Cultural practices and Chilly University Environment for Female Students: A Case of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Abstract

A wide gap is found in access to and participation in higher education in Pakistan in terms of gender. Female students’ participation in general in Pakistan is lesser as compared to males but in higher education it is even further lower as compared to male students. It is of high importance for development of a country to have equal participation from both male and female population which require equal educational opportunities and conducive environment based on equity as well as equality. The current research study is on the effects of cultural practices and male dominant behavior that creates an unfriendly environment for female students in universities and higher education institutes. The study is qualitative in nature and look at the case of two Universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Six participants from two separate departments from two university of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa participated in the study. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews. Findings show that out dated cultural practices through male agency are occupying more space as compare with that of female students thus becoming the reason for differentiating, discriminatory and unfriendly environment.