Women's education and employment: Matlab experience

Abstract

Educational differentials in a broad range of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics were assessed among 9853 currently married women aged 15-49 years in 60 Matlab villages. The sample was comprised of a Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC)-eligible group of 6144 respondents and a BRAC-noneligible group of 3543 respondents. The average BRAC-eligible mother was 31.6 years old, attended school for only one year, and had three currently living children, but would have liked to have had at least one fewer child. The mean amount of loans extended to them was higher than their mean amount of savings. The BRAC-noneligible sample was almost identical with the eligible sample with regard to the number of living and desired children, but with a higher level of schooling and slightly older. Women in this latter sample had a higher level of savings than the value of loans they had taken out. The study found women's education to have a considerable influence upon the sociodemographic aspects of women's lives. Relative to less educated women, better educated women have a broader knowledge of the outside world, are more aware of beneficial health practices and hygiene, and give more emphasis to cleanliness. Attitude and outlook can also be changed by education. There is a substantial impact of women's education upon employment; multivariate results suggest that educated women are more likely to be employed outside of the home