Gender-based violence and the cultural ethos of Pashtunwali: A qualitative study of Pashtun women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

This study aimed to examine the Pashtunwali, a traditional cultural code of conduct, and its role in gender-based violence by studying Pashtun women residing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Honor stands as the core idea in Pashtunwali, which serves both as a cause and a justification for the violence that women experience in this specific context. The study employed a qualitative research methodology by conducting in-depth interviews with Pashtun women who shared their first-hand experiences regarding violence as well as cultural practices and strategies for resistance amid patriarchal influences. The study findings demonstrated that Pashtunwali values underpin gender-based violence and gender inequality alongside the subordination of women, which deeply affect women during their entire lives. Traditional justice systems (jirgas), together with the formal legal system, maintain dual functions while failing to shield women from abuse because Pashtun society maintains deep-rooted patriarchal values. The purposeful combination of legal system changes and cultural restructuring alongside gender-aware policies represents essential methods to manage GBV appropriately. The research expands current knowledge regarding cultural norms and gender violence because it details the complicated relationship between gender-based practices and patriarchal traditions with legal institutions. Stakeholders need to implement a multi-tiered strategy to fight GBV that integrates the transformation of laws and the development of gender-sensitive guidelines and educational programs that work to combat entrenched cultural elements endorsing violence. The study serves as a foundation for future research about cultural and gender interactions with violence, which enables essential knowledge to develop community-based interventions and policy strategies.