Marginalizing 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 the 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 women after men, 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 labor force for production and social responsibilities. A crucial part of this labor force comprised by women. Before planting, mostly women do everything of seed processing and make it productive. And when crops come to home from cornfield, women do most of the task even they make it food after going trough various stages of processing.  Generally, men’s contributions are in the field and women for home including the responsibilities of kids. 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 practices that need to be analyzed. Firstly, women have no authority or right over the property what they worked for. It implies, women are only labor with no power to make a decision.  Secondly, men are the owners of producing crops or goods and they have the right  to sell it and buy something.