Description
Relevant literature suggests that mothers’ play a crucial role in expanding their daughters’ educational opportunities in Pakistan, a country which continues to strive for gender equality in education. However, little is known about how mothers navigate their influence in an environment of deep-rooted structural patriarchy. This paper shows evidence from a rural neighbourhood in Pakistan to highlight the strategies that mothers adopt in conditions of historic gender disadvantage. It is argued in this paper that in these conditions, agency emerges in the shape of a strategic use of silences. Using silences in this way aligns with Parpart and Prashar’s (2019) articulation of ‘silences’ as power. This paper seeks to answer the research question: how do mothers navigate their agency to support their daughters’ education in conditions of deep-rooted patriarchy? I draw on the theoretical perspective of capabilities, which supports the exploration of mothers’ freedom to exercise their agency and achieve their goals. The data for this paper was collected through qualitative interviews with 30 mothers and their family members. Through narrative analysis of mothers’ stories and an active ‘listening’ technique, I find that mothers exercise their agency by using silences and voice strategically to support their daughters’ education. In doing this, they sometimes transform their lives securing a better future for their daughters.
