Changing Role of Women in Society: A Case Study of Women Social Enterprise (WSE) Altit, Hunza

Abstract

Pakistan’s social system is a male dominant one wherenot only the norms and values of the society create an environment favourable for men, but also the structure is built such that it only caters to male members of the society especially outside the realm of the household. This leaves the other half of the population largely limited to a particular role where they have the freedom to play out that role and that role alone. Occasions when women attempt to switch this role, which can be due to a number of reasons, the popular ‘male-dominated’ values ans its supporting structure do not fit well with this aspired change. Resultantly women have to push far greater and with much more force to carve a path for themselves as they come out the realm of the house into the professional world. These inequitable gender roles have played a significant role in increasing poverty. This study looks into the dynamics of an ‘unconventional’ project by WSE as a case study to see how the society is reacting to women’s redefinition of their roles in Altit, Hunza. This study investigates a case study of Hunza in which women are pushing the very boundaries of the male driven societies norms and rationals. Women here in addition to carrying out their socially accpted roles of caregivers at home and home makers also act as an agent of behavioral change by addressing societies strereotypical myths about women and their capabilities and busting them. Herewith this project the women are questioning their dependancy- particularly financial dependancy- on male members of their family and discovering their own potential to take control of their own lives. This way they aspire to help not only their families, add to the regions’s development, but also – and perhaps most importantly- help themselves. The traditional concept that hard and strenuous job of working in fields is a man’s job has been changed by young women of Hunza valley in Altit and is now become an accepted norm of today’s society that women can work just as well as men. In 2008, young women from humble backgrounds were provided with a huge incentive to achieve sustainability in their life by a project sponsored by Norway,in partnership with Aga Khan , through income in contemporary sectors. Women social enterprise (WSE) aims to enhance socio economic opportunities for young marginalized women of Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral through providing productive skills in nontraditional trades of carpentry, topographic complementary skills. One such outcome of this development is recognition of heritage as capital crucial for local development and its institutionalization at the local level. CIQAM embodies indigenous technical skills and knowledge and is a body of more than 100 young women trained in nontraditional technical skills evolved during restoration of the historic Altit Fort in Gilgit Baltistan.