Structural and Normative Barriers in Girls’ Education: A Case Study of District Bajaur, Pakistan

Structural and Normative Barriers in Girls' Education

Abstract

This research relies on a qualitative approach examining various barriers to female education in the post-conflict tribal area of District Bajaur, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), a province of Pakistan. The study investigates how the structural barriers, such as lack of educational facilities, fewer employment opportunities, and lack of security, are coupled with normative elements based on sociocultural aspects, such as traditional customs of Pukhtunwali, gender roles, and early marriages, depicted in twenty semi structured interviews conducted with female students aged between fifteen and twentyfour. The findings reflected that such structural norms are interrelated, and these also contribute to a vicious cycle of systemic exclusion of girls in this marginalized region. The study finds that any approach that takes a “one-size-fits-all” or “one-policy-fits all” strategy is ineffective, and calls for more comprehensive, culturally responsive strategies and sound security to bring about lasting improvements in girls’ participation and learning in schools.