Societies in conflict : the education of young female Hazara Afghan refugees in Quetta, Pakistan : factors influencing access to basic education

Abstract

This study explores how societal conflict affects the basic education of young female Hazara Afghan refugees in Quetta, Pakistan. The thesis focuses on one particular Afghan ethnic group; the Hazaras; and aims to both (1) map the general attitudes among Hazara refugees towards young female education as well as to (2) explore the factors influencing Hazara girls from accessing basic education. The first research question is studied from a micro-level, whilst a macro-level approach is utilised in the second. In this sense, the study explores both the personal attitudes of the Hazara refugees as well as their reconstruction of the society they live in. My research design was therefore a necessarily qualitative one. Forty-seven interviews were conducted during fieldwork; most with individuals belonging to the Hazara refugee community, whilst a small number were conducted with politicians and other stakeholders. I present and analyse the findings from these interviews with reference to the literature surrounding the concepts of socialisation, gender and identity. The findings in this study suggest that the common belief that Afghan girls are restricted from attending school due to religion and male oppression is somewhat reductive. Rather, a number of other factors are seen to be important, including the economy and security. Religion and the oppression of women proved to have less influence than expected.