A woman shows her ink marked finger after voting during the first phase of Assembly elections in Srinagar on September 18, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Imran Nissar
As Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) enters the second phase of the Assembly elections on September 25, the persistent marginalisation of women in the political sphere demands critical scrutiny.
Despite women comprising almost 48% of the electorate in the Union Territory, their political representation has remained poor. In the 2014 J&K Assembly elections, only 3.6% of the total candidates were women. In the 2024 elections, there were only nine women out of the 219 candidates in the first phase. The political landscape is deeply rooted in J&K’s patriarchal social structure that views public and political life as male-dominated. Further, political instability and concerns about safety in a volatile atmosphere have kept women at the margins.
While there have been legal and advocacy efforts in expanding the representation of women, such as granting 33% reservation to women in the J&K Assembly, they often fall short in addressing the deep-seated cultural and institutional barriers that limit women’s political engagement. The two main political parties in the region — the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party — have historically sidelined women. Even female leaders, including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, have failed to effect the needed transformation, as they often conform to the male-dominated political structures themselves.
When women are fielded as candidates, it is often in constituencies considered unwinnable or in token positions within party structures. In the 2020 District Development Council elections, though 33% of the seats were reserved for women, actual representation barely crossed 10%.
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No women-centric policies
Further, there are no dedicated women-centric policies. Neither the major political parties nor the local governance institutions have implemented policies that specifically address the economic, social, and political empowerment of women, such as reserving seats for women in legislative bodies, introducing gender-sensitive economic schemes, or supporting women entrepreneurs in J&K.
While women’s literacy in J&K has improved over time, the gender gap remains significant — 66% of women are literate compared to 84% of men. Additionally, women’s labour force participation is abysmal, hovering around 25%. The absence of gender-responsive budgeting, economic empowerment initiatives, or electoral reforms contribute to the ongoing political exclusion of women.
Elections are a mechanism to ensure that all sections of society are represented, but when half the population is under-represented, the very foundation of democracy is undermined. In J&K, where women’s participation is notably low, the absence of female voices results in policies that fail to comprehensively address gender disparities, further entrenching patriarchal norms. The formulation and implementation of incisive, women-centric policies are imperative for ensuring equitable representation in democratic governance.
Making women’s perspectives integral to peace-building, education, healthcare, and employment will ensure that their voices are heard and encourage political involvement. Providing free childcare, healthcare benefits, and family support policies for female politicians would ease the burden of familial responsibilities, enabling more women to enter and stay in politics. A push for political quotas in J&K, as implemented in post-conflict Rwanda where 60% of parliamentarians today are women, including electoral reforms and capacity-building initiatives for women, could substantially alter the status quo.
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After the dilution of Article 370 in J&K in 2019, the UT came under the scope of Central laws, including the National Policy for Empowerment of Women (2001). There is a strong foundation now to support women in participating more actively in politics. These laws offer a chance to not only boost women’s involvement in decision-making but also to secure their rights and dignity. By focusing on political participation, we can empower women to shape their own futures and create a more inclusive society in J&K.
Our hope is that it will slowly become a norm to see women represented politically in J&K, not an exception.
Bilal Ahmad Wagay teaches Politics at Government Degree College, Beerwah, and Binish Qadri is Assistant Professor, Cluster University Srinagar
Published – September 24, 2024 12:44 am IST
