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Examination of the Married Women's Rights in Pakistani Society: A Aase Study of the Demographical Variables of Married Women in Urban and Rural areas of Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan

Author: Muhammad Kamran
Publisher: Zenodo
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17663322
Source: https://zenodo.org/records/17663322/files/8.pdf
Mul icul u al Educa ion
Volume 11, Issue 11, 2025
_______________________________________________________________________________________
58
Examina ion o he Ma ied Women’s Righ s in Pakis ani Socie y: A Aase
S udy o he Demog aphical Va iables o Ma ied Women in U ban and
Ru al a eas o Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakis an
Muhammad Kam an
A icle In o
Abs ac
A icle His o y
Recei ed:
Augus 17,2025
E e y coun y has wo impo an ac o s o hei de elopmen which may
be socioeconomic o educa ional de elopmen . Rega ding gene al
educa ion, he women educa ion is on op o he lis because i a woman is
educa ed hen i means he whole home will be educa ed and ice e sa.
Educa ion empowe s women and gi es con idence o women o be in ol ed
in a ious ac o s like decision-making, con ol o e he economic
esou ces and social mobili y.The cu en s udy was conduc ed abou he
examina ion o he ma ied women’s igh s in Pakis ani socie y which
u he analyzed he demog aphical a iables o ma ied women in u ban
and u al a eas o Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakis an. Fo sampling o he
s udy, he esea che s ec ui ed 200 ma ied women (100 u ban & 100
u al) o age 15-49 yea s h ough mul i-s age sampling echnique om
u ban and u al a eas o dis ic Faisalabad, Punjab excluding he
widowed and sepa a ed women. Bo h u ban and u al a eas we e u he
di ided in o sub-a eas i.e., ehsils and illages.The esul s o he s udy
indica ed ha when he ma ied women we e dis ibu ed ega ding hei
educa ional quali ica ion hen he g ea e pe cen age o esponden s i.e.,
30.5% we e only ma icula ed. I means ha s ill he gi ls’ educa ion is no
up o he peak.This s udy also showed ha al hough he women we e ully
awa e o hei educa ional igh s bu hose igh s we e no ully p ac iced
by he socie y. I was u he ound ha p ac ice o igh s among educa ed
women was g ea e han less educa ed o illi e a e women. The cu en
s udy sugges s ha i we he Pakis ani socie y inc ease he li e acy a e
hen he women may p ac ice hei igh s h ough hei knowledge and
awa eness.
Accep ed:
No embe 19,2025
Keywo ds :
Educa ion, Decision
Making, Empowe men ,
Women Righ s
DOI:
10.5281/zenodo.17663322
In oduc ion
Educa ion is he mos impo an ac o o socioeconomic de elopmen o any socie y because i is a social
ins i u ion h ough which socie y p o ides knowledge, cul u al no ms and alues including basic ac s and job
skills o i s membe s. Educa ion is e y impo an o e e yone especially o women because i gi es con idence
o women o a ail o he oppo uni ies. Women’s educa ion has g ea e in luence on amily, socie y and he
whole na ion. In Pakis an, women’s awa eness abou hei igh s and eedom is inc easing due o hei
educa ion. As women’s educa ion le el is inc easing he e o e hei le el o awa eness abou domes ic, social,
economic, poli ical, employmen and eligious igh s is also inc easing. An educa ed woman can in ol e he sel
in decision making wi hin amily and can ha e con ol o e economic esou ces as wella domes ic le el
(Macionis, 2006 and Shoaib e al., 2012).
In he adi ional se ing, i he no mal si ua ions p e ailed and people accep ed he modi ica ions and new
echnologies ha has eme ged hen he mode ni y p ocess will be smoo h bu i he people belong o a socie y
which ha e a u bulen his o y, can b eak ou lo s o obs acles hen ha ype o socie y will no g ow owa ds
he mode ni y. The mos p oblema ic cause behind unawa eness and illi e acy and no welcoming he mode n
educa ion, in hese ibal a eas, is hei cul u al and eligious cons ain s. The mos dominan p ies s and people
who a e pa o judicia y sys ems in hese places impose hei hough s and aimless eaching in o habi an ’s
mind and manipula e hem owa ds he nega i i y o educa ion and no only he a me amilies bu he emales
a e also kep aside om he educa ional ins i u ions (Rau , 2017).
Educa ion should be he p io pu pose o he de elopmen o he coun y. No only should he u al bu u ban
a eas also be aken unde conside a ion o he educa ion and de elopmen . The educa ion and empowe men o
emales a e in e connec ed wi h each o he . Many p oblems which ou coun y is acing now-a-days such as,
o e popula ion, illi e acy, po e y, mise ies, da kness and adi ional ba ie s can be aken away om he
cu en scena io. The o esigh edness and c ea i eness a e he basis o educa ion (Jali, 2017) which b ings he
socie y owa ds he mode ni y.Al hough acco ding o a icle 25-A, educa ion is ee o he child en whose age
59
is om 5-16 yea s bu s ill i is neglec ed in he u al a eas in Pakis an. Fu he , he gi ls’ en ollmen is eally
e y di e en om a ea o a ea and i he women ask o educa ion hen i is conside ed as domes ic iolence.
Besides his, i educa ion is gi en o women hen i makes hem awa e o hei igh s like hey make hem
empowe in making o hei decisions, ea ning hei li elihood and e c. (Khan, 2006; UNESCO, 2006). On he
o he hand, wo hi d o he women in he whole popula ion o he Pakis an a e illi e a e (UNESCO, 2006).
I educa ion is gi en, hen women a e conside ed o be allowed o aking hei esponsibili ies. As hey a e
opp essed by he cul u al and ma e ialno ms so by educa ing hem, hey will be able o ace he challenges and
empowe hemsel es in he amilies and communi ies. The pas s udies unco e how he li e a e emales’ li es
we e o med by a c i ical gende ed chain o command ha encou aged li e a e women o go agains oles while
a he same ime expec ing hem o keep up ag eeable associa ions wi h amily and g oup membe s (Khu shid,
2017).
Female ana omy and decision-making is absolu ely ela ed wi h educa ion, employmen , age and numbe o
child en. Due o less educa ion, u al woman is excluded om decision making p ocess (Ahmmed and
Chak abo y, 2012). In de eloping and unde de eloped coun ies, women a e kep away om highe educa ion
o help hem weak and subo dina e. Highe educa ion de elops skills and capaci a es he women wi h
manage ial decision making echniques, help o build up con idence o hold leade ship posi ions (Hou a, 2014).
Fede al Bu eau o s a is ics Pakis an conduc ed a su ey on educa ion, i was epo ed ha boys en ollmen in
elemen a y school was 21,333,000 as compa ed o 9, 082, 00 gi ls (Beau u o S a is ics, 2005). On basis o he
abo e s udied li e a u e, he esea che s made he ollowing objec i es o he s udy.
Objec i es o he S udy
Based on he demog aphic a iables o he ma ied women in he a eas o Faisalabad, he esea che s made he
ollowing objec i es o he s udy.
1. To examine he ma ied women’s dis ibu ion agains hei educa ional quali ica ion
2. To examine he ma ied women’s dis ibu ion agains he claiming ha hey do o he igh o hei
educa ion
3. To examine he ma ied women’s dis ibu ion agains hei knowledge abou igh o educa ion
ega ding nuclea and join amily sys ems
Resea ch Ques ions o he S udy
The esea che s made he ollowing esea ch ques ions o achie e he objec i es o he s udy.
1. Wha is he ma ied women’s dis ibu ion agains hei educa ional quali ica ion?
2. Wha is he ma ied women’s dis ibu ion agains he claiming ha hey do o he igh o hei
educa ion?
3. Wha is he ma ied women’s dis ibu ion agains hei knowledge abou igh o educa ion ega ding
nuclea and join amily sys ems?
Ma e ial and Me hods
The cu en s udy was conduc ed in u ban and u al a eas o Dis ic Faisalabad by ec ui ing 200 ma ied
women o age 15-49yea s h ough mul i-s age sampling echnique. The s udy did no include he widow and
sepa a ed women.Among 200 women, he 100 women we e om u ban a ea and 100 women we e om u al
a eas o Faisalabad. In he 1s s age, in he mul is age sampling echnique, he esea che s selec ed he i e u ban
a eas (i.e., Peoples Colony, Gules an Colony, Ayub Colony, Jinah Colony and Kheyaban Colony) o dis ic
Faisalabad o hei con enience. F om each colony 20 ma ied women we e aken h ough simple andom
sampling echnique.
Simila ly, om ou ehsils o Faisalabad, wo ehsils i.e., Samund i and Tandlianwala we e selec ed h ough
andom sampling echnique. F om union councils o Tehsil Samund i, wo union councils i.e., UC112 and
UC130 we e selec ed andomly. Th ee illages i.e., 218/G.B, 475/G.B and 217/G.B o UC112 we e selec ed
andomly. Simila ly om UC 130 wo illages i.e., 442/G.B and 444/G.B we e selec ed. I means ha o al i e
illages (218/G.B, 475/G.B, 217/G.B, 442/G.B and 444/G.B) we e selec ed. Fu he , only en esponden s om
each illage we e selec ed h ough sys ema ic andom sampling echnique which makes o al o 50 esponden s
om ehsil Samund i.
Jus like Samund i, he same p ocess was epea ed o he selec ion o esponden s om ehsil Tandlianwala.
UC86 and UC87 we e andomly selec ed om ehsil Tandlianwala. Th ee illages i.e., 449/G.B, 400/G.B and
451/G.B we e selec ed andomly om UC86. Simila ly, wo illages i.e., 612/G.B and 615/G.B we e selec ed
andomly om UC87. Ten esponden s om each illage o ehsil Tandlianwala we e selec ed h ough
sys ema ic andom sampling which makes o al o 50 esponden s. Thus o al o 200 ma ied women om
Faisalabad (100 u al & 100 u ban) made he comple e sample dis ibu ion o he s udy which is shown by he
ollowing able1. Table1 Sample Dis ibu ion o he Responden s
Faisalabad
Locali y
Di ision o Sub-a eas
No o esponden s
60
U ban A ea
Peoples Colony
20 Ma ied Women
Gules an Colony
20 Ma ied Women
Ayub Colony
20 Ma ied Women
Jinah Colony
20 Ma ied Women
Kheyaban Colony
20 Ma ied Women
Ru al A ea
Samund i
UC112
218/G.B, 475/G.B
217/G.B
30 Ma ied Women
UC130
442/G.B, 444/G.B
20 Ma ied Women
Tandlianwala
UC86
449/G.B, 400/G.B,
451/G.B
30 Ma ied Women
UC87
612/G.B, 615/G.B
20 Ma ied Women
To al
200 Ma ied Women
Findings and i s Discussion
The 1s objec i e o his s udy is depic ed by he ollowing cha 1 in which he pe cen age o he esponden s
agains hei educa ional quali ica ion has been displayed.
Cha 1. Responden s Agains Thei Educa ional Quali ica ion
Cha 1 abo e clea ly depic ed ha he pe cen age o ma ied women who we e illi e a e we e 20.5% while
hose ma ied women whose educa ional le el was up o p ima y-middle le el we e 25.5 %. Simila ly, he
ma ied women whose educa ion was up o ma ic le el we e 30.5% and hose who ha e abo e ma ic le el o
educa ion we e 23.5%. he pe cep ion o educa ion o women wi hin he amilies is as onishing in which he
ba ie is he pa en s’ concep s, social no ms and eache s’ a i ude oo ha depic s he low a e o emale
educa ion. The ole o socie y is di ec ly connec ed wi h he pe cep ion o emale’s educa ion (Alam, 2017).
The 2nd objec i e o his s udy is depic ed by he ollowing cha 2 in which pe cen age o he esponden s
agains claiming o hei igh o educa ion has been displayed.
Cha 2. Responden s Agains Claiming o Thei Righ o Educa ion
020 40 60 80 100 120
Illi e a e
P ima y-Middle
Ma ic
Abo e Ma ic
To al
Cha Ti le
Pe cen age
61
Cha 2 abo e clea ly depic ed ha ega ding he igh o educa ion all he ma ied women i.e., 100% we e
ag eed ha igh o educa ion should be gi en o all he women. While he s a emen ha women should go o
highe educa ion was ag eed by only 89% o women. 11% o he women we e no ag eed which mean ha hey
did no like ha he women should go o highe educa ion. Basic educa ion is he igh o each child whe he
male o emale and his was also men ioned in he cons i u ion o Pakis an acco ding o he a icle 25-A.
Fu he , h ough educa ion he women can empowe hemsel es and can ask o hei igh s (Susilas u i, 2003).
Educa ion b ings awa eness among he women (Susilas u i, 2003). Opinions o ma ied women ega ding he
s a emen ha whe he he educa ion empowe s he women o no was aken o which 90% o he ma ied
women ga e hei ag eemen ha educa ion is he agen ha empowe s he women while only 2% o women
gi e he opposi e opinions and did no ag ee wi h he s a emen . I mean ha hey had no ob ious idea abou
he educa ion. Besides, 8% o he women had no knowledge abou his s a emen .
Fu he , he la ge numbe o ma ied women i.e., 88.5 % o he women was in a o o his s a emen ha
educa ion is he agen ha enables he women o ecognize hei igh s while he leas pe cen age i.e., 11.5% o
ma ied women we e unawa e o he ac ha whe he educa ion can make he women able o ecognize hei
igh s o no .
Ano he ac ha e ealed h ough his s udy was ha a la ge numbe o ma ied women i.e., 92 % we e in
ag eemen wi h he s a emen ha educa ed women assis mos ly hei pa en s/husbands in inancial ma e s o
he amily while only leas numbe o ma ied women i.e., 4% we e disag ee wi h his s a emen and he
emaining 4 % had s a ed ha hey had no knowledge abou his s a emen . Fu he , ega ding he decision
making 54% o he ma ied women e ealed his ac ha due o educa ion hey can in luence hei amilies wi h
hei decisions while he 42% o he ma ied women we e o he opinion ha hey a e disag ee wi h his
s a emen and 4% o he women showed no knowledge abou his s a emen .
Al hough i is he igh o each child whe he male o emale o ge basic educa ion acco ding o he cons i u ion
o Pakis an bu s ill he gi ls’ educa ion in a ious a eas is neglec ed. The a io o gi ls’ en ollmen is a ying
om a ea o a ea depending on he a ious ac o s. Due o he educa ion, he women can ask o hei igh s in
socie y such basic educa ion, and decision making e c. (Khan, 2006).
The 3 d objec i e o his s udy is depic ed by he ollowing cha 3 in which he pe cen age o he
esponden s agains nuclea amily and join amily has been displayed.Awa eness abou igh o educa ion was
shown h ough nuclea and join amily sys ems. Cha 3 shows ha ega ding “ he women had igh o ge
educa ion” was di e en in nuclea and join amily sys ems. The e o e,i was e ealed om cha 3 ha join
amily sys em had s onge con ic ion as compa ed o he nuclea amily in e ms o he awa eness abou hei
igh s.
Cha 3. Responden s Agains Join and Nuclea Family Sys em Rega ding Awa eness Abou Thei
Righ s
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
Cha Ti le
62
Cha 3 Shows ha ma ied women who we e a ached o he join amily sys em had e ealed g ea e awa eness
abou hei igh s as compa ed o he ma ied women who we e a ached o he nuclea amily sys em. 50% o
he join amily sys em women had showed hei ag eemen wi h s a emen while he nuclea amily sys em’s
women ag eemen le el was only 38 %. The eaming pe cen age o he women had no knowledge abou his
s a emen .
Jali&Islam (2017) s a ed ha despi e he inc easing a e o women in labo o ce and educa ional ins i u ions in
he mode n wo ld, s ill he women a e ma ginalized, dep essed and behind he cu ains no only in socie y bu
wi hin amilies oo. Females a e ha ing lack o access o hei basic needs and always dependen on male
membe s.
Th ough u ilizing e hnog aphic in o ma ion ga he ed wi h emale educa o s om us ic and low-sala y g oups in
Pakis an, he analysis o Khu shid (2017) shows ha how pa hi likhi (ins uc ed) women's access o impo an
open doo s in b oad dayligh spaces is dependen upon hem ge ing o be no iceably subjec o new con ols,
pa icula ly in ega ds o hei gende . This gende ed p ocess o con olled s eng hening challenges he
con e se o women's aining as gene ally engaging and ea u es he unp edic able and mul idimensional e ec
o ins uc ion in a ious sociocul u al con ex s.
Pe een (2005) concluded ha educa ion is a ool o imp o e socio economic s a us o women. Educa ion
empowe s women o demand hei igh s. I was also discussed by Hea on e al., (2005) ha i educa ion is gi en
o women hen hey ge mo e oppo uni ies o knowledge, paid jobs and o he acili ies.
Conclusion
Educa ion is a i al ac o and back bone o socio-economic de elopmen o a coun y. I ’s concluded ha a
huge majo i y o women ecognize hei igh s bu hei igh s a e no p ac iced a la ge scale. Educa ional le el
o women is s ongly associa ed wi h he awa eness and p ac ices abou hei igh s. U ban women a e mo e
educa ed han u al women because he e a e less educa ional ins i u es o gi ls in u al a eas. Technical and
oca ional ins i u es o gi ls should be es ablished in bo h u al and u ban a eas o capaci a e women wi h skills
and mode n educa ion. Educa ion is mos impo an ac o o empowe women a indi idual and socie al le el.
Highe educa ion o women makes hem con iden in decision-making, con ol o e economic esou ces and
social mobili y.
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Au ho In o ma ion
Muhammad Kam an