Priorities

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: EMPOWERING VOICES IN KASHMIR

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: EMPOWERING VOICES IN KASHMIR

by Shabnam Hashmi January 31 2025, 12:00 am Estimated Reading Time: 7 mins, 9 secs

Empowering Kashmiri women through education, skill training, and One Billion Rising, Anhad’s community-driven movement promotes gender equality and social change in remote villages, igniting hope for the future. Shabnam Hashmi writes…

Anhad’s One Billion Rising event in Khumriyal, Kashmir, marked a transformative step in women’s empowerment, education, and gender equality. Through skill training, cultural programs, and discussions on constitutional rights, the initiative encouraged Kashmiri women to challenge societal norms. The event honoured trailblazing women from India's Constituent Assembly, inspiring young girls to pursue education and independence. Anhad’s 24x7 library in Kupwara, alongside initiatives in embroidery, knitting, and football coaching, provides critical resources for underprivileged communities. By integrating global movements like V-Day and OBR India, Anhad continues its mission of nudging social change in rural Kashmir, promoting women’s rights, economic self-sufficiency, and grassroots activism. 

The Journey Begins: Connecting with V-Day and Eve Ensler

It was probably 2001 when I first met Sally Fisher. She was on the founding committee of V-Day and was meeting local activists about the possibility of organizing V-Day in India. She introduced me to Eve Ensler, the visionary behind the movement. After several meetings, Sally mentioned that she was looking for a South Asia coordinator for the V-Day movement and asked me to take on the responsibility. I agreed and coordinated the movement for three years.

After 2003, when we formed Anhad, my responsibilities increased, making it impossible to continue as the South Asia coordinator for V-Day. I stepped down in 2004 but remained associated with its work. Over time, V-Day evolved into One Billion Rising (OBR) in 2012, expanding its reach and impact globally.

Since 2001, I have met Eve Ensler several times, with our first meeting occurring at Madison Square Garden during a massive V-Day event featuring Hollywood celebrities. Meanwhile, I organized numerous events under Anhad’s platform, spanning locations such as Delhi, Gujarat, and Kashmir. One particularly memorable event took place on January 26 in Khumriyal, a small village in the Kupwara district of Kashmir.

I have not written much over the years due to my commitments, but the impact of this event compelled me to put my thoughts into words.

The Role of Anhad in Khumriyal: A Community Resource Centre

Anhad has been running a community resource centre in Khumriyal for the past two years, offering a safe and educational space for women, young students, and children. Every day, around 125 individuals come to the centre to learn computers, engage in creative activities, pursue tailoring and cutting courses, or prepare for various examinations in the library. Additionally, 15-20 girls participate in football coaching.

Beyond Khumriyal, Anhad supports women and young girls in three nearby villages engaged in crewel embroidery, producing beautiful handcrafted products. In three other villages, women are learning to knit sweaters on knitting machines. The organization also facilitates interactions in 15 additional villages, educating women on health, hygiene, mental health, and gender equality.

Anhad runs the only 24x7 library in Kupwara, where students study until the early hours of the morning. The facility provides mattresses and blankets for students needing rest, and the kitchen remains open all night for tea and coffee. During my visits every second month for a week or ten days, my final cup of tea is often around 2 AM before retiring for the night.

The advantage of a resource centre like this is that those staying and working late engage in some of the most creative and meaningful interactions. Conversations that emerge in such moments often lead to powerful ideas and initiatives.

One Billion Rising in Khumriyal: Celebrating Constitutional Courage

We decided to organize a One Billion Rising (OBR) event in Khumriyal on Republic Day in collaboration with OBR India. One Billion Rising is a global campaign that began in 2012, calling for action to end violence against women and girls. Through dance, collective action, and solidarity, the movement has mobilized millions worldwide. As it continues to grow and evolve, OBR remains a critical force in the fight for gender equality.

A few months ago, Tanu Dogra sent me The Fifteen: The Lives and Times of the Women in India’s Constituent Assembly by Angellica Aribam and Akash Satyawali. This book chronicles the extraordinary lives of trailblazing women who played a pivotal role in shaping India's history. By sharing their stories, we wanted to honour their legacies and inspire young girls with their courage.

The book was couriered to our centre, where young teachers and activists—Ishfaq Mir, Shahid Bhatt, Kulsooma, and Raouf Sheikh—guided the students in selecting the women they would represent.

The event, titled "Celebrating Constitutional Courage: United We Rise for Women Empowerment," commenced with a flag-hoisting ceremony led by Arefa Begum, former Sarpanch, and social activist Azad Naqshbandi, in the presence of villagers, staff, and students from Khumriyal.

The program also featured "Women Who Inspire: A Tribute to Indian Women," an exhibition first presented in Kittur in February 2024. The exhibition highlighted the contributions of revolutionary women in shaping India's history, featuring freedom fighters, poets, singers, and social reformers like Accamma Cherian, Ammu Swaminathan, Aruna Asaf Ali, Savitribai Phule, and Sarojini Naidu, among others.

The cultural segment began with a welcome song performed by children, followed by an address by Abdul Rouf Sheikh, Coordinator of the Anhad Community Resource Centre, detailing the centre’s activities.

Empowering Voices: Performances, Speeches, and Conversations

Young students took the stage to pay tribute to the 15 women from the book, including Leela Roy, Malati Choudhury, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Renuka Ray, Sucheta Kriplani, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, Purnima Banerjee, Ammu Swaminathan, and others. Many of these students were addressing an audience of 300+ for the first time. With encouragement from Shahid Bhatt, our academic coordinator, even the most nervous students found their voices.

The cultural program included a Kashmiri Rouf Dance performed by young girls, a solo dance by Aqsa (not even eight years old), and a Pahadi dance by a group of girls who had initially hesitated due to familial restrictions but ultimately chose to participate. Some opted to perform without masks and with open hair, signalling their personal assertion of choice and freedom. The centre, of course, imposes no restrictions on individual expression.

Bilal, a local dancer, performed a medley of patriotic songs, followed by powerful musical renditions of "Aurten Utthi Nahi to Zulm Badhta Jayega" by Zubaida and "Bekhauf Azad Hai Rehna Mujhe" by Laraib.

What followed was truly transformative.

Majid Mir, a social worker from the Special Cell for Women, Kupwara, spoke about women's constitutional rights and how these rights have yet to translate into reality. He narrated the harrowing story of a woman being pressured to bear a son and questioned the audience about a woman's autonomy over her body. He also raised issues such as lack of access to sanitary napkins and the societal double standards in accepting a son’s choice in marriage while denying a daughter the same right.

For a remote village in Kashmir, having such conversations with both men and women in attendance was a major step forward in the fight for gender equality.

Shujauat Hussain Dar, a healthcare professional, emphasized the importance of skill training beyond traditional tailoring, highlighting fields like general duty assistants, lab technicians, and home nursing attendants. Economic independence, he noted, is a critical factor in achieving gender equality.

Social activist Azad Naqshbandi spoke about the necessity of community resource centres like Anhad. He also highlighted how the centre has transformed lives in 15 villages by facilitating borewell installations, directly linking access to water with women’s liberation.

As a token of appreciation, Anhad Community Resource Centre students presented hand-painted dhaani bags, crafted by Seher, a young woman who has battled mental illness for over a decade.

The event was meant to conclude with a joint singing of "Hum Honge Kamyab," but the audience’s enthusiasm led to an impromptu rendition of "Aa Chal Ke Tujhe Men Le Ke Chaloon."

  

Looking Ahead: Sustaining the Momentum

This is Kashmir—far removed from the narrow narratives often projected. Nowhere else have I witnessed the warmth, hospitality, and kindness that permeate this land.

In the last two days alone, over 50 people from the village and nearby shops have asked when we will organize the next program.

Despite our efforts, sustaining this work remains a challenge. While I have met numerous potential supporters, including corporates, Anhad has survived for ten years solely on personal donations.

There is a churning taking place in the hearts and minds of women and men here. The question is: Can we sustain this work? 



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Shabnam Hashmi


Shabnam Hashmi is a social activist, a rebel, a fearless fighter and a human rights defender. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize as part of the 1000 women from across the world in 2005. She was awarded National Minority Rights Award 2008 by the National Minority Commission and Women of the Decade Award by Women Economic Forum in 2022.


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