Resistance to the construction of Kalabagh dam on Pakistan's Indus River : a gender perspective | |
| Author | Butt, Masooma |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.GD-07-16 |
| Subject(s) | Dams--Social aspects--Pakistan Women in community development--Pakistan |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science in Gender and Development Studies with specialization in Gender, Development and Environment,School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. GD-07-16 |
| Abstract | While, relating to the water issue within the family of Natural Resources, the study was undertaken to analyze the gender dimensions of ongoing resistance phenomenon through the engagement of social actors in the resistance process against the construction of mega Kalabagh dam on Pakistan's Indus River. The study aimed to focus the verbal, textual and visual discourses of social actors in order to examine the gendered implications of the resistance that has become a political turmoil in the country among transboundary provinces and federal government. Moreover, two-fold analysis of livelihood situation of affected people men and women in potentially submerged villages of Kalabagh Dam was also the part of investigation to anticipate the effects of dam construction on them as well as to explore the connection of actual gender specific livelihoods with the discourses of resistance, that how they interact and address these issues during protest activities. The study was carried out in Northern Province of Pakistan. A mixed method research approach was applied to meet with the objectives and to address research questions appropriately. In the first phase of data collection, Eighty six household survey formats were administered both with male and female members of a household in two affected sample villages, from upstream and downstream potentially submerged area respectively to get the comparative picture of livelihoods. In the second and third phase of study, plenty of in depth interviews, focus group discussions and record review exercises were conducted with villagers, all types of social actors involved in resistance process at all levels in the province and government officials to depict the true picture of resistance phenomenon with gender lens. The study reveals that the resistance to the construction of dam has distinctive characters in Pashtun majority and non-Pashtoon areas of Northern Province. As per nature of activities it is mainly visible in Pashtun (major ethnic tribe) majority downstream area, epitomized by ethno-national Political parties among them Awami National Party (ANP) under analysis is the prominent figure. The political nature of resistance is discursively premised on ethnic identity that is masculine and territorial claims rather than on mundane and possibly more complex livelihood issues. Whereas in the case of the non-Pashtoon village, Khushalgarh, the nature of resistance has been shaped along more pragmatic lines owing largely to the history of engagement these villagers may have had with international discourses on dam construction and scenarios for resettlement. The study concludes that the construction of Kalabagh dam will cause enormous effects on the livelihoods and lives of affected men and women mainly in response to two key risk factors. First and foremost factor is the pattern of gender specific livelihoods, directly dependent on natural resources i.e.. land, water and forests that will be displaced completely due to inundation of villages if the dam builds. Moreover, the outdated and gender blind documents of dam resettlement action plan/package, prepared by water and power development authority will reproduce the existing gender inequalities in terms of livelihoods and reinforce the displacement of people instead of rehabilitation. Second risk factor is the gap between actual socio-economic situation of men and women and the discourses of resistance actors whether ANP in downstream Mian Isa village or leaders in upstream Khushalgarh village which gives affected people a disadvantaged status materialistically vis-a-vis their position in resistance against dam and its potential effects |
| Year | 2007 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. GD-07-16 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Gender and Development Studies (GD) |
| Chairperson(s) | Resurreccion, Bernadette P; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Shivakoti, Ganesh P;Doneys, Philippe; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | International Development Research Center Canada; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2007 |