Anthropology
Open Access

Abstract

Familial Impediments to Women Political Status in Pukhtun Society

Younas Khan, Mussawar Shah, Fakhr Ud - din, Zakir Ullah, Rehan S, Naushad Khan and Muhammad Israr

The major objective of the present study was to examine familial impediments to women political status in District Dir Lower Khyber pukhtoonkhwa Pakistan. A sample size of 186 (Political office bearers) of different political organization was randomly selected from total population 714. Out of total 7 tehsils three tehsils were selected namely “Adenzii, Samarbagh and Timergara” as universe of the study. A conceptual frame work comprises of dependent variable “women political status” and independent variable’s “familial impediments”. The data were analyzed through frequency and percentage distribution. Moreover, dependent variable was indexed and cross tabulated with independent variable. Chi-square test statistics was applied to ascertain the relationship between dependent and independent variable respectively. Similarly, in Bi-variate analysis, a highly significant (p=0.000) association was found between dependent variable (women political status) and independent variable indicators; family socializes people for power as a masculine trait in our culture; patriarchal family system do not allow women political mainstreaming; women involvement in politics is considered detrimental to family structure; women restrictionto politics in family is done to male hegemony; and people impede women not to participate as to ensure continuity of centuries old traditions. The study concluded that family as an institution is responsible for role allocation. However, restricting this role for women is centermost to revising the process of growth and development at micro and macro level. Exposure of women to mainstreaming in politics could take uncap their potential to decline were extended some of the recommendations in the light of study.