Undoing Silence

Barriers to Women's Rights NGOs Addressing Violence Against Women in Pashtun Society

Bibliographic Data

ID21644043
AuthorsSaeeda Khan (0009-0006-7699-7806, University of Malaya, corresponding author)
Year2026
Pages10778012261468285-10778012261468285
Publication date2026-07-08
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueViolence Against Women (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1077-8012 • E-ISSN: 1552-8448
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/10778012261468285
PMID42416989
OpenAlexW7167741512
LanguageEN
References cited19

This study explores challenges faced by women's rights NGOs in preventing violence against women (VAW) among Pashtuns in Pakistan. Using qualitative methods, in-depth interviews were conducted with purposively selected 11 participants from five women's rights NGOs in Peshawar, Pakistan. Guided by Sylvia Walby's theory of patriarchy, findings show that entrenched patriarchal mindsets and Pashtunwali norms of male honor are major barriers. NGOs’ efforts are often framed as foreign-driven and culturally threatening, limiting their effectiveness. The study offers insights for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners on socio-cultural obstacles that perpetuate VAW, contributing to a deeper understanding of the factors shaping Pashtun women's rights and lived realities

Domestic violence · Honor · Human rights · Limiting · Poison control · Qualitative research · Undoing · Gender Politics and Representation · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Politics and Conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Middle East

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