Violence against women has been acknowledged both nationally and internationally as a violation of women's basic human rights, an issue which weakens the overall development of women globally. India enacted the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act in 2005 in order to address the issue of domestic violence. This work examines the impact of the law and women's education and economic status on reported cases of dowry deaths and cruelty by husband and his relatives in 28 states of India between the years 2001 to 2016. My study hypothesizes that the states' female literacy rate and female workforce participation are negatively associated with the rate of reported cases of dowry deaths and cruelty by husband and his relatives. This study supports the ameliorative hypothesis that higher literacy rates and advanced economic and political status help reduce the victimization of women. Also, variations are seen among the 28 states for the cases of reported dowry death rates and cruelty by husband and his relatives' rates, suggesting that rates of dowry death are significantly higher in the eastern region and rates of cruelty by husband and his relatives are significantly higher in the south and the west (compared to the north). / Master of Science / Domestic violence is a global issue. It can be understood as arising from patriarchal values and gendered norms which relegate women to a subordinate position to men. India is the world’s largest democracy, and India is a place where crimes against women are highly prevalent. India enacted the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act in 2005 in order to address the issue of domestic violence. This study examines the impact of the Act after 14 years of its passage. Domestic violence takes different forms ranging from physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological violence. This study focuses on two forms of domestic violence: dowry deaths and cruelty by husband and his relatives against the wife. It focuses on the analysis of reported cases of the two crimes. In this study, data from various Indian governmental websites have been collected and analyzed to demonstrate rates of domestic violence for all the states of India. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of women’s status—operationalized as female literacy rate and female workforce participation—on the number of reported cases of domestic violence in Indian society from 2001 to 2016. This study supports the ameliorative hypothesis, which argues that places in which women have higher status report lower rates of victimization.

Background: Despite the contraceptive prevalence of 67.4% in Morocco, one woman out of 10 has unmet need for birth spacing or limiting and, only one woman out of two is using modern contraception. Although, Moroccan national family program [FP] was launched in the sixties and aimed to increase use of FP among married Moroccan women; the program is still facing some limits to improve couple’s contraceptive care. This paper examines to what extent women’s status, husband’s FP approval and mass media positive exposure to FP messages translate into increased modern contraceptive uptake. This study uses the socio ecological framework to assess factors that influence FP use among married women in Morocco. In this model factors from individual, interpersonal and programmatic levels were identified based on a review of the literature as having an effect on contraception use. Objectives: The main objectives of this study are to: (1) explore the effect of women’s status including their education, their occupation and, their FP decision making on women’s desire for more children, (2) examine if husbands’ FP approval impacts women’s fertility desire, (3) assess how positive mass media FP messages ‘exposure influences women’s desire for children, (4) explore the effect of women’s fertility desire on women’s FP approval and,(5) assess if women’s FP approval increases modern contraception adoption. Methods: This analysis is based on secondary data from the 2004 Demographic Health Survey and, 2011 Morocco National Survey on Population and Family Health which were conducted among married women aged between 15 and 49 years old. Data were collected using a two-stage sampling scheme and the study population was 8,106 women in 2004 and 9,317 women in 2011. Path analysis, using series of multiple regression modeling analyses, was conducted to investigate the relationship between women’s desire for more children and predictors related to women’s status, husbands’ FP approval and, women’s exposure to FP messages via mass media. Full models were fitted to test the relationships between women’s desire for more children and women’s FP approval; women’s approval of FP and modern contraception use. Results: Descriptive analysis between 2004 data and 2011 data analysis showed similar results for women’s and husbands’ predictors. Women in 2011 who used modern contraception were mostly aged more than 35 years old (51%), lived in urban areas (56%), mostly rich (40.3%), educated (46%), with no occupation (89%), did not decide FP use alone (73.3%), whose husbands discussed FP with them (62%) and, approved contraceptive use (98%). Positive exposures to FP messages on mass media were measured only in 2004 data and showed that among women who adopted modern contraception, only 2.9% read FP messages in newspapers, 12.6% heard them in the radio and 25.5% heard them on television. Path analyses showed some differences between 2004 data and 2011data. In 2011 data educated women were 1.42 (O.R. = 1.42, C.I. 1.26–1.6) more likely to desire more children than those with no education. Women with occupation were 1.25 (O.R. = 1.25, C.I. 1.01–1.47) times more likely to desire children than those with no occupation. However, women’s education and women’s occupation factors were not related to women’s fertility desire in 2004 data. Husbands’ FP approval was not significantly associated to women’s fertility desire in both 2004 and 2011 data analyses. Mass media exposure to FP messages was examined only in 2004 and showed no significant association with women’s fertility desire. Similar results were observed between 2004 data and 2011 data and showed that women who decided for FP were 0.75 (O.R. = 0.75, C.I. 1.01–1.47) times less likely to desire more children than those who were not FP decision makers. Moreover, in 2004 women who decided for FP were 2, 32 times more likely to use modern contraception than women who were not FP decision makers [O.R. 2, 31 (CI 1.79-3.01)]. In 2011 data analysis, women who approved FP were 5.72 (O.R. = 5.72, C.I. 3.06–10.7) more likely to use modern contraception than those who did not approve FP. Furthermore, women whose husbands approved FP were 2.55 times more likely to adopt modern contraception (O.R. = 2.55, CI 1.845-3.513). Conclusions: This study results indicated women’s and, husband’s factors affecting women’s fertility desire and women’s contraceptive use. The factors effects varied between 2004 data and 2011 data. In 2011 data women’s education, women’s occupation, women’s FP decision making and, husbands’ FP discussion variables, had a significant effect on women’s fertility desire. However, in 2004 data only husband’s FP discussion had a positive effect on women’s fertility desire which had a positive effect on women’s FP approval. Women’s exposure to mass media FP messages did not have a significant effect on both women’s fertility desire and women’s contraceptive outcomes. Husbands’ FP approval and husbands’ FP discussion with their wives were highly predictive for women’s contraceptive use and remained essential factors for which Moroccan health policy makers should take into consideration in order to reduce unmet needs and improve couple’s contraceptive care in Morocco. / acase@tulane.edu

<p>One of the focuses of John Howard Yoder's theology is Christian nonviolence. From the teaching and example of Jesus, who dealt with the evil in the world and defeated it through obedience to the will of God to the point of dying on the cross, Yoder derives the normative Christian stance of nonviolence. It is expressed in the life of the disciples in their suffering with Christ the hostility of the world as bearers of the kingdom cause and in their living out the suffering servanthood in place of dominion. For Yoder, subordination is how Christ's model of servanthood is carried out into the concreteness of family life, and it is most extensively explored in his essay, "Revolutionary Subordination," in The Politics of Jesus.</p><p>This dissertation is an attempt to read household codes in the New Testament, especially Col. 3:18-4:1, together with Yoder, with a special emphasis on the husband/wife relation. Due to an exceptionally controversial character of Yoder's essay, it seeks to understand his main points, while identifying the elements that have caused strong opposition. The fact that these Haustafel texts have been historically abused to legitimate oppression and exploitation of persons poses a warning in one's endeavor to interpret them. Particularly telling is Americans' experience around slavery during and after the Civil War. The conflicting interpretations of the Bible between the proslavery camp and the abolitionists leave us in a hard place in addressing the issue of women's status in the household and in society.</p><p>Through examining key debates on the Haustafeln in the biblical scholarship focused on James Crouch and David Balch; two alternative views on the subject in theological ethics - Yoder and Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza - and further discussions of their views aided by theologians such as Gordon Kaufman, Alasdair MacIntyre, and Jeffrey Stout, this study addresses issues found in Yoder and Schüssler Fiorenza. It concludes that Yoder's undue reliance on David Schroeder and his refutation of Martin Dibelius have led him to overlook the preexisting schema that was adopted and Christianized by the early church, and that he fails to name patriarchy a sin. Schüssler Fiorenza's problems are found in the areas of the biblical canon, tradition and democracy. The relevance of the slavery debates to this study is revisited through discussions of Mark Knoll and Dale Martin, and Yoder's nonviolent kingdom ethic is compared to Paul Ramsey's just war theory and backed up by Rowan Williams, Bernd Wannenwetsch, and Sarah Coakley.</p> / Dissertation

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Women in rural Nepal are heavily involved in management of energy resources particularly biomass, which constitute the main form of rural energy as is the case in most developing countries. Women's most time consuming activities in rural areas of Nepal are cooking, collecting firewood, and processing grain, all of which are directly associated with the rural energy system. Despite women's strategic interests in improved rural energy in Nepal, energy planners (normally male) rarely consider women's roles, needs, and priorities when planning any interventions on rural energy. This study targeted at rural women in the mid hill region of Nepal, has examined the socio-economic implications of alternative energy technologies (AETs) especially in terms of saving women's labor and time and increasing opportunities for them to participate in social and economic activities. The analysis indicates that there is a positive implication of AETs on women's workload especially with access to the micro hydro mills available in the villages. In general, women have been able to save their labor and time in collecting firewood, and milling activities, although this is not always apparent due to women using the saved time for other household chores. However, AETs were rarely used for promoting end use activities (such as, energy based small cottage industries) in order to enhance women's socio-economic status. In addition, AETs had rather limited coverage and were not able to fulfill the energy demands of all rural households. There were also limitations in the adoption of such technologies mainly due to financial, technical, and social problems. For instance, the solar photovoltaic system and biogas plants were still costly for the poorest households even with subsidies. Consequently, socio-economic gaps within small communities widened and became highly visible with access to such technologies. Women's participation was mainly in terms of their involvement in community organizations (COs) and representation in Village Energy Committees (VECs) rather than their active participation in planning and decision-making processes with regard to AETs. Nevertheless, women were actively involved in providing labor in construction work relating to AETs, and creating and mobilizing saving funds as a means to be involved in small income generating activities associated with AETs. This study ultimately suggests a framework for increasing women's participation in rural energy plans and programs at local and national level, and develops policy measures to enable integration of gender into energy planning and policies. This would help to address practical and strategic gender needs in terms of fulfilling basic energy needs managed by women, and providing them with opportunities to be involved in some social and economic activities, which lead towards the self-enhancement of women.

Sierra Leone is in transition to peace and development, from a previous decade long civil war. Educated Muslim women appear to have a great deal of expression, interest and passion to offer the process. The study investigates the new emerging social sub group of professional Muslim women in Sierra Leone society and explores their views and experiences of identifying and attempting to overcome the burdens of patriarchy, oppression and exploitation perpetrated by religious, social and cultural beliefs. The research and thesis consider in what ways these women and their views ‘fit’ in or challenge society and their perceptions of the potential they have as models to impact on the lives of Sierra Leonean Muslim women nationwide. Using feminist influenced research practices in order to focus on the stories and voices of these women, the study contributes to the growth of knowledge related to the emergent changing roles and perceptions of Muslim women in present day Sierra Leone. This qualitative and interdisciplinary research develops a critical focus and deliberately combines literary sources in an informative context, with feminist research methods of interviews and focus groups on issues of gender equality and empowerment. Through the interviews and focus group discussions conducted, the research portrays the perceptions of the emerging social sub group of professional Muslim women, a cross section of grass-root Muslim women and a selection of male Muslims regarding empowerment, knowledge, culture, independence and oppression. These are also illustrated as the ways the participants embrace the concept of feminism and adapt it by drawing on their Sierra Leonean, Islamic, cultural and social traditions. The research examines the various ideologies that stifle the growth of Sierra Leonean Muslim women from their perspective and it analyses the strategies used by the professional women to tackle the oppressive and repressive customs and stand up against patriarchy. It was discovered through the findings that the research gives an insight into the determination and the conviction of professional Muslim women in advocating for social change and in making their voices heard. As an outcome, it is evidenced that this emerging social sub group of Muslim women appear to be inspiring self-development moves and changes not only among the uneducated grass-root majority, but in the fold of their Muslim men-folk, resulting in a visible impact of self development and self empowerment among Sierra Leonean Muslim women.

This dissertation focuses on the living arrangements of multi-generational households among ten biggest immigrant groups in the United States. Specifically, it examines whether the husband's or the wife's older parents were more likely to be present. Co-residence patterns were taken as a proxy that reflected relative decision-making power in the family. A number of factors hypothesized to be associated with the outcome were examined to explore the effect of immigration on gender role ideology and gender relations in the post-1965 immigrant family. More than 102,000 multi-generational households from the 2000 U.S. Census were included in the analyses. Results suggested that while there were positive signs for women's increasing status and relative decision-making power, the influence of original sending culture where immigrants have come from proved to be strong and persistent. Those from more patriarchal sending cultures, represented by India, Korea, and China, were more likely to have the husband's parents co-residing; while those from less patriarchal sending cultures, represented by Jamaica, Cuba, and El Salvador, were more likely to have the wife's parents present in the household. These findings illustrate the complex nature of gender relations in the immigrant family whereby the effect of assimilation is found in some domains, while the influence of sending culture is enduring or even reinforced in other domains. Results of this research contribute to the better understanding of the diversity of changes in gender relations that accompany immigration.

This dissertation focuses on the status of women in Central Asian society, particularly in Kyrgyzstan, and the phenomena of the Kyrgyz family that is the central part of daily living of Kyrgyz people. We provide an introduction to the region, followed by an analysis of a social stratification of Kyrgyz society and a various types of families. The next chapter describes the three major historical periods and changes in women's position in the society. The first period spans up to 1917, its end marked by the Bolshevik coup. Until that time, The Kyrgyz society was nomadic, organized into tribes, clans, and large patriarchal families. The 1920's were tumultuous times for the Central Asian region, at that time newly dominated by the Soviet rule, undergoing industrialization, public education, experiencing improvements in health care, but on the other hand also confiscation, forced resettlement, and russification. New rights have been granted to women, however local patriarchal and feudal traditions persisted and continued in the local societies. After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Kyrgyz people started returning to their national traditions and discrimination against women started to be openly discussed in the society. Our historical retrospective analysis explores the major types of Kyrgyz...