ศูนย์นวัตกรรมเทคโนโลยีหลังการเก็บเกี่ยว

Patterns of activity and use of time in rural Bangladesh: class, gender, and seasonal variations.

Zaman, H.;

Journal of Developing Areas Year: 1995 Vol: 29 Issue: 3 Pages: 371-388 Ref: ref.

1995

บทคัดย่อ

It is commonplace that women's work in developing countries is under represented in labour force statistics. Survey and census data consistently undercount and underestimate female labour force participation despite women's significant role in domestic tasks as well as their contribution to the survival of peasant households and the national economy. Research for the paper was carried out in 1984/85 in one village of Rajshahi district, Bangladesh. Thirty four households were identified, covering the complete range of land ownership status, and these were analysed through completion of a time-use survey and interviews. Data are presented for three periods of the year: busy, intermediate and slack. Activity patterns vary from one season to another, and also across social classes. Time spent on domestic chores in the busy season is the lowest of all three seasons. Some women reported off-bari (home) employment involving work in field agriculture as wage labourers and in postharvest operations. Wome

n who work in the field come from poor-peasant households; the rich- and middle-peasant households maintain strict culturally specific gender roles. There is a need to refine some of the conceptual and methodological issues in the collection of data on women and work to ensure that their work is fully represented.