This book presents an extensive study of women's involvement in agricultural activities at the family level in rural Bangladesh, with a particular emphasis on their participation in decision-making. The authors examine the extent to which women are involved in decision-making regarding agricultural practices at family level. In addition to examining women's contributions to various agricultural tasks, the research expands its scope to include discussions on gender inequality and empowerment, integrating these concepts into the decision-making framework. The authors argue that true participation should not only address the involvement of women in agriculture but also consider their influence on decision-making processes. They stress the importance of factors such as autonomy, control over resources, and self-confidence, which play a crucial role in shaping women's decision-making ability within the family. Moreover, the research identifies several key barriers to participation, including entrenched patriarchal norms, societal cultural expectations, and institutional challenges, which hinder women's active involvement in decision-making. The authors advocate for policy reforms and institutional changes to address these challenges, urging government bodies to align policies with their recommendations. The book provides valuable insights for policymakers, government officials, and NGOs working to promote gender-based approach and improve women's empowerment in rural communities.

Autorentext

Dr Faraha Nawaz is a Professor at the Rajshahi University, Bangladesh. Dr Nawaz has also proved her excellence both in her basic and applied researches as well as in publishing. As an academic, she has devoted herself in undertaking wide-ranging research in social sciences in general and gender issues in particular, and has published articles in refereed journals, chapters in peer-reviewed books, and two books published from Palgrave Macmillan. She is an international fellow of Brown University and visiting research fellow of University of OXFORD.

Sangida Afrog Rupa has completed her Master's Degree with First Class from the Department of Public Administration at the University of Rajshahi. She completed her undergraduate degree in the same department. She has also participated in two international conferences. Additionally, she has co-authored a book chapter published by Springer Nature Singapore. Her core areas of interest include Public Policy, Human Resource Management, Gender Studies, Climate Change and the Environment, Social Inequalities, Immigrant and Refugee Studies, and NGOs.