Covid-19, political turmoil double impact on Kashmir's women

Outbreak of the pandemic combined with pre-existing restrictive measures have made matters extremely difficult for women in the region

The history of the Kashmir valley has been vivid with decades of violent conflicts, extremist insurgencies and militarisation. Along with these recurrent conflicts, is the deeply ingrained patriarchal nature of Kashmiri society. Both these characteristics have contributed towards negatively impacting the status of women in Kashmir.

However, given that the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and the measures to contain it come bearing a risk of exacerbating pre-existing inequalities and to some extent deepen them, women in Kashmir are now likely to bear greater stress and disproportionate burden of both the health emergency as well as the widespread political crisis in the region.

For Kashmir’s women, the Covid-19 induced nationwide lockdown came at a time when the valley was already experiencing months of residual restrictions from the abrogation of Article 370, which granted a special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). These restrictions included heavy military deployment with night curfews, communication blackouts, and closure of markets. As a result, the outbreak of the pandemic combined with strengthening of the pre-existing restrictive measures have made matters extremely difficult for the women residing within the region.

Rise in gender-based violence

One of the most unfortunate developments in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic is the rise in gender-based violence against women in Kashmir. Although, gender based crimes such as rape, torture, sexual assault, etc. have been endemic features of Kashmir’s conflict zones as well as the overall socio-political landscape, the upsurge in domestic violence against women in the current Covid-19 scenario is rather alarming.

Owing to the extended lockdown and restrictions on movement — along with the problem of communication blockade — women have now been trapped with their abusers and have limited or no access to mobile clinics, counselling services and platforms to protest. In fact, since the women’s commission was shut down in August 2019, victims of domestic violence no longer have a dedicated avenue working solely for their assistance.

As the per the government’s social welfare department, 16 rape cases and 64 molestations were reported in J&K during the first month of the Covid-19 lockdown, i.e. from 20 March to 29 April, 2020. These statistics, however, have been widely under-reported for two main reasons — either due to the fear of social ostracism or due to the prevailing confusion about how to report the cases of gender-based violence post the closure of the women’s commission.

One possible outcome of escalation in gender-based violence is an increase in the number of unwanted pregnancies. This will have come at a time when Kashmir’s already scarce health resources have all been diverted towards combating the virus, thus, disrupting the provision of adequate prenatal and sexual reproductive services. The overwhelmed healthcare systems and women’s reduced access to medical care could potentially result in rising infant mortality as well as maternal mortality rates.

Toll on mental health

Besides, it is no secret that decades of living in the climate of conflict, crisis and fear has imposed enduring psychological impacts on the women in Kashmir with many of them suffering from depression and constant anxiety of not knowing when their husbands or sons would return, while the others grieving over the loss of their loved ones. According to the Kashmir Mental Health Survey Report 2015, 50 per cent of women suffer from probable depression in comparison to 37 per cent men and 36 per cent of women suffer from anxiety-related disorders in comparison to 21 per cent men.

In this regard, the Covid-19 pandemic has further had a detrimental impact on the mental health of Kashmiri women as it has added yet another layer of fear of being infected with the virus, exacerbated financial insecurity, has locked up women in houses and limited their development opportunities.

Adding to this is the ongoing communication blockade, which makes matters worse as these women, unlike the rest of the world, are neither able to gather information about how to combat the virus nor have they been able to connect with their loved ones in distant places, further causing worry and distress. Moreover, the lockdown measures have denied women access to psychiatric diagnosis and treatment in the face of the pandemic.

However, as the nationwide lockdown is now being slowly lifted, bringing life back to normal for the rest of the country, Kashmir continues to face a political lockdown and escalating border tensions, thereby intensifying conflict and posing myriad challenges for its women for times to come.

Thus, instead of focusing on the strict enforcement of the lockdown, communication blackout and heavy military deployment, the priority must be to develop a gendered response to the pandemic, which will not only assist in effectively dealing with the health crisis but will also empower its women. Moreover, facilitating women’s involvement in the Covid-19 response strategy can also open up new venues for Kashmiri women to participate in conflict resolution and formal negotiations to bring about long-lasting peace within the region.

(Akanksha Khullar is a researcher at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, Delhi. She tweets at @akankshakhullar)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author’s own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.