Abstract
The study aimed to find out the existing livelihood status of haor women and
examined the access of hnor women to their household and farm resources. The
factors that affect women's accesses to resources along with problems were explored.
Data were collected from a sample of 200 haor women of 4 villages from 2 Unions of
1 Upazila namely Bishwambarpur under Sunamganj district during November 2016
to March 2017. Fourteen selected characteristics of the haor women were considered
as the independent variables and access of haor women to house hold and farm
resources was the dependent variables of the study. Data were collected from the
respondents by using structured questionnaire (interview) and check list (FGDs). A
4-point rating scale was used to measure the extent of access of haor women to
household and farm resources and existing livelihood status of haor women. The
results of the study revealed that forty nine percent of the respondents had low
access fifty one percent having medium access to household resources. Twenty nine
percent of the respondents had low access while seventy one percent of the
respondents having medium access to farm resources. Thirty nine percent of the
respondents had low access and sixty one percent of the respondents having
medium access to overall resources. None of the haor women was found having
higher access to both household and farm resources. Eighty four percent and eighty
two percent of respondents had medium possession of human and social capital
respectively. On the other hand, sixty three percent, seventy eight percent and ninety
one percent of the respondents had low possession of physical, financial and natural
capitals respectively. This means the overall possession of livelihood capitals of
household haor women are not enough for maintaining livelihood in a better way.
Stepwise regression analysis revealed that four variables namely formal education
(thirty two percent), household farm size (nine percent), availability of household
resources (two percent) and participation in family decision-making (one percent)
were the important contributing variables which combinedly explained forty seven
percent of total variation on haor women's access to resources. Owning a poor
amount of personal asset, low level of education and knowledge, high rate of interest
in micro credit, traditional norms and values of social system were the major
obstacles faced by the haor women in getting access to resources. Finally, it is
concluded that the women were having low to moderate access to their resources
having very little control over household and farm resources. So, to increase the haor
women's access to resources, their level of education, farm size, household resource
availability, participation in household decision-making are to be improved.