Nayma Qayum

Nayma Qayum, an Associate Professor and author, dives into her book focused on women's collective mobilization in rural Bangladesh. She discusses how grassroots programs like BRAC's Polli Shomaj empower women to navigate and alter informal institutions. Qayum reveals the complex interplay of formal and informal norms and the successes women have had against issues like dowry and child marriage. She emphasizes the importance of understanding local practices to challenge existing narratives about poor Muslim women.