From the Margins to the Mainstream: The Quiet Revolution of Kashmiri Women

Anzar Fayaz

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The young Kashmiri mothers today watch their daughters grow up and prepare themselves to take on challenges and contribute to society in general and their own houses in particular.

While the Kashmir issue has been a subject of debate for years, another, no less significant transformation has been steadily taking place. The status and position of women in society has witnessed a paradigm shift. Women from all walks of life are increasingly being seen in places where their presence was unheard of just a few years ago.

 

Education Is the First Step

Perhaps the credit for this development goes to the tremendous efforts made to impart education to the masses and make it accessible to everyone, regardless of gender. Scholarships, workshops, and sensitization camps have been conducted to encourage girls to gain knowledge and empower themselves. The fruits of these efforts are visible today as girls turn up as top scorers, take up challenging and previously male-dominated professions, and pursue higher studies. Education has indeed become the harbinger of change and laid the foundation for all subsequent developments.

 

Women Are Becoming Financially Independent

Educated and empowered, women are in the process of achieving financial independence. Enhanced levels of awareness have prompted them to widen their horizons and look beyond the home. Statistics bear testimony that tremendous strides have been made in this regard . As many as 170,000 plus women owned Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have been registered in the Union Territory UT of Jammu and Kashmir since 2020. More than 30 percent startups registered with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DPIIT) Government of India in 2024 were owned by women.

The homebound domestic help is gradually transitioning to a businesswoman. Skill development training programs have played a crucial role in facilitating this change and enabling women to set up their own ventures. Nusrat Jan of Hiller Shahabad in Anantnag district, who turned into a beekeeper, is just one inspiring example among thousands of other women entrepreneurs.

 

Sport and Social Reforms Are Additional Boosters

The participation of women in sports has been another positive change in this regard. Girls have increasingly begun to participate in adventure sports and are challenging themselves in coed competitions. This has helped shun the notions of male chauvinism and gender discrimination in the UT to a great extent. Kashmiri Valley girls are being spotted on the ski tracks in Gulmarg and on the cricket fields in Srinagar and are beating the odds at every level. Such sporting activities have also helped them come out of their shells and imbibe a spirit of adventure. The social reforms that have taken place are reflected in their willingness to be part of the larger community and take up jobs outside their home towns and villages.

 

Women Are Becoming More Empowered Politically

Perhaps, the most heartening aspect of this transformation has been the tremendous push given to women’s political empowerment. While women were hitherto hesitant to take up political positions due to various social and political reasons, the situation has changed dramatically. The credit for this development goes to the numerous voluntary organizations and social workers who have played a catalytic role in motivating women to take up leadership roles.

Today a number of women parliamentarians and members of legislative assemblies from Jammu and Kashmir are being seen as strong political leaders, not afraid to take on challenging issues like gender discrimination. These women leaders are also vocal about their opinions on matters pertaining specifically to womenfolk and advocate strongly for policy interventions to overcome prevailing challenges.

 

Women Are Becoming Influencers at the Grassroots Level

Women panchayat members and volunteers are being seen as opinion-makers at the grassroots level and are voicing their views on development related issues in their respective constituencies. At the policy level, matters relating to roads, education, and healthcare in their areas are being pushed for by them.

 

Role Models Matter

Women like Dr. Syeda Sadaf Ali, who work tirelessly for the uplift of the community, have inspired a host of young girls to follow in their footsteps and take up government and private jobs, as well as make careers in sports and other fields.

The Way Ahead 

It is however unfortunate that despite their overall empowerment women face numerous challenges when it comes to securing jobs according to their educational qualifications. There are also stark disparities between urban and rural areas in this respect, with the latter lagging far behind. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the situation is headed in the right direction and the developments so far are truly momentous. The empowerment of women in Jammu and Kashmir has been facilitated by a host of factors, from education to financial independence and from adventure sports to social reforms as well as political empowerment. These have had a multiplier effect and paved the way for a new beginning.

The young Kashmiri mothers today watch their daughters grow up and prepare themselves to take on challenges and contribute to society in general and their own houses in particular.

Author can be mailed at  anzarfayaz114@gmail.com