A Policy Brief on Balancing Gender Roles and Patriarchal Attitudes in the Context of Women Empowerment, Focusing Afghan Refugees Settlements in Balochistan

Abstract

This policy brief focuses on analyzing gender roles and patriarchal attitudes in the context of women's empowerment among the Afghan refugee population in Balochistan. Gender roles refer to societal expectations based on individuals' sexual identities. Society dictates behaviors, beliefs, approaches, and practices deemed socially appropriate for each gender. Women's empowerment, as defined by UNHCR, involves enabling underprivileged women to access information, resources, decision-making authority, and increasing their awareness of community involvement to exert control over their environments and address inequalities. The majority of Afghan refugees in Balochistan reside in Pashtun-populated areas bordering Afghanistan, characterized by patriarchal cultural norms and traditional tribal social structures. These areas of origin also exhibit entrenched patriarchal values. Qualitative methods, including key informant interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), were utilized to collect in-depth primary information from social, political intellectuals, and service providers. Additionally, quantitative methods, such as perception surveys, were employed to gather quantifiable data from refugees residing in Balochistan. The study findings underscore certain traditional practices and actors that both hinder and perpetuate traditional patriarchal attitudes. These include the absence of educational opportunities for women, restricted or prohibited mobility, exclusion of women from decision-making processes, imbalanced state social laws, and the influence of clergy. Based on these findings, policy recommendations have been formulated at individual, family, community, civil society, and state levels, outlining necessary processes and approaches for empowerment and gender equality.