SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DETERMINANTS OF DIVORCE IN RURAL PUNJAB: A CASE STUDY OF DISTRICT VEHDARI

Abstract

This research paper presents a sociological investigation of the socio-economic and cultural determinants of divorce in District Vehari, Punjab, Pakistan. Divorce rates have been increasing significantly in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab province, with Vehari emerging as one of the districts with the highest prevalence of marital dissolution. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from 100 respondents (47 male, 53 female) through structured questionnaires. The study identifies financial problems (73% agreement), unemployment of spouse (62%), economic pressure from extended family (63%), and dowry-related issues (54%) as major socio-economic causes. Cultural and interpersonal factors including lack of mutual understanding (75%), poor communication (77%), interference of in-laws (70%), domestic violence (65%), and early/forced marriage (59%) were also significant contributors. Chi-square tests confirmed statistically significant associations between economic stress and divorce (χ²=47.36, p=0.001), communication failure and marital breakdown (χ²=53.12, p=0.000), and divorce with reduced economic/social security (χ²=44.79, p=0.002). The findings reveal that divorce in Vehari is not merely an interpersonal failure but a structural consequence of overlapping socio-economic precarity, cultural collectivism, and transitional gender relations. The study recommends pre-marital counseling, vocational training for divorcees, child welfare systems, and legal awareness reforms to address the rising divorce rates in rural Punjab.

Keywords: Divorce, Socio-economic determinants, Cultural factors, Rural Punjab, District Vehari, Khula, Marital dissolution, Pakistan