Bartered Bodies, Silenced Voices: Gendered Ownership and Control in South Waziristan’s Tribal Traditions

Abstract

This article offers a comprehensive and thorough feminist ethnography on institutionalized patriarchal constructs that govern the lives of women in South Waziristan, the former Pakistan territory belonging to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region. By employing an integrated approach to current and historical contexts, together with legal constructs, our study seeks to better understand through critical investigation the Pashtunwali code and the subsequent influence of male-dominated jirga constructs, which ultimately transform women into commodified products to broker tribal conflict resolution and maintain masculine honor. The study will detail an investigation of swara marriage and inheritance rights as essential constructs governing the role of women in the region, despite the current illegality of these practices. The research methodology will incorporate a multi-faceted approach to better understand and investigate these constructs. This study will require the undertaking of 25 interviews using a semi-structured approach, accompanied by three months of comprehensive and intensive participant observation in Wana and rural surrounding villages, and a critical investigation of relevant legal documents and male-dominated jirga constructs from 2005 to 2024. This study will then aim to address four essential research questions, yielding significant findings. However, we also highlight the rise of resistance movements, especially among young, educated women who use technology to cautiously defy traditional limitations. As we conclude this article, we present culturally sensitive policy recommendations that advocate for harmonious interventions, including the enforcement of strong legal frameworks, education among tribal communities, changing traditional justice systems, and incorporating technology into tribal communities to uplift tribal women.