Uncovering the Preferences of Highly Qualified Women during Spouse Selection from District Skardu – Gilgit Baltistan Pakistan

Selection of a mate to get married is a quite common cultural practice worldwide and the criteria of spouse selection for women are very so often difficult. For the first time in this qualitative study, the preferences of highly qualified women in spouse selection and the influence of background individualities of spouses from Skardu, Gilgit – Baltistan, Pakistan were testified. A total of 15 unmarried but employed women were designated as respondents and data were obtained through purposive sampling from different institutions of Skardu like hospitals, colleges, and banks. An interview guide was used and the obtained data were evaluated thematically. The obtained results were characterized as the top criteria, important criteria, moderately important, and not important criteria for the choice of spouse. Results displayed that majority of women from the area consider higher education level, personal attributes, educational homogamy, financial stability, parental background, and sociability as top criteria before choosing a future spouse. While physical attractiveness and similar cultural/linguistic backgrounds were not deliberated as important measures to accept any proposal. It is therefore concluded that spouse education and some personal attributes are the top preferences of highly qualified women from the Skardu district of Gilgit - Baltistan Pakistan.