Extension lecture on "Women and Peace-building in Jammu and Kashmir" organized at Jammu University

Stating this at an extension lecture on "Women and Peace-building in Jammu and Kashmir: Narratives from the Field" organized by the Centre for Adult, Continuing Education and Extension (CACE&E), University of Jammu here this morning, Ms Ashima Kaul, an independent journalist based in New Delhi who is a consultant on Kashmir for Women In Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP), said that sadly in Jammu and Kashmir, no women's movement could take roots. Besides, terrorism which added to the woes of the women of the region also left indelible scars on the women leaving them as widows, half widows, destitutes etc.

Ms Kaul who has been visiting Kashmir since 1996 as a researcher and is also the founder member of a voluntary organization called Yakjah (Together) Reconciliation and Development Network that works primarily with Kashmiri children through creative mediums for creating safe spaces for self-expression, spoke in detail about her over a decade long experiences through her narratives in the field with women of Kashmir.

Saying that there was a strong yearning for peace among the women of Kashmir - be it the women of Dardpora (known as the village of widows) in Kupwara or the terrorism-hit women of Rafiabad in Baramulla, the need of the hour was to help these women in their development and income generation so that they were able to sustain on their own.

She said organizations like WISCOMP had started many such initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir including opening up of Samanbal (meeting places) for women in Kashmir at different places.

"Working in Kashmir for all these years with the women who have been badly hit by violence has been an amazing journey," said Ashima adding that it was also amazing to see that women have come up with remarkable strength and peace has a lot of meaning for them.

Prof Poonam Dhawan, Director, CACE&E Jammu University, while presenting her presidential remarks, said that women of Jammu and Kashmir, had gone beyond the "victim hood syndrome" and were coming out of their trauma. The process of healing, she said had started and peace meant to them secure lives without the shadow of violence.

Dr Kavita Suri, Assistant Director, Centre for Adult, Continuing Education and Extension, University of Jammu, who organized the lecture, while introducing the key speaker and the theme to the audience, said that women had an important role to play in peace-building and in the reconstruction the war-ravaged societies. In Jammu and Kashmir, they also had a strong presence and slowly and gradually they were understating their importance and getting to learn to assert themselves.

The lecture was followed by a very good interaction in which Professor Lalit Magotra, Dr Madhulika Bhagat, Dr.Kavita Suri, Ms Vibhuti Ubbot, Mr Sandeep Sandy participated.

Dr Bharti Prabhakar, Project Officer, CACE&E presented a vote of thanks.

Among others who were present at the occasion included Professor Jasbir Singh, Prof. Versha Mehta, Prof Abha Chouhan, Prof Shashi Pathania,Dr Anupama Sawhney, Dr Priyanka Katoch, Dr Daljeet Magoo,Dr Vishwa Raksha,Dr Kiran Saproo, Mr Priyanka Sharma, Mr Vivek Sharma,coordinator,CACE&E, Dr Bharti Prabhakar, Pallavi Sachdeva, Sandeep Singh, projects officers, CACE&E, Ms. Sita Anand, Ms.Rewa Sharma, Ms. Vibhuti, Ms Shevta, Mr Vinay Thusoo.