Papers by Dr. Shahla Tabassum
Pakistan Journal of Social Research
The purpose of the study is to find out the challenges women experienced in reaching leadership p... more The purpose of the study is to find out the challenges women experienced in reaching leadership positions. At the global level, according to the Global Gender Gap Report (2022), 33% of women hold leadership roles; however, in Pakistan, this number is lower. Eagly and Carli’s (2003) theoretical framework emphasized the multifactorial barriers that women face in achieving leadership positions. A qualitative approach was used to get an in-depth understanding of the problem. Using the non-probability purposive sampling technique ten female heads of departments from the different public sector universities of Rawalpindi were selected who were willing to participate in the study voluntarily. With mutual consent, in-depth interviews were conducted. The findings reveal multiple barriers that affect women’s ability to advance in leadership positions on three different levels: barriers at work, barriers in the home, and barriers at the individual level. The findings at work-level challenges i...
Journal of Humanities, Social and Management Sciences (JHSMS)
The study was conducted to examine prevalence of sexual harassment, its nature, and its consequen... more The study was conducted to examine prevalence of sexual harassment, its nature, and its consequences on women during traveling on public transport. A survey research method was used to collect the information. A sample of 105 women using the purposive sampling technique was selected from three different bus stops in Rawalpindi city of Pakistan. Routine Activity Theory of Cohen and Felson (1979) was applied to analyse data about the victimization of women passengers. The findings revealed that women participated in the study, 41% were students, 34% were working women and 25% were housewives. 75% of women travelled on a daily basis while the rest once a week or occasionally. The women faced different forms of harassment and 46% of them faced it sometimes while 36% faced it most of the time during traveling. The findings revealed types of offenders and among them, 64% were passengers, 24% were bus helpers and 12% were drivers. 89% participants considered it a serious matter and 52% of ...
Pakistan Journal of Criminology, Oct 1, 2017
This study explores the implications of marital disputes on women. Radical Feminist theory remain... more This study explores the implications of marital disputes on women. Radical Feminist theory remains the core theoretical lens to see violence as consequence of disputes to control women in marital relationship. For the present study, the sample size was selected by using two stage sampling procedure. The sample size was calculated 400 married women through systematic random sampling technique but only 318 married women participated. The tool used was self-structured close ended questionnaire for cross sectional survey of sampled population. It was found that, 98% women experience disputes during their marital life indicating marital conflict an acceptable social occurrence. The results further indicate that counterargument in disputes may result in violence, both verbal and physical. Radical feminist believed that challenging men's authority is perceived as a threat to their masculinity, thus men resort to violence in order to maintain their dominance.
sjesr, 2020
This paper attempts to develop a mechanism to overcome inequality present in the context of inher... more This paper attempts to develop a mechanism to overcome inequality present in the context of inheritance property of women in Pakistan. Taking a feminist research stand that focused on knowledge construction as a way to suggest alternatives for changes in oppressive situations.  Data collected from thirty men, women of rural, urban settings, and ten male and female lawyers from the Pothohar region through self-exploratory semi-structured qualitative interviews. The findings revealed procedural changes at the state level such as the offices where property transfer happened as well as recommended to set up a monitoring cell to see the record of the court decisions about inheritance property of women. Moreover, the findings highlighted community-level changes to spread awareness through various means like media, social media, Friday sermons, and seminars at union council levels about the inheritance property of women. Furthermore, findings also indicated changes at the family level as a...
Webology, 2022
Beggar children are the most vulnerable population because they lack basic needs, care, and prote... more Beggar children are the most vulnerable population because they lack basic needs, care, and protection and are more prone to abuse which makes their life miserable. The present study focused on the examination of the status of child beggary, their family structure, and gender difference of begging phenomenon. The study is quantitative in nature, using a survey method to collect the data. A sample of 112 beggar children with a purposive sampling technique was selected from different begging spots of Rawalpindi city. The vulnerability theory of Fineman (2010) was applied to analyze data about child beggars. The findings revealed that the most populated places of begging were bus stands and market places 38%, 31% respectively and 71% of them were boys and 29% girls. The age range of 82 % of child beggars was 9-15 years. The findings further revealed the family structure of the children and 79% live in rented cottages, with 70% living in nuclear families, while 69% of children had 5-10 siblings where 75% of everyone or someone begging in the family. It is recommended to build resilience among beggar families by imparting skills and setting up family rehabilitation to reduce the poverty and vulnerability of children.
Pakistan Journal of Social Research
This study investigates stalking behavior campaigns between male and female university undergradu... more This study investigates stalking behavior campaigns between male and female university undergraduate students of Rawalpindi/Islamabad. The study also finds out the consequences of stalking behaviors of experienced male and female university students. A sample of 591 male and female undergraduate students of three public sectors universities was drawn through simple random sampling techniques. The 302 students out of 591 experienced stalking behaviors and results of victimization and its consequences were presented on a sample of 302 students, out of which 194 were female and 108 male students. The results reveal that 51% of students out of which 33% are female and 18% male experience stalking and 60% female and 19% male students report their relationship with the offender as ex-boy/girlfriend while 16% of male students mentioned their relationship with the offender as strangers. The study further shows significant results on stalking behavior campaigns as unwanted approaches like fo...
Research Journal of Social Sciences & Economics Review (RJSSER), Dec 26, 2020
There are a huge global and local gender gap in inheritance property. Men hold most material and ... more There are a huge global and local gender gap in inheritance property. Men hold most material and land resources in communities and families as compared to women. Ownership of inheritance property is one indicator of the empowerment of women. This paper examines the power politics played around inheritance property within families in Pakistan. By using a qualitative interpretative feminist approach, data were collected from thirty men and women from rural and urban areas of Rawalpindi and Chakwal districts. The findings revealed that power played a very important role within the families to keep inheritance property to men. The findings further highlighted that gender ideologies are produced in the family through socialization and reproduced socially through gender stereotypes, beliefs, and social opinions to keep inheritance property within families. The researchers argue that inheritance property within the families is political that embedded power and it is ignored often when men hold power to women and children. This paper proposes to reflect upon the power of men as head of the household in the family in the context of inheritance property.
The present study focused on the issues of transgender community regarding their education. It is... more The present study focused on the issues of transgender community regarding their education. It is one of the emerging issues of our society and directly interacts with the complexities of gender identity and the lives of these people facing the gender disapproval form the society. The objective of the study was to find out the need of education in their life and their perception about getting their education and contribution of state towards the plight of the transgender community. The research was conducted by using interview method through a self-semi structured guideline. The snowball sampling technique was used as it was difficult to find out the study participants. The sample size for collection of the information was 5o participants. The overall findings of the study showed that the social prejudice is too strong towards their appearance and despite the fact that the transgender community wanted to get education but they had to stay out of this institution. The findings furthe...
sjesr
This paper attempts to develop a mechanism to overcome inequality present in the context of inher... more This paper attempts to develop a mechanism to overcome inequality present in the context of inheritance property of women in Pakistan. Taking a feminist research stand that focused on knowledge construction as a way to suggest alternatives for changes in oppressive situations.  Data collected from thirty men, women of rural, urban settings, and ten male and female lawyers from the Pothohar region through self-exploratory semi-structured qualitative interviews. The findings revealed procedural changes at the state level such as the offices where property transfer happened as well as recommended to set up a monitoring cell to see the record of the court decisions about inheritance property of women. Moreover, the findings highlighted community-level changes to spread awareness through various means like media, social media, Friday sermons, and seminars at union council levels about the inheritance property of women. Furthermore, findings also indicated changes at the family level as a...
There are a huge global and local gender gap in inheritance property. Men hold most material and ... more There are a huge global and local gender gap in inheritance property. Men hold most material and land resources in communities and families as compared to women. Ownership of inheritance property is one indicator of the empowerment of women. This paper examines the power politics played around inheritance property within families in Pakistan. By using a qualitative interpretative feminist approach, data were collected from thirty men and women from rural and urban areas of Rawalpindi and Chakwal districts. The findings revealed that power played a very important role within the families to keep inheritance property to men. The findings further highlighted that gender ideologies are produced in the family through socialization and reproduced socially through gender stereotypes, beliefs, and social opinions to keep inheritance property within families. The researchers argue that inheritance property within the families is political that embedded power and it is ignored often when men ...
The study attempted to examine police registered rape cases through the contents of First Investi... more The study attempted to examine police registered rape cases through the contents of First Investigation Reports (FIRs) as rape is a phenomenon that has sever social and psychological consequences on the lives of survivors and in general on women. This was explored through ten in-depth interviews with the survivors. All the registered cases of one city of one year were included and 51 copies of FIRs were obtained from the police department. The contents of the FIRs were revealed that 94.16 % cases were reported from the urban slums of Lahore city. The highest risk age group during this year was 7-21years. In all the reported cases, six cases interviewed were children between the age group of 7-15. The survivors included in the FIRs were 39.2% housewives/girls, 25.5% students, 23.5% domestic servants and the rest were office workers and laborers. In all the cases 76.47% survivors were single, 17.64% were married and only 5.9 % were divorced. The results showed that 39.21% victims were...
The present study aimed at investigating the impact of education, income, age at marriage and dur... more The present study aimed at investigating the impact of education, income, age at marriage and duration of marriage on reproductive decision making power of working and non working married women in the area of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in Pakistan. 192 working and non working educated and less educated women (Educated = Graduation and above, less educated = up to matriculation) were included in the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to collect data. It was assumed that educated women will have more decision making power, working women will also exert more decision making reproductive power as compare to non working women. Results indicate that educated women have more reproductive decision making power as compare to less educated women and working women also have more reproductive decision making power as compare to non working women. Results also indicate that less age is related with less decision making power in reproductive sphere and more duration of marriage is also predictor of less decision making in reproductive sphere of a women's life. Therefore education and employment are the basic indicators of women empowerment and should be a matter of attention in policy making.
Feminist Review, 1991
... That is no reason not to use, and be used, by identity. There is no political position purifi... more ... That is no reason not to use, and be used, by identity. There is no political position purified of power, and perhaps that impurity is what produces agency as the potential interruption and reversal of regulatory regimes. Those ...
Nabila, 2010
... Author: Rukhshanda Pervez Co-Author: Shahla Tabassum* ... Rukhshanda Pervez & ShahlaT... more ... Author: Rukhshanda Pervez Co-Author: Shahla Tabassum* ... Rukhshanda Pervez & ShahlaTabassum are Research Officer (WRRC) & Lecturer (Gender Studies) at Fatima Jinnah Women University, The Mall Rawalpindi, Pakistan E-mail : [email protected] ...
The present study focused on the issues of transgender community regarding their education. It is... more The present study focused on the issues of transgender community regarding their education. It is one of the emerging issues of our society and directly interacts with the complexities of gender identity and the lives of these people facing the gender disapproval form the society. The objective of the study was to find out the need of education in their life and their perception about getting their education and contribution of state towards the plight of the transgender community. The research was conducted by using interview method through a self-semi structured guideline. The snowball sampling technique was used as it was difficult to find out the study participants. The sample size for collection of the information was 5o participants. The overall findings of the study showed that the social prejudice is too strong towards their appearance and despite the fact that the transgender community wanted to get education but they had to stay out of this institution. The findings furthe...
Sir Syed Journal of Education & Social Research, 2020
This paper attempts to develop a mechanism to overcome inequality present in the context of inher... more This paper attempts to develop a mechanism to overcome inequality present in the context of inheritance property of women in Pakistan. Taking a feminist research stand that focused on knowledge construction as a way to suggest alternatives for changes in oppressive situations. Data collected from thirty men, women of rural, urban settings, and ten male and female lawyers from the Pothohar region through self-exploratory semi-structured qualitative interviews. The findings revealed procedural changes at the state level such as the offices where property transfer happened as well as recommended to set up a monitoring cell to see the record of the court decisions about inheritance property of women. Moreover, the findings highlighted community-level changes to spread awareness through various means like media, social media, Friday sermons, and seminars at union council levels about the inheritance property of women. Furthermore, findings also indicated changes at the family level as a combination of state decisions to make a change in the family headship, changing mindset through awareness as well as the training of boys and girls on equal footing at home.
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Papers by Dr. Shahla Tabassum