J&K gender equality challenge shaped by history, says expert

Prof Indu Agnihotri, former director of the Centre for Women's Development Studies, said gender equality is a major challenge globally and in India, with Jammu and Kashmir facing unique hurdles due to its specific circumstances and inherited history. She was speaking on the sidelines of a two-day national conference on Gender Equality in the 21st Century at Government College for Women (GCW) in Srinagar.

Agnihotri highlighted the lack of reliable data as a key obstacle to effective policymaking in India. She stressed the need for equal opportunities, equal pay, and greater recognition of women's economic contributions, especially in agriculture and home-based industries like Pashmina. She urged governments to follow up on conference recommendations to translate deliberations into meaningful policy changes.

At the inaugural session, GCW principal Prof Yasmeen Farooq said education must translate into agency, opportunities into leadership, and equality guaranteed in principle into lived experience. Conference coordinator Dr Jaleel Ahsan said gender inequality is rooted in the family and requires transforming social institutions. The conference aims to examine gender equality across multiple dimensions.