Paid Work & Decision Making Power of Married Women Cross Sectional Survey of Muzaffarabad Azad State of Jammu & Kashmir

Abstract

Background: Current research focuses primarily on women's autonomy in decision making while little attention is paid to their freedom of expression. Socioeconomic & socio-demographic factors affect women's autonomy in decision making. In the developing countries, particularly in Pakistan, although women are making significant financial contributions but they are still under collective decisions of husband and other family members while sometimes they are blindly relying on husband's decision. Objective of study was to find out association of women's autonomy in decision making & socioeconomic factors. Method: Cross sectional survey was conducted in Muzaffarabad Azad Kashmir on married working women (N = 500). The data consist of women's three decisions: birth control decision, financial decision and freedom of expression. A number of socio-demographic variables were used in chi-square analysis to examine the association of these variables with the said decisions. Results: Age, residence, education, professional differences, job nature, monthly income of married women are positively associated with autonomy in decision making. 59% women of above 30 years age exercise independence in birth control decisions (p value 0.02). Urban women (96%) are more likely to be autonomous in birth control decision than women from rural areas (p value 0.00). Educational attainment effects women autonomy as professionally qualified women (87.2%) are more independent in birth control decisions, independent in spending income (86.5%), having freedom of expression (55.4%). Furthermore women living in nuclear families exercise more independence in birth control decisions (77.2), income spending decisions (76) and enjoy more freedom of expression (56.2). Women working in government sector have independence in birth control (71), financial decisions (70.4), and freedom of expression (52.4%) with p value 0.00. Women earning salary of above 20,000 enjoy autonomy in birth control decisions (87.5%), financial decisions (87.2%), freedom of expression (57.4) with p value 0.00.

Women's role in sanitation decision making in rural coastal Odisha, India

“…Our findings on women having lower autonomy to decide compared to men on sanitation acquisition, is similar to other studies findings from India on paid work[36], agriculture[37, 38], family planning, pregnancy[39], maternal health care[40] and microenterprises[41]. But, states in India are heterogeneous in nature in terms of geography, environment, community, tradition and culture which are likely to have a significant effect on the nature of female autonomy.…”

“…Other studies from India report women’s participation in aspects of family decision making like own health care, making daily and major household purchases and socialisation (visiting her family or relatives) to be 37 percent[ 29 ], which is much higher than our results. Our findings on women having lower autonomy to decide compared to men on sanitation acquisition, is similar to other studies findings from India on paid work[ 36 ], agriculture[ 37 , 38 ], family planning, pregnancy[ 39 ], maternal health care[ 40 ] and microenterprises[ 41 ]. But, states in India are heterogeneous in nature in terms of geography, environment, community, tradition and culture which are likely to have a significant effect on the nature of female autonomy.…”

Describing Determinants of Negotiation and Bargaining to Access and Utilize Resources including Health among Immigrant Pakistani Women in the United States

“…Consistent with other studies, our next finding supports that, income earning women, enjoys more autonomy and has more space for bargaining her needs (Rabbani & Rizvi, 2008;Kabeer, 1999;Sathar & Shahnaz, 2000;Arooj et al, 2013;Ahmmed & Chakraborty, 2012). Women"s involvement in economic activities, in a way, act as a major source of liberation from the servitude of the patriarchal system/structure.…”

“…Literature from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Turkey further highlight how numerous factors, are associated with women"s autonomy and bargaining power, at household level, including, education, participation in economic activities, family status and caste, ownership of assets such as land or credit, family size and number of sons, patriarchal structure, and marriage endogamy versus exogamy (Sathar & Shahnaz, 2000;Sarikhani, 2012).Having a professional degree, income or ownership of assets, act as a buffer against women"s subordination and ensures women and family well-being (Acharya et al, 2010;Fatima, 2014;Arooj et al, 2013). Women who bring more assets at the time of marriage, improve their social standing in the household.…”

The Role of Socio-Economic Factors in Determining the Women Bargaining Power in Pakistan

“…Most of the empirical literature of developing countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and India emphasize that how the different factors effect female bargaining power within the household, such as education, family size, no of sons, family status, asset ownership, participation in paid employment (Sarikhani, 2012;Sathar&Kazi, 2000). If female have a higher degree and income or asset ownership, these factors can ensure women status in society (Acharya, Bell, Simkhada, Van Teijlingen, &Regmi, 2010;Arooj et al, 2013;Fatima, 2014). Female with more land / assets have more authority in household.…”