Role of Women in Social and Agricultural Decision-Making in the Rural Areas of the Southern Punjab (Pakistan)

In the socio-economic activities, the rural women play a significant role, at the household and community level to shoulder their respective families by engaging themselves in the income generating activities most commonly related to the agriculture sector in Pakistan. It is pathetic, however, that their valuable contribution is not recognized in most part of the Punjab province, particularly in the southern Punjab. It is noteworthy that they contribute in the economic and social development of their families by working with the menfolk shoulder to shoulder in the fields from dawn to dusk performing multiple chores including taking care of livestock, unleashing their potential in the fields from sowing till harvesting the crops, poultry and handicrafts, and doing family business. Women are very actively participating in the economic activities in the district of Dera Ismael Khan (Southern Punjab) which is the focus of this present study and this particular district is selected by simple random sampling from the districts of southern Punjab. Nevertheless, the status of women in decision-making is very bleak, they are mostly disregarded in any decisionmaking process at the household or community levels. The study aims to investigate the role of rural women in decision making for family income generation including agricultural patterns; use of land, selection of crops and inputs or utilization of income from lands. Similarly, the study intends to investigate the relationship between the socio-economic characteristics of families and the women participation in decision-making process in district Dera Ismael Khan, Southern Punjab, Pakistan. A multistage sampling technique was applied to select a representative sample of 300 respondents. At first stage, out of 21 Union councils in District Dera Ismael Khan, four union councils were selected by using simple random method. Out of the four union councils four villages were selected randomly. A total of 300 respondents (75 from each village) selected randomly from the selected villages at the third stage. A field survey was conducted through and an interview schedule which was carefully developed to address the cultural and gender sensitivity. The women enumerators interviewed the women, and the data was analyzed using appropriate statistical technique at the Department of Rural Sociology, University of Agriculture. The study revealed that 50. 0 % women participated in decision-making for the wellbeing of their respective families. 68.3 % of the respondents claimed that women had the right ability of handling the monthly family budget. 40.0 %, 35.0 %, and 31.66 % women actively played their role in the decisionmaking in agricultural matters, education of their children, and marital affairs respectively. 63.33 % respondents agreed that women enhance their family income by participating in the agricultural and social decision-making, 68.33 % of the respondents agreed that help the male members in the decision-making, and 75.0 % of the respondents agreed that male members consult females in the decision-making process. The study concluded that there is a need to enhance women participation in the decision-making regarding family resources, education and marriage. As results shows, women have better ability to handle the monthly household budget their participation in agricultural and social decisions will leads towards empowerment.