Ready-Made Garment (RMG) Industry Bangladesh: poverty and gender inequality

The project investigates poverty and gender inequality in the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry in Bangladesh. When economic globalisation measures were applied to the economy, the RMG sector grew very quickly. The sector's contribution to GDP is now huge, providing significant employment opportunities, particularly to urban dwellers. The Bangladesh Government located the industry in specific zones where industrialisation is easier, namely, Economic Processing Zones (EPZs), located near ports and other infrastructure.
The project looks at differences between EPZ and non-EPZ in terms of changing levels of poverty and whether or not it has resulted in lesser or greater gender equality. It is a multi-dimensional study comparing housing facilities and rents, maternity leave arrangements, training opportunities, career prospects across the EPZ and non-EPZ areas.
As part of the study about 200 females and 100 males were interviewed and asked approximately fifty questions.
The collection comprises data about income, consumption, employment, empowerment and disparity.