Home > Identification and Analysis of Factors Hampering Women Empowerment in Agricultural Decision Making and Extension Work in the Punjab, Pakistan: A Case Study of District Okara
Identification and Analysis of Factors Hampering Women Empowerment in Agricultural Decision Making and Extension Work in the Punjab, Pakistan: A Case Study of District Okara
Women in Pakistan comprised almost half of total population and their participation rate in agricultural sector is about 70 percent. Pakistani women actively participate in agriculture and contribute in all areas including production of crops, livestock management etc., along with normal domestic chores. Despite expanding role of women in agricultural sector, extension services in Pakistan are limited to men than women. The investigation was designed to measure the position and contribution of rural women, their constraints in decision making regarding agricultural activities and mainly how the rural women can be empowered for sustainable agricultural development in the district Okara, Punjab, Pakistan. It was envisioned that women participation in extension activities has rarely been investigated. A multistage random sampling technique was used to collect the data from 480 respondents from three Tehsils of the district. From each Tehsil, eight villages were taken by using simple random sampling technique. Twenty farm families were selected from each selected village at random and one woman was further selected randomly from each selected household. So, 480 farm families made a total of 480 respondents for the study. The results show that a vast majority of women were illiterate, having monthly family income less than one lac, having small land farms, and living in joint family system. A large proportion of the respondents reported that they had to face problems and constraints in accessing agricultural extension services in the context of social, economic, cultural, and political issues. Bivariate analysis indicated that education level of women, income of household, family type were significantly associated with the selected variables of constraints women faced in decision making process and their participation conditions in that process. Some variables showed strong association e.g. education of women. Ownership of land by women depicted strong significant with majority of the selected variables. However, addressing theses constraints effectively the situation of women empowerment can be improved in rural areas. If they would be empowered financially and economically they would become independent in their decisions, which can play a vital role to empower women.
زمانُ الصفاء مضی وتلاشی مع الذکریات وھا نحن مختصمان وجاء زمانُ الصراع فلا لطفَ لا بسمات ولا دفقۃٌ من حنان
وھا نحنُ مختصمان دفنّا ا لوئام وراء التوتر في قعر ألفاظنا الباردہ ولم نبقِ کأساً ولا منھلاً([2] ) للغرام ولم نُبق عشاً لأحلامنا الساھدہ([3] )
وھا نحنُ نکشف عمّا انطوی بأعماق أنفسنا من عیوبٍ جمیلہ ویدرکُ کلّ بأنّ الھَوی طَوَی ما طوی من معا یبنا المترفات الأصیلة ولم یُبقِ إلا محاسننا الفجّۃ([4]) المستحیلة
وھا نحنُ نعرفُ أبعادنا الشاسعة وما امتدّ في عمقھا من خشونة وکیف ملکنا عیوباً منوّعۃً رائعۃ تخبّیء أو جُھھا خلف ستر الرضی واللیونة وخلف الوداعۃ خلف السکینة وفي لحظات الصفاء لمسنا شذانا الرصینا([5] ) وذقنا محاسننا السمحۃ المنعمة وذاک الطِلاءٖ الذي لفّ أعماقنا المبھمة وغطّی الحماقۃ والضعف فینا
وفي لحظات الحنین ھوینا بساطتنا وعشقنا العذوبة وھنا نحن نعشقُ ما تخلقُ الادمیۃ فینا ونلمسُ أعماقنا الشاسعات الرھیبة وما في حماقتنا من جمالِ شذٍ وخصوبة
وکنا عشقنا انبثاق الحرارۃ في مقلتینا([6]) فدعنا نحبّ النصوب([7] ) وکنا ھوینا التورّد والشعر في شفتینا فلم لا نحبّ الشحوب([8] ) ولم لا نخلّف رکناً من المقت([9] ) بین یدینا؟
وکنا عبدنا الصداقۃ بین المحاسن فینا فدعنا نقیم أسس الحبّ والودّ بین العیوب وأفسح مکاناً لبعض الحماقات بعضِ الذنوب ودعنا نکنُ بشراً طافحین نفیضُ جنونا وننضح([10]) ضحکاً ودمعاً سخینا
The word (Adab) , contrary to its present equitant in English language (literature) , has an interesting background and exciting history. This word went through many developments in its meaning and senses during different periods of the literary history of Arabic literature. Linguistics took keen interest in each and every change and development came into its meaning. They thoroughly studied this word, throughout the literary history of Arabic literature, and tried to link between its early root meaning "(giving a banquet) or (feast) ", and its present meaning (literature) . This article is aimed to study the evolution and development came in the meanings and senses of the word (Adab) from the very first stage of Arabic literature i. e. Pre-lslamic Period till the modern period.
Radon has long been recognized as one of the indoor air problems. There is a strong relation between radon and lung cancer. It is the second leading cause of the lung cancer after cigarette smoking. The present research work concerning the Measurement of seasonal and spatial variation of indoor radon and development of a passive dosimeter for thoron’s progeny is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the field and laboratory measurements which were performed using the passive radon dosimeters and in the second part laboratory experiments were carried out to develop a new passive thoron progeny dosimeter. Chapter 1 gives a brief introduction to radon, its health effects, measurement techniques and the instruments used for the measurement of indoor radon concentration. Different dose conversion relations and excess lung cancer reports have also been discussed in this chapter. Chapter 2 describes different types of equipments and materials used in the research work. Information about the geology, climatic conditions and building characteristics of the houses surveyed have also been given in this chapter. It also includes procedure of the samples preparation for the measurement of radioactivity and radon exhalation rate in the laboratory using active and passive detectors. In chapter 3 reviews reported studies conducted in Pakistan concerning the measurement of natural radioactivity and indoor. Chapter 4 discusses the results and discussion of the present work concerning radon measurement performed throughout the years in four cycles which has covered all the seasons. Seasonal correction factor, weighted average indoor radon levels excess lung cancer risk and the dose delivered to the inhabitants using the local occupancy factor have also been included in this chapter. Chapter 5 deals with the results and discussions about the radon exhalation from the soil, sand and brick samples which were collected from the selected area. Effect of moisture contents on the radon exhalation rate using a closed can technique has also been presented in the chapter. The effect of back diffusion on the radon exhalation has also been studied and included in this chapter. Measurement of the natural radioactivity in the soil and other building materials, 1like sand, brick, marble and cement samples which were collected form the selected area has been dealt with in chapter 6. Research work performed at the University of St., John University USA has been included in chapter 7 and 8. These chapters include experiments performed in the exposure room using the electret ion chambers. Radon concentration in the exposure room was measured using both short term and long term electrets. It also includes the results of the performance factor for the alpha contamination chambers using the electrets as radon progeny dosimeter. Experiments were performed using both short term high sensitivity and long term (low sensitivity) electrets. Development of a new passive thoron progeny dosimeter using the principle of the surface deposition has been discussed in chapter 8. This chapter includes an introduction about the different types of active and passive equipments used for the measurement of thoron. It also discusses the calibrations of different types of active detectors for the measurements of surface deposited activities on the glass surfaces. Finally chapter 9 concludes the present research work and includes future recommendations.