Stunting is a significant public health problem in low- and middle-income countries. This study assessed the prevalence of stunting and associated risk factors of stunting among preschool and school-going children in flood-affected areas of Pakistan. A cross-sectional study was conducted by visiting 656 households through multi-stage sampling. Respondent’s anthropometric measurements, socio-demographic information and sanitation facilities were explored. A logistic regression model was used to determine determinants of stunting, controlling for all possible confounders. The overall prevalence of stunting in children was 40.5%, among children 36.1% boys and 46.3% of girls were stunted. The prevalence of stunting in under-five children was 50.7%. Female children (OR=1.35, 95% CI:0.94-2.0), children aged 13-24 months (OR=6.5, 95% CI: 3.0-13.9), mothers aged 15-24 years (OR=4.4, 95% CI: 2.6-7.2), joint family (OR=2.1, 95% CI: 1.4-3.0) did not have access to improved drinking water (OR=3.3, 95% CI: 1.9-5.9), and the toilet facility (OR=2.8, 95% CI, 1.9-4.3), while the children from district Nowshera (OR=1.7, 95% CI: 0.9-3.2) were significantly (P<0.05) associated in univariate analysis. The regression model revealed that child age, maternal age, family type, quality of water, and toilet facility, were the significant (P<0.05) factors contributing to child stunting in the flood-hit areas. Identification of key factors might be helpful for policymakers in designing comprehensive community-based programs for the reduction of stunting in flood-affected areas. In disasters such as flood, the detrimental consequences of the stunting problem could be even more on children. Evidence-based education and care must be provided to the families in the flood-affected regions to reduce the stunting problem. The determinants of stunting should be targeted by making comprehensive policies regarding proper nutrition, livelihood, clean water, and sanitation facilities in flood-hit regions.

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This paper is part of the broader research to investigate Malaysian university student’s veiling pattern and their motives to adopt and using veiling. This paper particularly focuses on relationship between religious motives and the personal wish or family pressure as the reason of using veiling articles among Malaysian Muslim University students. The data were collected through survey method with the help of a closed ended questionnaire from 335 female (Muslim and non-Muslim) university students of University Malaysia Perlis. After processing of Data 255 cases of veiling Muslim university students were included in this research paper. The research tool for this research study comprises of three broader main scales to assess the practice of veiling due to religious motives, personal wish, and family pressure among these students. The data were analyzed to identify the relationship between religious motives behind veiling and the choice made by the student’s personal wish for veiling or due to their family pressure to veil by applying Pearson correlation. The results show a statistically significant positive relationship between religious motives and the personal wish of veiling among Malaysian Muslim university students.

This research aims to explore gender differentials in perceptions regarding several social and cultural practices causing harm to the status of women in Pakistan. The six social practices focused in this research include Dowry, Watta Satta, Walwar, Swara, Vani and Marriage with Quran. The research is designed as exploratory cross sectional quantitative research. The data has been collected through survey of a randomly selected sample of 347 educated men and women in Sindh with the help of a six items, five point Likert scale, to explore people’s perceptions regarding different socio-cultural practices. The scale has two sub scales, each including three items, to assess perceptions regarding social practices perceived as crime and their potential for causing victimization of women in Pakistan. It is inferred from the t-test results that there is statistically significant difference exists between educated men and women’s mean scores acquired on one main scale and two sub scales used to assess perception regarding social practices, their criminal nature, and potential for victimization of women in Pakistan.

Explaining the nature and prevalence of patriarchal culture and eight anti women socio-cultural practices (i.e. Dowry, Watta Satta, Walwar, Honour Killing, Wanni, Swara, Marriage with the holy book of Quran, and Child marriage), this paper explores a relationship between people’s perceptions about patriarchy and anti women socio-cultural practices as sources of crime and violence against Pakistani women. The paper is based on primary data collected through survey conducted with a close ended questionnaire developed by the researcher. The collected data was statistically analyzed to test hypotheses. It argues that socio-cultural practices and the patriarchy are perceived as factors leading to crime and violence against Pakistani women. It is found that the respondents scoring higher on the scale for assessing perceptions regarding “patriarchy as a factor leading to crime against women” also score higher on the scale for assessing the “socio-cultural practices as factor leading to crime against women” in Pakistan. Therefore, it is inferred that there is a positive correlation between respondents’ perceptions regarding patriarchy and socio-cultural practices as factors leading to crime against women in the country. It means patriarchy is the basic system that fosters crime and violence against women through the tools of anti women socio-cultural practices in Pakistan.