تلخیص
Women have legal claim and right on the property of husband, father,
brothers and other relation. But in practice these rights are denied to
women on different pretexts especially due to their weaker social
status. In 2008, government initiated Benazir Income Support Fund
Program; which targeted extremely poor women in Pakistan aimed to
bring a socio economic change in their status. This report focuses on
the role of Benazir Income Support Fund Program and its impact on
women’s property rights and the socio-economic and psychic
influences on women. This study aims to specifically explore the role of
Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) in securing women’s
rights to property as only CNIC holder women are eligible to apply for
assistance. The study has applied qualitative method of research using
different data collection strategies and is based on case studies of
Aurat Foundation, interviews with BISP beneficiaries and available
data. Results suggest that the program is primarily designed for direct
economic empowerment of women but it has strong social implications
for the beneficiaries as well. The program has promoted possession of
CNIC among huge poorest segment of women in Pakistan which helps
the inclusion of women in their family trees as previously they were not
within that tree in governmental record. In this way, the family would
hardly ignore the presence of women during marriages, inheritance
and entrepreneurial activities; consequently strengthening their
property rights and social status. There is no direct empirical evidence
suggestive of visible change in properties of BISP beneficiary women,
as the program only qualify property-less families for the assistance
but the social implication of this program suggests that in the long run
it would trickle down to a stronger ‘say’ of women in their lives and a
stronger property rights. Registration of women in NADRA also
empowers them with ‘right to vote’ and there is a sharp increase in
number of women voters in the country. The program by design
promotes women centric familial structure rather men headed
Abasyn Journal of Social Sciences. 8(2)
Razaullah, Abbass, & Khattak 214
traditional family centric and hence created a space for women
leadership.
Raza Ullah, Muhammad Yasir Abbass, Arif Khattak. (2015) Exploring the Role of Computerized National Identity Card (Citizens’ Registration Card) in Securing Women’s Property Rights in Pakistan, Abasyn Journal of Social Sciences, Volume-08, Issue-2.
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