Women In Conflict: Tracing The Impact Of Violence And Militarization In Kashmir
July 21, 2021
As William Faulkner said while referring to the people of Kashmir “the past is never dead. It’s not even past”. The conflict prone region of Kashmir remains a battleground even for the ordinary citizens. People’s vulnerabilities and feelings of suspicion and hostility has lead to many damages to the youth of the region.
In such circumstances, women have come out to be the worst sufferers of any conflict that occurs in the zone. Not only these conflict cause fear of abduction and sexual abuse in the minds of Kashmiri women but also limits their socio-economic development as a whole. They play a major role in a conflict, as a perpetrator as well as a victim. When we evaluate the current status of women in Kashmir, their position in politics, society and economy becomes some of the important and major parameters.
In politics, women have never received their due share and the privilege of being politically engaged is limited to men and the upper class women of the society. When it comes to economic advancement, women haven’t made any major strides, since unemployment is a serious issue in Kashmir. Another reason for this is the prevalence of traditional roles of women in the Kashmiri society. Women in Kashmir faces many crimes ranging from domestic violence to rape. This not only affect them physically but also psychologically. Other than the conflict induced vulnerabilities, women also faces several social odds at home. Although with time, situation have become better, as manifested with numerous policies that government launched for elevating women’s status in the society. Unfortunately, the quality and pace of policy implementation is inadequate to bring the necessary change in the conditions of women.
That is why a comprehensive policy for the women of Kashmir becomes the need of the hour. The paper therefore attempts to evaluate the history of women in Kashmir with the limited literature available to do so. It also evaluates the current, political, social and economic conditions of women in Kashmir. Women and conflict are inseparable in Kashmir and thus the paper also elaborates briefly on the impact of violence and militarization on women. In order to deal with the issue of women development in Kashmir, some major changes have to be made in the policies. The most awaited solution to the problem would be to solve the much awaited issue of exclusion of the Kashmiri population. Kashmir continues to be a burning issue and the ordinary and innocent women of Kashmir has been the worst affected. A solution must be in line with the wishes of the people of Kashmir, especially women.
