Role of Peasant Women in Socio-Economic Affairs of Family: A Case Study of Sargodha District

Abstract

This is a scientific attempt to highlight the role of peasant women in family matters. The family is a significant component of society. Women play a fundamental role for the development of society. The women’s role in the improvement and functioning of society is not even acknowledged. Women are the backbone of a family. In rural areas of Pakistan, women are involved in many household activities such as cooking, ironing, picking cotton, upkeeping the children, shopping for groceries and supporting their family in economic activities but their role has been ignored. In this present study, women’s status and role in socio-economic affairs of family will be investigated. This study has been conducted in District Sargodha as a geographical universe and human universe were peasant women. In this current study, the multistage sampling technique from probability sampling method is used. The interview schedule was developed according to the objectives of study and research included 280 respondents. Inferential analysis proved that the women of different marital status have different roles in socio-economic affairs of the family as, at first, the role of women living in nuclear families increased to 7% in decision making process of socio-economic affairs of the family whereas, in joint family system, this role is decreased to 10% and lastly in extended families, the role of women in socio-economic affairs of the family increased to 3%. Secondly, it is obvious that the women with higher level of education have more understanding of familial rights as compared to the women with lower education. In the light of the above facts, this study
suggests that microcredit facility should be provided to peasant women, along with government and NGO’s by using mass media campaigns, should play their active role to empowered the peasant women.