IN THE SILENCE OF RURAL PAKISTANI WOMEN – EXERCISE OF AGENCY THROUGH MAINTAINING RESPECT AND HONOR

Abstract

This article focuses on silence as a unit of analysis, investigating it as a form of agency or conscious choice by women in rural Punjab, Pakistan, against the backdrop of patriarchy. The experiences of rural Pakistani women indicate that in a patriarchal set up, silence can be used by women to their own advantage, while voice leads to negative consequences. It primarily focuses on how rural women maintain respect and honor in public and private spheres, through their strategic use of silence and thus claim agency. The methodology is observant participation and narrative based, conversational interviews, conducted with respondents residing in village Trekhanwala, in Sargodha, Pakistan. It was concluded that the use of silence is linked to the identity of a ‘good woman’ in the society, making her worthy of respect as she upholds her family’s honor. In ‘being’ silent, women strategically avoid negative repercussions in the society where their survival is entrenched in cultural, patriarchal values which provides them with a set of concrete constraints; maintenance of their respectful identity is one of the ways to achieve strategic benefits in their everyday lives.