Cultural heritage tourism and social inclusion among Afghan refugee women in Pakistan

Cultural heritage tourism has increasing importance for achieving inclusive and sustainable development by preserving intangible cultural heritage while promoting gender equality and community participation. However, Afghan refugee women in Pakistan remain underrepresented in heritage tourism despite their central role in maintaining cultural traditions. This study examines Afghan refugee women's engagement in cultural heritage practices, perceived barriers to tourism participation, and recognition within heritage tourism, contributing to discussions related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5, 8, and 11. A cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted among 250 Afghan refugee women residing in Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and Quetta, Pakistan. Data were collected over a January 2025 to December, using structured questionnaires that assessed cultural heritage practices, tourism awareness, perceived barriers, and recognition in tourism spaces. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Pearson correlation analyses were performed using SPSS Version 27. Open-ended responses were used to provide contextual interpretation of the quantitative findings. Afghan refugee women reported moderate engagement in traditional crafts (M = 3.12), culinary heritage (M = 3.22), and knowledge sharing (M = 3.28), but low participation in tourism activities (M = 2.10). Gender norms (M = 4.20), family restrictions (M = 3.85), and mobility limitations (M = 3.60) were the principal barriers to participation (all p < 0.05). Recognition within tourism remained limited, with low mean scores for recognition by tourists (M = 2.25) and inclusion in tourism programmes (M = 2.40). Positive correlations were observed between tourism participation and recognition by tourists ( r = 0.35, p < 0.05), representation in heritage sites ( r = 0.38, p < 0.05), and interest in tourism ( r = 0.40, p < 0.05). Afghan refugee women play an essential role in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage but continue to face significant structural and sociocultural barriers that restrict their participation in heritage tourism. Strengthening women's recognition, improving access to heritage-based tourism opportunities, and reducing gender-related constraints can contribute to more inclusive cultural heritage management and support progress toward SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). The findings provide empirical evidence to inform gender-sensitive heritage tourism policies and sustainable development strategies for refugee-hosting communities.