Women as an agent of peace in Kashmir conflict

The conflict in Kashmir has been a deeply embedded and complex issue that is occurring for several decades, causing widespread misery, violence, and instability in the region.Women in Kashmir are facing persisting misogyny on daily basis. One of the arguments by Indian government while scraping article 370 was that it would lead to gender equality and uplifting women in Muslim majority region. But later on, a politician from Indian political party gave a sexist statement that ‘Indian men can have Kashmiri brides now”. Such misogyny was spread on social media with a popular phrase “How to marry Kashmiri women?” on google. This way the women in Indian Occupied Kashmir are exoticized and objectified by developing a sense of fear and intimidation among them. Another issue that demands consideration is the government disbanded Women’s Commission Cell in Srinagar. The Women’s Commission Cell along with the 6 other commissions including those dealing with the human rights, rights to information (RTI) were disbanded overnight leaving behind many cases unattended. By abolishing this cell, many women who were in a hope for justice are left neglected and abandoned now. These factors demoralize and rise trauma representing them as victims. Women in Kashmir have been facing many challenges. They have been challenging the traditional gender roles and societal pressure. The current mindset among women must be transformed; they should assert themselves to safeguard their moral principles and rights. They have demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of adversity. The conflict has imposed tremendous challenges on their lives, from dealing with the loss of family members to grappling with the impact ofdisplacement. Despite these hardships, Kashmiri women have shown an unwavering spirit, advocating for their families, communities, and their right to live in peace.

The brave sight of Kashmiri women like Parveena Ahangar, Asia Andrabi , Naseema Bano, Naheeda Nasreen and many other Kashmiri women plays pivotal roles as caregivers, educators, and community organizers. This positions them strategically to influence grassroots movements for peace. By organizing discussions, workshops, and initiatives aimed at reconciliation, these women can create safe spaces for dialogue and collaboration, nurturing an environment conducive to peacebuilding.PARVEENA AHANGAR – The Iron Lady of Kashmir is the chairperson of the “Association of Parents of Disappeared People (APDP)” working for the search of disappeared people in Jammu and Kashmir. Ahangar was a 30 years young woman when her son was disappeared from his cousin house while he was studying. In order to find him she knocked the doors of politicians, administrators and other influential bodies but it was all in vain. The struggle to find her missing son led her meeting so many other individuals like her who were looking for their lost kin. She said “When a person is martyred or killed at least we see the body, touch it and there is an emotional end that the person is no more. But when a person disappears it is very hard to live with the longing. The thoughts pierce your heart every day. You keep thinking what happened to him, is he alive? And these all thoughts are unending,” She won the Rafto Prize for Human Rights in 2017 for her “protests against enforced disappearances” and for demanding justice for victims of violence in Jammu and Kashmir. She was named as one of the BBC 100 Women, a list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2019.Keeping in view the Association of Parents of Disappeared People (APDP) are led by these women often mothers, wives, daughters, sister who have transformed their grief into a powerful force for accountability. Through their active role they are raising voice for the ones who have chosen the path of silence being frightened. But these Kashmiri women are challenging the silence surrounding enforced disappearances and advocate for justice through their agency. Other than this, women in Kashmir have initiated the process of dialogue among their communities. They now know the power of these initiatives as through this they have changed the narrative of silence and marginalization, asserting their agency to shape the discourse around the conflict. It has become clear that women in Kashmir are active peacemakers rather than passive victims. Women in Kashmir who have lost family members in the conflict regularly experience economic struggle and social disgrace. Despite these difficulties, some widows have formed collectives to help one another and engage in revenue-generating resources. By strengthening their resources and standing up for their rights, these women show that they have the power to overcome obstacles, question social conventions, and fight toward lasting peace. Women have demonstrated their potential to contribute to peace, but their efforts are usually hindered by gender discrimination, lack of resources and prohibition from decision making processes. Recognizing and overcoming these barriers is critical for maximizing the good influence of women as peacemakers. In a society where men have more power and control, some women like Huriyah stand up against this. For instance, she protests by creating artwork on a wall around a government building in Srinagar. This wall often gets painted with protest art and slogans about independence, similar to the artist Bansky. Even though the authorities keep painting over the graffiti, Huriyah comes back with stencils and spray paint to make new designs. One of the words she paints is “Azadi,” which means “freedom” in the Kashmiri language. While activists like Huriyah are protesting against the way India rules over Kashmir and the heavy military presence there, they are also challenging the traditional ideas about what women should do at home. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, emphasize the significance of women’s engagement in peace and security activities. Their contributions have illuminated the path to a more inclusive and stable Kashmir, reminding us that sustainable peace requires the active participation and leadership of women at every level of society.

Aneeqa Aamir is perusing Bachelors of IR fromInternational Islamic University, Islamabad and currently she is intern at Kashmir Institute of International Relations.