Marginalization of Women’s Contribution in Agrarian Societies

Women are the most oppressed group in patriarchal societies. Their contribution always becomes marginalized or ignored by social values. Here I want to discuss some of women’s contributions and the ways of ignorance, according to the aspect of Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, most of institutional power is in the hands of men. They are such a group who has the authority to make decision, rule family, make an order and to practice other forms of power. As men over women, their income also never recognized as staple support for the families.  

Most of the parts of Bangladesh are agrarian and economy of which is almost subsistence typed. Peasant households always increase its number of members in order to have a large size of the labor force for fortifying production and social responsibilities. A crucial part of this labor force comes from women. Before planting, mostly women do everything of seed processing as well as they make it productive. And when crops come to home from cornfield, women do most of the task even they turn it to food after going through various stages of processing.  Generally, men’s contributions are in the field and women for home. Though there are some instances where men and women are doing together in the field and home, it is not the common appearance always. 

As I discuss above, women and men both are contributor in local production and family economy, but here are some political practice that need to be analyzed. Firstly, women have no authorities or rights over the property what they worked for. It implies, women are solely labor with no power to make a decision.  Secondly, men are the owners of producing crops or goods and they have the rights to sell it and buy something. Finally, As men are socially owner of family income and property, they are not dependant on anybody like women. It implies, women are not free and self sufficient.

In conclusion, it could be said, women, on the one hand, lose their status as social and economic contributor and on the other hand, they become more dependent on men by getting ignorance. It is finally the subject to state,  all sorts of realities in a patriarchal society are adverse for women.