Home-based Care Model, Values and Entrepreneurial Aspirations of Women Caregivers, and Gender Equality in Bangladesh

Abstract

Despite the increased visibility of the important role women play in entrepreneurship that liberates them from constrained opportunities, socially constructed stereotypical views continue to reproduce gender discrimination in terms of opportunities, resources, and rewards; and lower women’s self-confidence; consequently, women become less entrepreneurial compared to men. Given that the process of undoing negative social constructions varies widely according to culture and interventions, to better explain the intervention process that works to promote gender equality and supports unique aspects of women’s values in specific cultural settings requires research enquiry. This research explores how a care model's provision promotes gender equality and women’s entrepreneurial aspirations, drawing on observations of ten para-counselors who have shared everyday lives and views of the children and adults in the care model. The care model has great potential to promote gender equality as the model opens up opportunities for women with disadvantaged backgrounds to access education capital that supports women to reach their fullest human potential, realize dignity, and contribute to and benefit from economic, social, cultural, and structural development. Furthermore, the values of these women opened up opportunities to fulfill ideological deficiencies of the girls’ socialization process at an early age, help girls from low socio-economic backgrounds to experience early learning and development crucial for reaching their fullest potentials, alter socially constructed male-female differences, and emancipate women and girls from patriarchal oppression. Women caregivers' such values and increased personal abilities had a noticeable impact on these women’s aspirations to be entrepreneurs, which differ from the constraints placed by cultural stereotypes and prejudices on their gender roles. The analysis of the research will provide nuanced insights and inspire practitioners, policymakers, educators, researchers, and advocates to identify a care model that contributes to achieving gender equality and empowerment of disadvantaged women and young girls in Bangladesh.