Cultural Involment in Dispute Settlement Through Women as Compensation in District Swat Kohistan-Pakistan

Abstract

The present study was aimed at discovering the hidden facts causing the women as compensation practices in pakhtoon culture through a study in Distt swat, Kohistan. The data was collected from the three Tehsil namely Kalam, Othrore and Matta respectively. Parents of Swara, brother or blood relatives of Swara and Swara (Women) were chosen as potential respondents for this study. A sample size of 205 respondents out of 369 Swara victims were randomly selected and proportionally allocated to the whole universe of the study. A conceptual frame work comprised of one independent i.e cultural endorsement and dependent variable women as compensation with education, family type and income as controlled variables was chalked out. The collected data was analyzed through simple frequency distribution, bi-variate and multi-variate to assess the layout, level of association and effects of extraneous variables while ascertaining the level of relationship between independent and dependent variables respectively. Moreover, reliability analysis was carried out and reliability coefficient was declared as 0.74. The study found that; Swara had cultural endorsement despite of no any feelings of honor rather getting ashamed of it were found instrumental factors in women as compensation practices. At Bi-variate level, association of Swara as cultural practice, ancestor did carry out Swara practice, feel shame on giving Swara, were found positive and significant with women as compensation. In addition, while indexing both independent and dependent variables, cultural endorsement was found positive and significant with women as compensation practices. Likewise, cultural endorsement and women as compensation for literate was non-spurious in relationship at bi-variate level. Moreover, A non-spurious association was further disclosed in high income group for cultural endorsement and women as compensation. The study explored that cultural traits, if properly explained under the preview of literacy and gender equity could serve as harbinger in mitigating the social distress of women as compensation practices.  Equality in gender treatment, exploiting the feeling of shame over Swara practice and declaring Swara as cultural taboo were some of the policy recommendation in light of the study.

Keywords: Blood, Honor and property Cultural endorsement, Dispute Settlement, Women as Compensation