Patriarchy and the Plight of Widowhood

Abstract

The focus of the present research study was to discover the socio- culturally created realities of widowhood, in Quetta, Balochistan.  A women is said to be widow  who had  lost her husband and has not married again and she is said to be in the state of “widowhood”, Whereas , Widower is the term  used  for a men who have lost their wives. The comprehensive literature review on “widowhood” revealed that widowhood is coupled with many hardships and challenges. They have to deal with various difficulties, lack of financial and emotional support from their in-laws’ as well as other family members.  The interpretative paradigm was used in the study to examine that, how widows who are already undergoing through widowhood, the society’s, (family members’) attitudes and perceptions in  shaping  “widowhood” culturally and socially.  What effects does the social setting have on widowhood experiences? Hence, this study was conducted within the context of symbolic “interactionism” and “social construction of reality”. Theoretical framework offered the concepts and notions of internalisation, institutionalisation, historicity, social structure, social discourse, and status position to comprehend the patterns of widowhood experiences as well as the historical background and cultural norms that impact the lives of widows’. A Social welfare organization’s members have been selected as participants. In-depth interviews and FGDs were used in data collection. The research study’s findings emphasized the difficulties faced by widows, including their financial situation, loneliness, humiliation, and lack of social and family support, among other things, which are addressed in the research. Furthermore, the research findings indicate that gender discrimination against women is still practiced and patriarchy is prevailing in society it demonstrates that the status of a widow is dependent on how women are regarded in society. These factors all together determine how widows perceive widowhood. Moreover, a framework for future research on the comparative studies and analysis of widowhood among widows and widowers is provided by this study.