Economic Exploitation and Violence against Women in South Asia By Saima Shamim, Yukti Goyal, Sharon Lugun, Kasturi Chakraborty, Adrita Dutta and Sanandita Mukherjee  Abstract This study investigates how traditional and cultural practices in South Asian countries fuel ongoing violence against women, and how this violence, in turn, impacts the wider socio-economic landscape of South Asian countries. It looks at issues like son preference, child marriage, female infanticide, and the unequal treatment of women in areas like nutrition, education, and health, all through the lens of patriarchal social structures. The main goal of this study is to explore the long-term effects of violence against women on national productivity and GDP throughout South Asia, making the case that gender-based violence is not just a violation of human rights but also a significant developmental issue. By including Bangladesh as a case study within the larger regional context, the paper aims to uncover how overlapping factors like caste and class intensify the vulnerabilities faced by women. By including a comparative policy analysis with Scandinavian countries, renowned for their gender-equal governance and inclusive economic models, the paper aims to demonstrate how forward-thinking interventions can empower women and enhance national economic performance. The paper wraps up with tailored regional policy recommendations, calling for structural reforms, inclusive leadership, and gender-sensitive public policies. It stresses that academic research should drive practical strategies aimed at reducing gender inequality and unlocking the full economic potential of South Asian nations.    What is Economic Exploitation? The term “Economic Exploitation” was introduced by Marx, and it refers to a relationship wherein the distribution of economic wealth is disproportional, i.e., the worker doesn’t receive an adequate amount of income or entitlement. This phenomenon of Economic Exploitation includes elements of gender wage gap, unpaid labour, informal economy and feminisation of poverty. Though Economic Exploitation is visible globally, it is particularly pronounced in South Asia, which is amongst the most populous parts of the world. This economic exploitation is often deeply rooted in structural inequalities, traditional gender roles, and the lack of social security. Women bear the brunt of most of these injustices as they face limited access to education, healthcare and employment opportunities. This creates a cycle of poverty and dependence that is difficult to break. As the region moves towards economic growth and globalisation, it is more imperative than ever to consider how economic policy and labour conditions affect women in these countries. Understanding the multifaceted nature of economic exploitation in South Asia is essential not only for intellectual debate but also for the creation of inclusive and equitable developmental policies. Forms of Economic Exploitation: Though Economic Exploitation occurs in various forms, three of the broadest forms include: Wage Gap and Unequal Pay-  Gender wage gaps refer to the stark difference in earnings between men and women, often reflected as a percentage which shows that women are generally the ones to earn less than men. A host of factors like educational attainment, occupational segregation, experience and discrimination play a vital role in influencing this disparity. According to a report by ‘Progress of the World’s Women: Transforming Economies, Realising Rights’, between 1990 and 2013, women’s labour force participation rate (LFPR) in South Asia decreased from 35 to 30 per cent, resulting in a gender gap in labour force participation. This decline is primarily a result of lower participation rates from India, as not only do younger women stay back in education, but also there exists a general lack of employment opportunities for women. The gender pay gap in South Asia is at 33% as opposed to the 24% pay gap that exists globally. A key point to be noted is the fact that in South Asia, the pay gap is alarmingly higher in the urban areas as compared to the rural areas.  Agriculture remains the most important source of work in South Asia, which employs 71% of women and 47% of men. Female health and care workers are often paid criminally low wages and are more often than not employed voluntarily. For instance, the Anganwadi Childcare workers in India. The poor and hazardous working conditions adversely impact the lives of thousands of workers, such as the ‘2013 Rana Plaza disaster, where around 3,600 garment workers (most of them women) were either killed or severely injured after an eight-storey factory collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This report also talks about how across South Asia, women do and are also expected to engage more in unpaid care and domestic work as compared to their male counterparts. Such norms and practices give rise to the concept of “double burden” for women, where they need to meet the expectations at their workplace as well as ace all their familial duties, even though they aren’t compensated enough for either of them. Thus, even though there has been a substantial improvement in educational opportunities for women, the same cannot be said for their employment.  Gendered Entrepreneurship Barriers-  A journal article titled “The Complex Relationship between Education and Female Labour: The Curious Case of India” by Tisya Munjal, examines the paradox of increasing female literacy rate and a declining participation of women in the labour force. This journal also goes on to say that governmental initiatives of programs and policies like “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” and the New Education Policy (NEP) of 2020 have failed to integrate women more effectively into the workforce. Some factors which contribute to such low participation of women in the workforce include- i) Societal and Cultural Norms, where deep-seated patriarchal mindsets and stereotypes restrict women’s work opportunities only to the private sphere, i.e., their respective homes. ii) Often, families encourage their daughters to finish at least some basic level of higher education, not to enhance their employment opportunities. Rather, this is done to boost their marriage prospects. In certain communities, a higher social status is attributed to families where the women are educated but not employed. iii) This journal also goes on to state that the curriculum is unable to adapt quickly to the fast-paced changing