Patriarchal Bargains and Intergenerational Negotiations: An Exploration of Family Decision-Making for Girls’ Education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Muhammad Suhail Khan; Zhang  Biao

doi:10.25159/1947-9417/19649

Authors

Muhammad Suhail Khan Anhui University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8440-5440
Zhang Biao Anhui University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/1947-9417/19649

Keywords:

patriarchal bargain, girls’ education, gender inequality, family decision-making, female agency, qualitative research

Abstract

This study focuses on the effect of economic constraints and patriarchal norms on the educational choices of rural girls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Using the theoretical framework of patriarchal relations developed by Deniz Kandiyoti, we examined the strategies employed by mothers, grandmothers, and young women against the backdrop of low educational levels and rigid gender relations. The study involved in-depth interviews and field-based observations with 40 participants, including fathers, mothers, grandparents, and young women. Thematic assessments were incorporated into the data validation protocols. Empirical data reveal that poverty, family pressures, and gender-constructed traditions impede women’s educational opportunities. The findings indicate that because of poverty, family, and gender stereotypes, there is low access to education among women. However, with the support of social and economic approaches, high-school girls will be able to challenge patriarchal practices. Therefore, empowering women and girls in families will eventually transform the customary traditions that forbid both education and educational opportunities for the next generations.

Author Biographies

Muhammad Suhail Khan, Anhui University

School of Sociology and Political Science, Anhui University

Zhang Biao, Anhui University

School of Sociology and Political Science, Anhui University

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