Mohammad Mumtaz Khan 2000-Ag-1404
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
EXAMINATION OF WOMEN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH WITHIN SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL FRAMEWORK: A STUDY OF TWO URBAN SETTLEMENTS OF N.W.F.P. By Mohammad Mumtaz Khan 2000-ag-1404 Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN RURAL SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF RURAL SOCIOLOGY FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE ECONOMICS AND RURAL SOCIOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, FAISALABAD (PAKISTAN). 2004 To The controller of Examinations, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. We, the members of the supervisory committee find the thesis submitted by Mr. Muhammad Mumtaz Khan satisfactory and recommend that it be processed for evaluation by External Examiner(s) for the award of the degree. CHAIRMAN: ------------------------------------ PROF DR. MUHAMMAD IQBAL ZAFAR MEMBERS: -------------------------------------- DR. TAVNIR ALI MEMBER : -------------------------------------- DR.ASHFAQ AHMAD MANN To The Controller of Examination University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Subject: Submission of PhD Thesis We, the supervisory committee, certify that the contents and form of the Thesis submitted by Mr. Mohammad Mumtaz Khan, Regd. No. 2000-ag-1404 have been found satisfactory and recommend that it be processed for evaluation by external examiners for the award of degree. CHAIRMAN: DR. ASHFAQ AHMAD MANN MEMBER: ______________________________ PROF DR. MUHAMMAD IQBAL ZAFAR MEMBER: ______________________________ DR. TANVIR ALI ABSTRACT Women reproductive health problems are found all over the world, particularly in developing countries. Individual is the prisoner of society. Culture determines way of life and interaction process in a group, which is known through cultural norms and values. With the passage of time; the evolutionary process in social system has been bringing about change in values regarding women and their rights. As a result a lot of consideration is seen for the protection of women rights. In this connection woman reproductive health has been considered in a male dominant society as most serious issue. The developing countries have also been considering and paying attention to human reproductive rights within socio economic and cultural frame work. The study focuses on the facilities in Pakistani society. This research study conducted to asses the women reproductive health problem in N.W.F.P. (Pakistan). The overall objectives of the study was to diagnose the effects and changes in behavior pattern of society concerning, demographic, social, cultural, religious and economic aspects of women living in different classes in urban area of, Peshawar and Kohat. The study focuses on social, economic and cultural consideration for the benefit of women's reproductive health. The study universe consists of urban Peshawar and Kohat, which is the true representative of two geographical regions; separated by a range of mountains of Tribal Belt of Dara Adam Khel of the province of N.W.F.P. A sample of 720 women respondent of three strata, i.e. lower, middle and upper class women with at least one living child or life birth were interviewed and sampling procedure was taken through stratified random sampling- both the quantitative (second resource as well as field survey) and qualitative (focus group's interviews) studies were conducted with the aim to produce valid results. The uni-variate, bi-variate and multivariate of quantitative and qualitative data provides evidences that the study provide evidences that educated spouse lead a healthy and prosperous life in community, leading towards significant reduction in child and maternal mortality in both districts of study in NWFP. The single most important variable in the discussion will be that education of females has to be made an area of priority by the policy makers, and then the society could get rid of many reproductive health problems. The most remarkable and significant aspect is keeping control at family size with use of contraception and that is possible with health education. The evidence from the study supports the idea that development in family income and better occupation is the pre-condition for reproductive health. The data analysis clearly demonstrates that women's education and cultural tradition in terms of women's restricted participation in family and non-family matters, religiosity, family values, obligations and husband domination exert an important influence on fertility and contraceptive behavior. It also emerged from the study findings that culture maintains its influence in explaining reproductive behavior and small family size independent of economic development. The type of family and socio economics status with cultural background in women with reproductive age in community and their impact on reproductive health as well as family size and use or not use of contraceptive is important social and cultural factors of any society and the response of respondent about use or non use of contraceptive is also important. The data in study showed that preferences of male child over female child, i.e. norms of sex preferences have been changing with the literacy and education in females. The changing status of women has dominant affect on the health of women. The changing norms of family setup were evident in the study. The study showed the high tendency regarding norms of communication between spouses. The important aspect and issue in the study was the improvement in status and participation by female in decision making in home affairs; but the male domination in lower class may lead towards many negative aspects of complete participation of women in participation in decision making process. These descriptions are shown in different tables in the chapter. Specially, those respondents, who belong to joint and extended families, reflected that respondents who belong to nuclear had the more chances of many/low children as compared to joint family system. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS All glory and praise be Allah, the most Merciful and Mighty- For whom is my beginning and end, who is benefactor and merciful, my creator, my shaper out of naught, my fashioner omniscient of what I need, cognizant of my deeds, the one and only, who is nearer lo me than my Jugular vein, to whom are ascribed the traits of absolute perfection and beauty. It is through His boundless and infinite mercy that the task has been completed well in lime, Blessing and Peace be Upon Him the one whom Allah has sent as a mercy to the world. Hazrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H.), the illuminating torch and resource of humanity from going astray. Many valuable contributions have been made by learned scholars in the accomplishment of this gigantic task that would have been a mystery without their scholarly attempts. I owe a heavy debt of gratitude to Professor Dr. Mohammad Asghar Cheema, the Dean Faculty of Agriculture Economics and Rural Sociology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad and Prof Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Zafar, the Chairman Department of Rural Sociology for their patience, love support and understanding during the course of this research. I wish to express my sincere appreciations to all members of the supervisory committee for their kind supervisions, sympathetic attitude, wise counseling. Constructive criticism, valuable suggestion and inspiring guidance throughout the course of this research endeavor. I am especially, indebted to Prof Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Zafar, Chairman, supervisory committee under whose supervision this research work has been accomplished. His comprehension of the sociological theory and statistical analysis, grip on the analytical techniques understanding of descriptive and inferential statistics and aptitude for objective research has been of great value. I am thankful for holding repeated discussion on the complicated matters and encouraging me with great patience and devotion. I wish too gratefully and acknowledge help extended by Dr. Tanvir Ali, the Director advance studies and associate professor in Agriculture Extension, University of Agriculture Faisalabad for his valuable guidance and also member of the supervisory committee, for making valuable suggestions, particularly in qualitative data collection, its analysis and interpretation of focus group interviews. My thanks go to Dr Ashfaq Ahmad Mann Associte professor and Dr. Tanveer Ali the Director Advance Studies U.A.F. in the department of Rural Sociology U-A.F for his valuable guidance in writing up of research report. This work would have never been completed without his guidance, I am also grateful to the Director General, Population Welfare & Urban Improvement, Government of N.W.F.P. and official of Population Welfare. Peshawar and Kohat. It also owe thank to my colleagues Prof Dr Amir khan ,the chairman department of Urban and regional planning in the university of Peshawar; and in the development sector for their comments and assistance. I am especially thankful to officials Population Welfare authorities that shared their views in the focus group's interviews. I also thank all my anonymous community respondents for providing the valuable qualitative information during focus group's discussions and then kind cooperation for the collection of quantitative data through the field survey. I must pay thanks to the interviewers for their sincere efforts in data collection. Lastly, I would thank my wife and children for their patience, encouragement and inspiration, which led to complete this study successfully. GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS AIDS Acquired immune deficiency syndrome ACS Acute Coronary Syndrome AIDS Immune