How Women Are Redefining Leadership In Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir is undergoing a major transformation as women take on key roles that drive the economy, society, and governance.

The 'other half' leads initiatives in rural livelihoods, startups, local councils, healthcare, education, and peacebuilding.

Communities witness the results of women who use creativity, leadership, and proactiveness to turn ideas into real impact.

Rural women are especially redefining economic participation.

Previously, the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission, Umeed, had introduced the Self-Help Group model to give women access to banking and credit. By 2025, the program reached 66 percent of rural households across 125 blocks, supporting around nine lakh families.

SHG-Bank Linkage programs increased average income by ₹1,272.719 per member and transformed household activities into structured business ventures.

International Women's Day 2025 marked a historic moment as banks approved ₹100 crore in loans for SHGs in a single day.

This milestone highlights confidence in women's ability to manage credit and grow enterprises.

Someone like Shabnam turned her embroidered shawl work into a thriving local business in Kupwara, while Jyoti used pooled savings to launch a retail and beauty venture in Mathwar that now provides jobs for other women.

These initiatives demonstrate how everyday skills evolve into micro-enterprises with growth potential.

Education and innovation fuel new opportunities. Registered startups in Jammu and Kashmir grew from 237 in 2020 to 917 in 2024, with 36 percent led by women.

These ventures mix tradition with modern business, spanning handicrafts, cuisine, and digital services.

During communication blockades after 2019, women-led startups sustained production, trained local girls, and maintained market connections, showing determination and creative problem-solving.

Agriculture illustrates women-led modernization and methodologies.

A young entrepreneur in Balhama scaled her family's beekeeping under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme. A ₹1.2 lakh subsidy expanded operations from 35 to 650 bee colonies, producing 5,500 kilograms of honey per season and generating nearly ₹2 lakh monthly.

This example shows how traditional livelihoods can grow into sustainable and profitable businesses.

Political participation of women has also grown alongside economic initiatives.

The three-tier Panchayati Raj system reserves 33 percent of seats for women, opening leadership at ward, block, and district levels. Proxy representation has given way to active engagement.

By 2024, women held 45.61 percent of Panchayati Raj Institution seats nationally, including in Jammu and Kashmir.

Female leaders prioritize sanitation, healthcare, education, and water supply, improving services that touch daily life.

Women also turn personal experiences into civic action. Widows, who lost their husbands due to situation, fight administrative processes and organize advocacy to seek accountability. Craft and art collaborations further fuel economic opportunities and foster community bonds, demonstrating how private stories evolve into public initiatives.

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