Participation of Employed Women in Decision Making in Family Affairs in District Nowshera, Pakistan: A Case study of Village Pura-District Nowshera Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The study conducted in Akbar Pura village, located in the District Nowshera of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, aimed to investigate the participation of employed women in decision making within their families. A sample of households with employed women was randomly selected, representing twenty-five percent of the total households. The study found that the employed women in the area were actively involved in various family matters and were consulted by their husbands. The results of the study indicated that all the respondents were literate, married, and belonged to the young age group; they were primarily employed in the public sector. Additionally, the majority of the respondents lived in nuclear family systems and had the freedom to utilize their earnings. The areas where the employed women were involved in decision making included the education of children, purchasing household items, arranging marriages for their children, managing their children's careers, house decoration, and visiting friends and relatives, while the respondents were generally consulted in family matters, the degree of consultation varied depending on the specific issue at hand. The study concluded that in order to enhance women's participation in decision making, it is important to establish proper educational opportunities and implement training programs in rural areas. These measures would promote women's economic independence and increase their role in the decision-making process. In summary, the study conducted in Akbar Pura village revealed that employed women in the area were actively involved in decision making within their families. The findings highlighted the importance of providing educational opportunities and training programs to empower women economically and enhance their participation in decision making.