Examining Evolving Gender Roles in Pakistan: A Study on Career Aspirations and Choices

Abstract

This research investigates the transformative shifts in global gender roles, emphasizing the context of Pakistan and their impact on women's emancipation and liberalization. Thestudy,  based  on  a  sample  of  112  intermediate  students  (56  males,  56females), employs  the  Islamic  Attitude  Towards  Women  Scale(IAWS)and  Career  Aspirations Scale(CAS). Career choices are categorized into traditional and non-traditional roles, aligning with   male-dominated   and   female-dominated   occupations   and   elicited   through   semi-structured  interviews.  Results  indicate  that  men  exhibit  more  conservative  gender  role attitudes and lower career aspirations compared to women. Notably, women tend to opt for non-traditional, male-dominated careers. The study identifies a positive correlation between egalitarian  gender  role  attitudes,  heightened  career  aspirations,  and  non-traditional  career choices  for  both  genders.  The  findings  contribute  to  understanding  the  evolving  gender roles  in  Pakistani  society,  shedding  light  on  the  connection  between  career  aspirations  and the social emancipation of women.