Effects of Benazir Income Support Programme on Women Household Decision-Making in Rural Areas of District Peshawar

Abstract

The present study was conducted during 2025 in the rural area of District Peshawar to investigate the effects of the BISP on women's decision-making in the study area. The descriptive results indicate that the respondents have allocated the funds to various items, including food, clothing, housing, healthcare, and children's education, which have enhanced the respondents' decision making in household matters within the study area. Simple logistic regression reveals that the coefficient value for the age of beneficiaries is 0.031, corresponding to an odds ratio of 1.032. If the age of the respondent increases by one unit, then a 3.1 per cent increase will occur in the odds ratio of the household. The family size effect on the decision-making coefficient value is 0.171, and the odds ratio value is 1.86. If one unit increase occurs in family size, then a 17.1 per cent increase will occur in the odds ratio of the household. The coefficient of Children's status for the respondents is 1.862, and the odds ratio value is 6.437. If there is a one-unit increase in the children's education status, then a 186.2 per cent increase will occur in the odds ratio of the household. The house expenditure improvement coefficient value is 1.402, and the odd ratio is 4.062. If one unit of household expenditure is increased, then a 140.2 per cent improvement will occur in the odd ratio of the respondents. The health expenditure coefficient value is 1.477, and the odd ratio is 4.381. If one unit of health expenditure is improved through the BISP fund, then a 147.7 per cent increase will occur in the odd ratio of the respondents. The clothes expenditure coefficient value is 1.558, and the odd ratio is 4.750. If one unit of clothes expenditure increases, then a 155.8 per cent increase will occur in the bizarre ratio of the household. All odd ratio shows the decision making power of the women which affected by different factors in the study area. Based on the problems identified, the study recommends that to increase the funds of BISP in the future, funds should be provided promptly to respondents, and honest staff should be recruited in the study area.