Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/10097
Title: Socio-Cultural Construction of Women Empowerment Empirical evidences on decision making processes in Phularwan, District Sargodha
Authors: FARIA, ANAM
Keywords: Anthropology
Issue Date: 2018
Publisher: Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad
Abstract: Pakistan is among the countries where gender discrimination in all fields of life is apparent. Women‟s rights are violated and exploited. Moreover, women do not have their voice or independent opinion; even they are not given the right to decide about their life. Persisting socio-cultural norms and patriarchal structure of Pakistani society restricts women‟s mobility, their participation in paid job and also deprive them from their inherited property. It is common perception that nations cannot make remarkable progress in any fields of life until their women are exploited and discriminated. Therefore, there is a need of empowering women for uplifting their status as well as the status of their family, community and nation. Keeping in view, the significance of the issue, present study was conducted in a village of Sargodha District in Central Punjab of Pakistan. Main objectives of the study were to document the extent and nature of women decision making at household level area and to identify the different socio-cultural factors that influence women‟s decision making especially in domestic sphere. For this purpose a sample of fifty four married women of reproductive age were taken from the selected village, namely Phularwan. Information regarding demography, household, locality and other socio-cultural variables was collected through a structured interview schedule. In order to understand the complexity of the research objectives, key informant interviews were also conducted by using semi structured interview guide. Thematic analysis indicated that majority of women had lack of resources, their paid job involvement was negligible, they were less educated as compared to their husbands, and had low level of awareness about their rights. The group participation amongst the women was at a varying degree; from less to moderate. They were provided with less decision making opportunities, lesser control over resources, mobility and meaningful participation in family discussions. The analysis based on key informant interviews revealed that safe and secure future of women ensures their empowerment and decision making. Moreover, type of family; family headship; number of respondent‟s brothers; observing veil; awareness about the rights; social networking; husband‟s cooperation; conjugal age; and respondent‟s education showed highly significant influence on women decision making. Although respondents in the present research locale were empowered in some decisions but they prefer their husbands to make the decision for themselves its because of culture and family socialization of the respondents. Furthermore local level facilities and amount of dowry and property received by the respondents from their parents showed significant influence on women‟s decision making.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/10097
Appears in Collections:M.Phil
M.Phil

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