Role of Women in Absence of Emigrants: A Case Study of Syed Kasran Village, Pakistan

Abstract

This research focuses on the differentiating roles or status of women during the presence and absence of emigrants. It focuses on whether emigration has a positive impact on women in terms of their empowerment or a negative in terms of the burden of responsibilities. The main focus is on emigration from a village in the Chakwal Rawalpindi. Various studies have shown that when a male member migrates from a family it brings changes to the role of women that can be positive or negative. So, here the focus is on analyzing those changes in various dimensions: decision-making power, financial empowerment, increase in responsibilities of children, and other household activities. This research was done in Syed Kasran, a village of Chakwal, district Rawalpindi. The Snowball sampling method is used to find migrant families. An explanatory research methodology is used for this purpose. For this study the data collected through semi-structured questionnaires. The results suggest that emigration results in having positive and negative impacts on women’s life. Their involvement in rural society increases. They have to manage their household activities, children’s education, and other outside tasks themselves in the absence of males which leads to empowerment. On the other hand, they have a lot of responsibilities for children and in-laws that result in burdening them. It also depends on family structure. If living in joint family, women are not empowered enough to take decisions about their family and life. So, it has a negative effect on women empowerment. On the other hand, it also has a positive impact for women in terms of shared responsibilities with other family members. Those living in nuclear family system have to face many challenges and have a lot of responsibilities.