Originally published here.
This paper aims at evaluating the perceptions of men regarding women participation informal job marketplace in the district of Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan. Major research question for this work is how men perceive the involvement of women participation in formal job marketplace.Data was collected in three selected villages of sub-division Dargai, District Malakand from a sample of 150 respondents. The targeted respondents, purposively selected, were comprised of students, teachers, religious scholars and NGO workers of age group 20-60. A structured questionnaire based on five pointsLikert scale ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree; was used as a tool of data collection.Respondents view was taken on three selected subjects such as theirperceptions regarding women’s participation, effects of women participation on their household, socialand personal endowments. Each subject was analyzed through different numbers of research items.
It was found that a spatial and social separation of women from formal job marketplace is deeply imbedded in male perceptions, patriarchal values, norms and belief system. Women participation in development activities is perceived against men’s honor and religious norms. Women traditional role of caring children is favored and majority of men perceived that women’s participationis a threat for their safety. Moreover, men perceive that women involvement in outdoor work curtail their overall social status including their marriage market qualities. It is concluded that some peculiar male perceptions are overtly resistingwomen participation in formal job marketplace.
participation of women in any developmental activity. Ideologically, women’s should only play
the role of ‘working mother’, which is generally unpaid (United Nations Population Fund, 2000).
Work and family are two important domains in the life of adults. Gender role theory establishes that family and work roles have traditionally been gender specific, where men are socialized to be work oriented and women to be family oriented (Gutek, Searle &Klepa, 1991). Empirical evidence also shows that work is more central for a man’s identity and family is more central for a women’s identity (Cinamon& Rich, 2002,Maunno&Kinnunen, 2000, Parusaraman, Greenhaus&Granrose, 1992).Evidence from Egypt, Turkey, and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa, where women’s education levels are high but their participation in work activities remains low, suggests that social barriers to female mobility can significantly stifle women’s labor force participation.
The prominent reason behind such gender based stratification is the societal customs and traditions which accentuate women’s primary roles as mothers and housewives and continue to restrict them to these roles. A traditional patriarchal value system favors sexually segregated roles and militates against the advancement, progress and participation of women in any developmental activity. Ideologically, women’s should only play the role of ‘working mother’, which is generally unpaid (United Nations Population Fund, 2000).
participation in outdoor activities not only against men’s honor and religious norms but also
It is concluded from this study that socio cultural norms are reflected in male perceptions and attitude regarding the role and status of women. From a male centered perspective, women participation in outdoor activities not only against men’s honor and religious norms but also considered as threat for women safety. Participation of women is looked down upon as bringingsome negative effects on women lives. It is widely perceived that participation of women in job minimize their marriage market qualities and effect spouse relationships within the families.
Moreover, Participation of women in outdoor paid work significantly restricts their active participation in domestic task. Socially appropriate behavior which is mostly expected from a mother is looking after their children rather than participation in paid job outside their home. Economic independence and wellbeing of women is closely associated with their active participation but can negatively affect reciprocal relations with men. However, the research findings support and extend the findings of previous research findings that some personal and social attributes suchas awareness, experience, marital status and educational qualification of both men and women are mediating factors between women participation and the prevailing normative structure of the society.
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