The rural women are presently outside public policy debate on development agenda. Bangladesh women, categorized as "invisible population", are deliberately kept out of broad of public participation in decision-making process for achieving sustainable future.

Women's contribution in so-

ciety is not reflected in

Bangladesh government's sta-. tistical year book. GDP figures

do no speak of women's contribution in agriculture production. domestic chores. mother-

ing and family welfare. It is the women who have to bear the major brunt of environmental damages and poverty. Therefore, the fate of women in environmental degradation and poverty remains another untold story of miseries.

A Bangladeshi woman's life to a large extent is shaped by her dependence on three pillars of support : her father, her husband, her son. Although these traditional forces and means of support are very much in existence, over the past twenty years their Influence has been eroded by the forces of modern life.

In spite of the overall un favourable picture of the position of women in Bangladesh, there have been certain break-

throughs. observes Rana Halder. Early marriage of girls has declined and fertility rate has significantly come down.

Also, contraceptive prevalence rate, vaccination against tetanus. girl child education, female labour force are increasing at a faster rate.

Women In a predominantly Muslim society have dome out of their veil. Presently, more rural women have access to rural credit. Some 3 million women have taken loans from Grameen Bank. Swanirvar. BRXC. Palll Karma Shahayak Foundation and other PVDOs.

The perspective of society for the womenfolk is different from that of men. She can closely ob serve society as she has to

gather fuel for cooking, collect potable water and vegetables from the backyard, look after poultry and cattle, preserve seeds, raise children and of course keep her family going. In return, she gets neglect from society.

Media communications have discovered that women — and not men are receptive to development messages Whether it is child immunization or vaccines for pregnant women, use of safe waler or protection from diarrheal diseases, health, hygiene or child education, wage dis crimination or social taboos, it Is the women who react positively

The writer is an Astoka Fellow specializing in develop ment Journalism and runs D-ve lopment Features, an bide pendent advocacy writing syndicate on sustainable develop ment.