Experiences of women survived in armed tribal conflict: a case study of Union Council Khuhra district Khairpur Sindh Pakistan

The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of women lived in armed tribal conflicts area. Objectives were to explore the impact of armed conflict on women, to describe women’s perception about conflict, its consequences and to investigate possible coping strategies adopted by women during conflict.

In view of the objectives of the study participatory methodology was employed which known as Participatory Reflection and Action (PRA). Social maps, matrices, workload, and webbing exercises were the main data collection tools. The data was analysed through using open, axial, and selective coding.

The findings emerged from the analysis include tribal armed conflicts have severely affected all involved and neighbouring population but women and children disproportionally suffering more as compared to men. Study revealed that armed conflict had many worst consequences such as better off have become poor, land has been deserted, people had taken debt for food, and debt has been increased because of service charges of moneylenders. In this most terrible situation, women were affected at most because men have been jailed and many of them became dacoits. Due to dacoits, women and children do not access to health care services. Women were surviving under immense depression, insecurity, fear and their mobility has been further limited, it is already restricted due to cultural constraints. Many young women became widows because their husbands have been killed. Findings show that role of women has not been acknowledged in the society for security and peace, it is described by women that our involvement has been ignored in decision-making. The major finding of this study is women came together and talk about those painful experiences and doing so, broke the “culture of silence”. After sitting together problems, difficulties, sufferings, and hardships are no longer seen as individual or personal but being rooted in structures affecting the life of every woman alike. Women strongly believe that conflicts of every kind specially armed tribal conflict are cause of destruction in society, therefore it should be stopped, and rehabilitation of distorted communities should be started immediately.

This study was carried out during 2005-2007 in two Union Councils¹ of district Khairpur, Sindh Pakistan.

¹Union Council (U.C) is the smallest administrative unit of District government, it has approximately 10,000 to 20,000 population living in around 10-15 villages of different tribes.