Showing posts with label Gender. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gender. Show all posts
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?
GENDER EMPOWERMENT
Cos provide economic emancipation to females in J&K
BILAL HUSSAIN
Working in a multinational top corporate is no more a taboo for women in Kashmir but a present day reality. Currently hundreds of females are workforces to many commercial organisations here and are sharing desks with their fellow male colleagues.
Business organisations over the time have matured enough and are taking gender issues seriously. Deputy Vice President, HDFC Bank J&K state, Zubair Iqbal told Kashmir Times that the bank is sensitive towards the gender related issues. “We provide equal opportunity to the females in our bank,” he added.
According to Zubair in certain cases in banking females outperform men. “Banking is no more a male dominating occupation here.” Whatever women are holding they are holding purely on merit, he claims.
It would be hard to believe but is a reality. Out of ten branches of HDFC Bank in Jammu and Kashmir three branches have female 2nd line branch managers, Zubair discloses.
Females are proving their mettle not only in banking but in other corporate segments as well. HR executive in an IT company Juwairiah Hameed Khan said that the corporate culture is growing here and the women are getting empowered day in day out. “I am empowered in lots many ways particularly economically,” she said.
According to Juwairiah the gender equality depends upon the culture of the company. “There is no bias in terms of gender the company I work for. I work neck to neck with rest of my colleagues,” she mentions.
She believes that Kashmiri women should come to fore and show their power. Educationally Kashmiri women are bright, ‘they should be given more opportunities.’ “They are capable of doing things better then their counterpart men,” she claims.
Women working in banking here are cherishing the economic emancipation they have realised. Mehnaz Bashart, working as an Assistant Manager in of the leading private sector banks of India said that the environment is clean in the bank and is highly compatible for the women-force. “Gone are days of women to women competition. At present we are competing with male counterparts and are giving them tough fights,” she cherishes.
While acknowledging the role of the parents Mehnaz said that without parental support females particularly can’t achieve and realise their dreams.
Unlike other sectors, Insurance sector has been a tough and highly competitive sector, women here have not only ventured in the sector but some have even carved a niche in the field. Snouber Nazir, Sales Manger, in an insurance company while sharing her views on it said that the society to a larger extent has started accepting the females working in insurance companies. “Females are getting good business,” she said. However, Snouber feels that still lot needs to be done in terms of gender sensitivity in the state.
BILAL HUSSAIN
Working in a multinational top corporate is no more a taboo for women in Kashmir but a present day reality. Currently hundreds of females are workforces to many commercial organisations here and are sharing desks with their fellow male colleagues.
Business organisations over the time have matured enough and are taking gender issues seriously. Deputy Vice President, HDFC Bank J&K state, Zubair Iqbal told Kashmir Times that the bank is sensitive towards the gender related issues. “We provide equal opportunity to the females in our bank,” he added.
According to Zubair in certain cases in banking females outperform men. “Banking is no more a male dominating occupation here.” Whatever women are holding they are holding purely on merit, he claims.
It would be hard to believe but is a reality. Out of ten branches of HDFC Bank in Jammu and Kashmir three branches have female 2nd line branch managers, Zubair discloses.
Females are proving their mettle not only in banking but in other corporate segments as well. HR executive in an IT company Juwairiah Hameed Khan said that the corporate culture is growing here and the women are getting empowered day in day out. “I am empowered in lots many ways particularly economically,” she said.
According to Juwairiah the gender equality depends upon the culture of the company. “There is no bias in terms of gender the company I work for. I work neck to neck with rest of my colleagues,” she mentions.
She believes that Kashmiri women should come to fore and show their power. Educationally Kashmiri women are bright, ‘they should be given more opportunities.’ “They are capable of doing things better then their counterpart men,” she claims.
Women working in banking here are cherishing the economic emancipation they have realised. Mehnaz Bashart, working as an Assistant Manager in of the leading private sector banks of India said that the environment is clean in the bank and is highly compatible for the women-force. “Gone are days of women to women competition. At present we are competing with male counterparts and are giving them tough fights,” she cherishes.
While acknowledging the role of the parents Mehnaz said that without parental support females particularly can’t achieve and realise their dreams.
Unlike other sectors, Insurance sector has been a tough and highly competitive sector, women here have not only ventured in the sector but some have even carved a niche in the field. Snouber Nazir, Sales Manger, in an insurance company while sharing her views on it said that the society to a larger extent has started accepting the females working in insurance companies. “Females are getting good business,” she said. However, Snouber feels that still lot needs to be done in terms of gender sensitivity in the state.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)