The Explorer Islamabad: Journal of Social Sciences ISSN: 2411-0132(E), 2411-5487(P) Vol-1, Issue (11):413-415 www.theexplorerpak.org
MALE OUT MIGRATION AND THE CHANGING ROLE OF WOMEN IN SAIDU SHARIF DISTRICT SWAT, KPK PAKISTAN Touqeer Ahmed1, Muhammad Shahzad2, Muhammad Nadir Shahzad3, Shahid Hussain4, Shafqat Ali4 1 Area Manager Innovative development Strategies Pvt. Ltd, 2University of Sargodha, 3Quaid.i.Azam University Islamabad, 4PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi Corresponding Author: Muhammad Nadir Shahzad Department of Sociology QAU Islamabad nadirshahzadqau@gmail.com Abstract: The present study was designed to find the impact of husband migration on the lives of women that how the role of women changes in the absence of their husband. It intended at identifying the changed and privileged status of women in the absence of the male in a patriarchal society. The study was conducted in district swat KPK and is a quantitative type of study. The data was collected via self-administered questionnaires. The major findings of the study revealed that a strong relationship exists between the migration and the socio economic status of the families left behind especially the lives of women (wives of the migrants) experienced a great change. The status of women alters with the out movement of males and she gets an empowered position in almost every domain of life.
Key Words: Migration, Globalization, Changing role INTRODUCTION Migration is defined as “the movement of people from one place to another for different purposes.” it is the geographical movements of individuals or groups for the purpose of permanent or semi-permanent resettling. People either adopt voluntary migration or they are compelling by some factors to adopt migration involuntary. There are two major kind of migration. One is national migration and other is international migration. National migration refers to movement of people within a region or a country. For example when people move from rural to urban areas they migrate nationally. On the other side when people move from one region or country to another region or country it refers to international migration. Globalization and urbanization are the two factors which play an important role in the increasing ratio of national and international migration. There are different reasons of migration including poverty, unemployment in the homeland, worst living conditions, lack of opportunities, poor education facility, bad governance, terrorism, lack of resources and many more. Mostly people move from less developed countries to the developed countries to avail better opportunities in their
life. Migration has great impact on the sending and the receiving countries. It is the cause of political, social, cultural, and economic changes in the host and the receiving countries. The influx of a great number of people changes the socioeconomic conditions of the regions. In this research male out migration from Saidu Sharif Swat KPK has been studied. This study has been conducted in a patriarchal society where all the authorities’ rests with the males and women were least concern with authoritative position. Basic focus of this research is to observe the changing role of women with the migration of husband. Male out Migration Male are the most important part of any society. They are the back bone of the society. They perform very important jobs especially economic activities are mostly carried out by them. In a patriarchal society males are the major decision makers and they performed most important tasks. They hold a significant place in the society and act as the forerunners of the society. The male out migration is creating changes in the life style of people residing in Pakistan. Through the phenomenon of migration the villages and the cities of Pakistan are exposing to the outer world.
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Migration influences the lives of people a lot. The ratio of male out migration in Pakistan is very high as compared to women the basic reason of this is the economic instability of the country and unavailability of jobs in the country. So for the sake of better and secure future as well as a safe and sound life style the men are compelled to move out and pursuit better opportunities not only for themselves but for the family as a whole. Impact of Male out Migration on Women As men, women are also an important part of society and without them society cannot move. In every society men and women perform different roles assign to them. The migration affects these roles in one way or the other. The effects of migration not only influence the life of the migrant but also the family left behind. In the absence of the head of the family the roles of other members changed a lot. This movement affects the lives of women. Their responsibilities and their jobs get increases especially with the migration of husband the jobs of wife become double now she has to play double role in the household activities, if she is a mother than in the absence of father she also has to play the role of father. Besides performing the house hold activities she has to perform outdoor activities too. This double role either increases her decision making power or increases burden on her. Some women get empowered by this while some get only extra burden. In this study empowerment of women and how the migration of men affects the empowerment of women is examined. LITERATURE The male migration is an indication for the change in the organization of the family. It totally alters the family life not only the migrant suffers from the effects of migration but the family left behind also faces the impacts of the movement (Gulati 1993). Especially the roles of women changes a lot with the migration of the male the social and economic life of a women experience a lot of variations. Her social and economic life totally fluctuates. These alterations may be disadvantageous too as she now has to play double role. Gultai states that the families of the migrant have to make amendments in their life styles they have to adjust their life style and they have to make themselves ready for greater responsibility because of the absence of the head
of the family or other male family member. The absence of the family member especially when the migrant is the head of the household greatly affects the life of the wife left behind (Sekher 1997). His movement can have severe consequences on the life of the women. Her life can alter both socially and economically as the economic position changes with the migration automatically but the social life also changes as the women left behind now has to perform double role and a lot of responsibilities comes on her shoulders. The male out migration the women may faces both the situations they may either be empowered or may not, on the one hand a woman in the absence of a man can gain liberation, freedom , individuality and can become independent. She can gain new skills of compatibility and can achieve an improved status. But on the other hand there is also possibility that she can lose her individuality and status in the absence of male. Her work load increases when a male member leaves the home. The movement of the male affects the health of the female a lot and also her wellbeing. She can become more and more dependent on a man for different activities of life. The individuality and freedom of the women affects a lot and sometimes they become more subjected towards troubles rather than freedom and liberty. The increasing ability of women is not only beneficial for the woman but it put effects on the society as a whole. The absence of a male not only boosts the freedom and independence of women but the lives of all other people associated with that woman also get changed (Chakravarty 2001). The active participation of women in many fields of life can contribute a lot to the lives of the family members, children as well as the common people of the society. These people may include all type and all ages ranging from children to adults and male to female. This shows that the participation of a female in different spheres of life is very necessary not only the woman herself but for the whole society. The empowerment of women basically initiates when the women realize their importance and they become aware of their worth. When the women internalize that they are also an important part of the society and they reach at the level of awareness then the process of externalization of
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this realization begins. After that the women begin taking part in the outdoor activities and her roles become dominant in the community. Their role in house hold can be determined by their own awareness and realization of their value. The meaningful and beneficial participation of women is only possible when she internalize her importance first in her own mind and then externalize it in the whole society and household by performing useful and important task (Hashemi, et al. 1993). MATERIALS AND METHODS In this research the data was collected on the bases of quantitative research. Data was collected by self-administrative questionnaire and interview. The universe was taken by the researcher district Swat Saidu Sharif. 110 respondents were taken as a sample population. Sampling technique was purposive sampling. For data collection interview schedule was used. Coding was made for statistical analysis. Data analyzed by SPSS 17.0 versions. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Table.1: Level of Independency in Decision Making of Women before and After Migration of Husband
Yes
Before Migration Frequency % age 29 26.4
After Migration Frequency % age 71 64.5
No
81
73.6
39
35.5
Total
110
100.0
110
100.0
This table shows that 26.4% women have decision making power and 73.6% have not decision making power before migration. After male out migration 64.5% women have decision making power and 35.5% have not decision making power. Over all the data represent that the two most important aspects of empowerment i.e. decision making power and financial independency were altogether changed with the phenomenon of migration. CONCLUSION We can conclude from the above results that in the absence of husband the authoritative position is gained by the wife and the decisions are mostly taken by her. Women can get selfsufficiency and independence as the husbands are absent and they are relatively free to spend their lives according to their will but besides this sovereignty the left behind women also faces a
lot of pressure, strain and anxiety. They sometime face more vulnerability and weakness because of the work load and isolation. The women whose husbands experienced migration are at greater risk of increased family interference. Although the responsibilities of the women increases with the migration of husband but her status also get changed. In the absentee ship of the husband the women become able to spent life according to her will, especially in a patriarchal societies the women enjoys a changed and beneficial position. The increasing abilities of women are not only beneficial for the woman in particular but it put effects on the whole society. REFERENCES Gulati, Leela 1993 In the Absence of their Men: The Impact of Male Migration on Women. Sage Publications India Pvt Ltd. Hashemi, Syed M., Sidney Ruth Schuler, and Ann P. Riley 1996 Rural Credit Programs and Women’s Empowerment in Bangladesh. World development 24 (4): 635–653. Sekher, T.V. 1997 Migration and Social Change. Jaipur and New Delhi: Rawat. Chakravarty, Shanker 2001 Many Faces of Gender Inequality Frontline. Available from: http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1822 /18220040.html Publication Date: Dec-1-2015 © 2015“The Explorer Islamabad” Journal of Social Sciences-Pakistan
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