How Army-led Initiatives are Promoting Financial Independence and Social Empowerment for Women in Jammu and Kashmir
Syed Aaliya
The Indian Army, during periods of violence in Kashmir, initiated many thoughtful programs to promote skill development. They started various initiatives and women empowerment schemes that not only empowered women but also made them self-reliant and independent, both financially and socially. The role of women in society had been largely eliminated by radical groups during the peak of violence, and the Army not only became a source of hope for them but also provided safety and security.
One such story unfolds in the remote village of Bernate, near the Line of Control in Baramulla district. Here, under the goodwill mission of the Army in the early 2000s, a Women Empowerment Centre or WEC was established. The center was equipped with sewing machines and raw materials provided by the Army. Many women like Nusrat Jan from Baramulla, who in 2021 were confined to household chores, now overrun the centersourced through the Army’s Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative. After training, Nusrat started sewing clothes for her village that could support her children by sending them to school and encouraged other women to do the same and contribute to the economic needs of their families.
So far, more than 40 women in this area have gained from the program, as they have started small-scale enterprises, which is indeed an example of courage and hard work.
A similar story is seen in Machil, Kupwara district, 2016. The Army introduces tailoring programs for women belonging to economically weaker sections. For Nasreen Bhat, training sessions and free sewing machines were the lifeline, todayNasreen stitches school uniforms for earning a steady income while setting ripples of self-reliance among women in the community.The Army launched skill development workshops, focusing on embroidery and Kashmiri handicrafts in Uri in 2020. Among the beneficiaries were local young women, including Sabah. Sabah was equipped with an embroidery kit and templates provided by the Army. She trained and began stitching. With her entrepreneurial spirit, today, she supports her family and employs many other women in her village.
Kupwara emerged as a central place for the traditional weaving programs. Women were made to learn ancient techniques with looms and raw threads to work upon. Besides reviving the dying art forms, these initiatives have also come up with sustainable livelihood. In Bandipora in 2018, there was a digital literacy campaign that made the young girls learn data entry and computer operation. A lot of girls were given computers along with free training that enabled them to get jobs in offices and be eligible for other sectors of employment also.
In addition to the efforts being made by the Army, it is also important to mention here that the Madadgaar Scheme by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has empowered Kashmiri women. The initiative was launched in 2017 and offers a helpline (14411), which is available 24/7 for assistance. The scheme focuses particularly on women and provides a series of support systems that run from medical support to the provision of livelihood, ensuring that the specific needs of women in the region are catered to.
One of the most striking characteristics of the Madadgaar Scheme is its income generation for women. The CRPF has provided sewing machines and equipment to women, which enabled them to run small businesses. This endeavor has helped women like Batool Jan, a young mother from Baramulla, who received a sewing machine and since then set up a tailoring unit and is earning a handsome amount.
This program further assists battered women. They provide lifelines for women in matters of all forms of domestic violence, mental distress, and generalized abuse. Free medical care will reach out to them without any restriction due to monetarist restraints for treatment and medicine for a significant medical problem.
The Madadgaar Scheme has given scholarships to young girls to keep them studying despite financial difficulties, and the scheme encourages health and hygiene, education, and awareness for women on their bodies and wellbeing; this is especially crucial where access to health services is very limited.
The vocational training programs of the Army best describe how much things have changed with time. Earlier, in the 1990s, there was much distrust and mistrust between the Army and the people of Kashmir. Today, the two are working in harmony, as partners. This program has helped women from their closed doors venture into starting businesses, teaching their children, and sharing knowledge within their communities. This journey is far beyond just learning skills or finding jobs because it is building hope, trust, and a shared dream among people for a brighter future.
