In Bangladesh, a large number of women are the first generation paid women workers in their families. They have also broken certain taboos that had earlier prevented women from working for wages outside their homes. In spite of progress on this front, they often have little control over the money they earn. Despite contributing to household income, they have little or no role in making decisions about household financial matters. Their access to and control over the money they earn are very low because of their poor status in their families, and lack of experience, which results in low confidence levels.
Female Garment Workers (FGWs) usually hand over all their earnings to their husbands, brothers, or fathers, and have no say in decisions about how that money is spent. Further, the men in many of these families do not seem to have the knowledge or will to plan and save. The factory transferred money to women’s bank accounts and told them about the ATM facility. Some women had no idea how to use the ATM and so handed over their cards and PIN numbers to their male relatives.

Addressing the challenge, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication (BNNRC), has been implementing initiatives to enhance women’s status in the family and workplace to build their image as holders of knowledge through financial literacy.

Under these initiatives, BNNRC has been supporting community radios to develop radio content and organize a series of live discussions on varied issues including financial literacy, Communication skills, Problem Solving & decision-making, and Time and Stress Management. And provided training for radio broadcasters and volunteers.

The radio programs both community radios and its Facebook Page created an opportunity to link all stakeholders, the Youth community, garments workers, and their family members. It promotes self-improvement and money management at the community level.

https://bnnrc.net/category-3-c3-access-to-information-and-knowledge-financial-literacy/

• Upzilla (Sub District) , Bangladesh

• Women
• Youth and Youth Women

The activities are to be implemented to aware the community people, particularly youth and women who are entering the job sector and also already employed aware of self-management, financial planning, the benefits of savings, and the risks in their absence through a series of radio programs, which is replicable in any community.

As community radio has always inspired the marginalized to share opinions to address political and social action. Besides, it would be used as a tool for both active and passive communication and outreach in worldwide. Besides, Social Media Campaign through the radio’s Facebook page will act as a virtual platform for young people who have ideas to share on how to reduction in poverty, and gender equality and provide financial education through building strong institutions and partnerships.

Through the initiatives, huge numbers of radio broadcasters and volunteers are trained on financial literacy, Communication skills, Problem Solving & decision-making, and Time and Stress Management and they also practice in their lives so that their professionalism can grow and continue.

Besides the radio programs provided youth and youth women with tools and skills that generate evidence to support their demands and help them to identify and prioritize areas of investment.
The program operates inclusively, including relevant media stakeholders, communication experts, Civil Society Organizations, and government officers which ensured long-term empowerment building. The program also generated community-led priorities to inform policymakers and duty-bearers to make effective decisions regarding inclusive development.

Besides, linking the social media platform will ensure that the program will have a deep, sustainable and multiplying impact, where the indirect beneficiaries will exceed several thousand.

Through this intervention, WSIS values (Action line- C3) in Bangladeshi communities are strongly adhered to and promoted extensively. This is done through access to Information and knowledge of youth and youth women and encouraging the local communities to financial literacy as well as self–learning and decision-making in families and workplaces.