Role of Patriarchal Norms in Deprivation of Women from their Political Rights in Pukhtoon Society

Abstract

The major objective of this research paper is to find out the role of patriarchal norms in constraining women political rights in Pukhtoon Society, of District Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan. Data was collected from 205 randomly selected voting age women from four selected villages of Dir Lower. The sampled respondents were interviewed on a pretested interview schedule covering both independent (patriarchal norms) and dependent (women political rights) variables. Chi-square test was used for testing the association between dependent study variables. Women political participation had a highly significant association with Patriarchy symbolizes in Pukhtoon society (p=0.000), gender inequality in Pukhtoon (p=0.000), disliking employment decisions by women (p=0.000), female decision-making at house hold level (p=0.000), existence of opportunities for women to bring positive change (p=0.000), women subordinate position to men (p=0.000) and deprivation of women rights (p=0.000). Implementation of verdicts of higher courts in ensuring women political rights were policy recommendations in light of study.