Effects of Socio-Economic Status of Working Women in Transforming Social Values

Abstract

In recent times, a considerable surge in women’s empowerment through increase in their socio-economic status has been observed, which has implications for transforming the social values at large. In this backdrop, the present study aims to investigate how differences in their socio-economic status, as measured by the household income and education levels of working women, has contributed to and in evolving these changing social values. To carry out this research study, a primary survey was conducted in the urban areas of Lahore, Pakistan and collected data on three hundred and six working-women. By employing multinomial logit model, the findings of the study confirm that the socio-economic status of working-women plays a significant role in determining and changing existing societal values. In this context, we find that women’s empowerment as a result of being educated and earning income leads not only to them exercising higher bargaining power in household decision-making but also increases their active participation in public life but this happens mainly for those who belong to the higher income groups unlike those who are in a lower income class.