The Role of Community Radio on Empowerment of Young Women in Bangladesh: An Anthropological Study

Abstract

Community radio is a media for marginalized and underprivileged people who have no access to mainstream media. This community media is completely operated by community people particularly youths and young women. Community radio is contributing to increase the social, economic, cultural and political development of community in Bangladesh. This study mainly focuses on the role of community radio on empowerment of young women who are involved in radio activities directly and indirectly. The objectives of the study are to know community radios’ programs focusing on women rights based issues, on-air and off-air activities executed by rural young women, community’s perception and views toward women who work with community radio, challenges for young women to work with community radio and finally to identify recommendations to increase the participation and involvement of women in community radio for raising voice as well as empowerment. In this study, data were collected by using semi-administered questionnaires among 100 young women including station managers, conducting in-depth interviews, key informant interviews, case stories and FGD as well as review of the secondary documents. The findings of study are to community radios in Bangladesh is contributing to improve the livelihood of rural people as well as engage them with radio to address the right of access to information and communication technologies. In spite of having challenges of community radios are producing and broadcasting programs on women rights based issues such as health, nutrition, education, agriculture, success, early marriage and so on. As a result, women are being informed, knowledgeable and educated about the issues. Besides that, rural young women are actively participating in on-air and off-air activities of radio. Community radio is contributing to enhance the social empowerment (professional skill, leadership quality, inclusion of ignored people, enriching civic rights, create social journalist, social mobility), political empowerment (raising voice, decision making etc,), economic empowerment (job opportunity, increase product) and psychological empowerment (improve self-esteem and selfefficacy)

of women in Bangladesh. Women are participating in organizational management, program production and on-airing and outreach activities of radio as well. Consequently, they are equipped with skill and knowledge on CR management, technology, communication and networking. It is true that they have to face some challenges to work with Community Radio like lack of social security, insufficient financial support, transportation & communication facilities, objections of family members and fear of propagating her name etc. Finally, this study also identifies that community level awareness, social recognition and dignity of women’s work, active participation of women in all activities of community radio, positive views of community toward women in media, capacity building training, gender sensitive working environment, sufficient financial support for women staffs and volunteers, social safety and security etc. are necessary to enhance the empowerment of rural young women in Bangladesh.