Breaking barriers and embracing change in Pakistan: Unpacking transformative potential of higher education for women's empowerment

IF 1.9 3区社会学 Q2 WOMENS STUDIES

Womens Studies International Forum Pub Date : 2025-06-06 DOI:10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103143

Gul Pari , Rabia Ali

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Abstract

This paper explores the transformative potential of higher education for empowering women in Pakistan. The data is drawn from in-depth interviews with educated working women from various occupational backgrounds and belonging to Chitral District – a valley located in the north of Pakistan. Participants were selected through a purposive sampling technique and thematic analysis was used to identify and analyze patterns and themes from the data. Despite significant socio-cultural and economic challenges, Chitrali women are increasingly pursuing higher education, challenging traditional gender roles and norms. In this study, access to higher education and employment contributed for the personal growth and development of the women participants is conferred in a meaningful way. Women gained agency to make independent decisions, control resources and act as a catalyst for change. By understanding the experiences of Chitrali women in higher education, this study contributes to the existing scholarly work on women's empowerment and the ongoing efforts to promote gender equality in Pakistan.

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在巴基斯坦打破障碍，拥抱变革：揭示高等教育对妇女赋权的变革潜力

本文探讨了高等教育对巴基斯坦妇女赋权的变革潜力。这些数据来自对来自不同职业背景的受过教育的职业妇女的深入访谈，这些妇女来自位于巴基斯坦北部山谷的吉德拉尔地区。通过有目的的抽样技术选择参与者，并使用主题分析来识别和分析数据中的模式和主题。尽管面临着重大的社会文化和经济挑战，吉特拉利妇女越来越多地追求高等教育，挑战传统的性别角色和规范。在本研究中，高等教育和就业机会对女性参与者个人成长和发展的贡献是有意义的。妇女获得了独立决策、控制资源和作为变革催化剂的权力。通过了解奇特拉利妇女在高等教育中的经历，本研究有助于现有的关于妇女赋权的学术工作和正在进行的促进巴基斯坦性别平等的努力。

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来源期刊

Womens Studies International Forum WOMENS STUDIES-

CiteScore

2.50

自引率

7.10%

发文量

审稿时长

79 days

期刊介绍： Women"s Studies International Forum (formerly Women"s Studies International Quarterly, established in 1978) is a bimonthly journal to aid the distribution and exchange of feminist research in the multidisciplinary, international area of women"s studies and in feminist research in other disciplines. The policy of the journal is to establish a feminist forum for discussion and debate. The journal seeks to critique and reconceptualize existing knowledge, to examine and re-evaluate the manner in which knowledge is produced and distributed, and to assess the implications this has for women"s lives.