Dowry and Microcredit : Effects on gender relations in Bangladesh

Sammanfattning: This study examines what effects dowry has on the gender relations in the Savar area outside of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The collection of data was made through fieldwork on sight in Savar, with the help of ADESH, during a two month period, in the spring of 2012. Almost twenty interviews were made out in villages with female members of ADESH who told me of how dowry and their participation in ADESH’s activities affected their lives. A few interviews were also made in ADESH’s own office with employees to gain a deeper understanding of the women’s life situation and the work of ADESH. The focus of this thesis is on analysing how dowry affects different aspects of the society in Savar and how this affects the gender relations. In this thesis I will also examine how ADESH is conducting their work and what activities they offer their members. The conclusion of my study is in short that dowry seems to have a large impact on many aspects of the women’s lives and that the actions that are taken to decrease and remove gender differences might not always work as intended, this does however not mean that they are without effect.