Between law and custom: Women, family law and marriage in Pakistan

In this study, women's marriage experiences in Pakistan, specifically their agency and autonomy to enter and terminate their marriages, were examined. Qualitative interviews with 15 women living in a shelter in Pakistan were used to analyze women's rights in marriage as articulated in the law and the manner in which they are experienced in practice. A significant gap between women's de jure rights and de facto exercise of their rights is revealed. Women who transgress narrowly defined boundaries of behavior by exercising their rights encountered violence, family estrangement and stigmatization. Shifting attitudes among women and a desire for greater self-determination regarding their marriages emerged from the narratives. Strengthening the legal framework and rule of law and mass public education regarding legal and human rights in Pakistan are recommended to protect women's rights and elevate the status of women in the family and society.