Where women stand in J&K

BILAL HUSSAIN

The dwindling female folk in Jammu and Kashmir should have been a matter of grave concern for the people who matter in the state, particularly the ones who champion the cause of gender equality. All I could see was less than ten women braving all odds and staged a silent protest in the press colony, Srinagar on Thursday [Women’s Day] against the alleged deteriorating women's rights scenario in Kashmir. What about the ones who talk and only talk about it?

The updated government figures suggest that the female population of Jammu and Kashmir slashed down from 47.15 per cent of the total population in 2001 to 46.88 per cent (provisional) in 2011. As per details from Census 2011, Jammu and Kashmir has population of 1.25 crore souls over the figure of 1.01 crore in 2001 census. The total population of the state as per 2011 census is 12,548,926 of which male and female are 6,665,561 and 5,883,365 respectively indicating a reduced sex ratio of 883. While the corresponding figures of male and female as per Census 2001 were 5,360,926 and 4,782,774 respectively indicating sex ratio of 892.

The population growth in this decade was 23.71 percent while in previous decade it was 29.04 percent. The population of Jammu and Kashmir forms 1.04 percent of India in 2011. In 2001, the figure was 0.99 percent. This difference indicates a much higher rate of growth in comparison to average all India growth rate. The demographic imbalance between men and women, however, continues to exist and has further deteriorated.

Something that is very disturbing is the sex ratio (females per thousand of males) which is considered as an important indicator of the social conditions particularly with respect to women’s status in any society. Low sex ratio shows indulgence of artificial interventions, distorting the biological trend and natural balance in terms of number of females per thousand males. An important concern in the present status of Jammu and Kashmir’s demographic transition relates to adverse sex ratio. The sex-ratio as per census 2001 is 892 which is very unfavorable to the women of the state. The sex-ratio as per census 2011 was 883 which is a matter of great concern and needs to be addressed on priority.

The Jammu and Kashmir’s literacy rate has increased by 13 per cent in the last decade i.e. from 55 per cent in 2001 Census to 68 per cent in the 2011 Census. While female literacy has increased from 42.22 per cent in 2001 Census to 58.01 per cent in 2011. However, the problem of unemployment amongst females is predominant in J&K based on Usual Principal Status that has revealed the gap between unemployment rate of females in J&K at 17.1 per cent and that of all India level at 3.6 per cent which is huge.

The gender differential still exists both in rural and urban areas but it is comparatively higher in rural areas. This can be attributed to a number of factors viz lack of access to schools, parents feeling insecure about sending girl children to schools, their engagement in agricultural and other domestic activities etc.

The much concerned state government intervention could be had from the women's schemes in the state. The Empowering Skilled Young Women Scheme (ESW) that forms a part of Sher-i-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Programme was launched by J&K State Women Development Corporation on 8th of March 2010, on International Women’s Day. Out of the total release of Rs 6.50 crore, J&Ks Women Development Corporation (JKWDC) has sanctioned Rs 6.46 crore in favour of 403 women entrepreneurs belonging to different districts of the state for establishment of gainful income generating units on nominal interest rate of 6 per cent.
Is it enough when the state's female workers constitute 28.61 per cent of the total work force?