News Kashmir Magazine

SOCIAL MEDIA: BOON OR BANE

BY: SYEDA ZEHRA 

THE BUDDING WRITER IS FROM SHAH-I-HAMDAN SCHOOL 

 Social media are very useful for us . In today’s era, the use of social media has become a necessary  activity. Billions of people around the world use social media to share information but we can’t say that it is only boon, but it has disadvantages as well.   First of all let us  look at the advantages  of the social  media. 

      Social media  have changed the lives of modern society. People talk and chat with other people through this . It has the potential for  employment opportunities for the  unemployed . We can make many  friends on it who live far away from us. People can express their talent on social media sites, they can get money for their talent. If any student gets stuck in any question, they can use the YouTube or educational apps to solve their doubt. Self study has become easy for . If We have no time to buy things from shops . we can use social media sites ( shopping apps ) and can order online from home. If we want to taste different types of food, we can also order them, wherever want to order. We can pay from our social media platforms . We can play online games with our friends.

       Now let’s look at some  disadvantages of the  social media. Today,   people are addicted to social media. They  utilise it for entertainment.  They are becoming lazy day by day. People have lose connections with the real friends and family members. Sometimes  social media can provide us fake news. Some people cleverly steal other’s information to blackmail them. Sometime students don’t get the actual answers of their question from social media platforms. Shopping  from online shops can prove disastrous.  Kids have  got addicted to the online games

     Social media have both  pros and cons. However,  it is up to us to use  social media in the best possible manner. Proper guidance is necessary in this regard. In the pursuit of benefits, we must not lose the sight of the disastrous sides of the social media.  

                            Other Half of the Kashmir Narrative!

By Tehmeena Rizvi

Narrative of  Kashmir has taken different shapes in the lives of people across India and it still stands as a very interesting topic of discussion among many stakeholders. While Kashmir has always been in the news for political paradigm shifts, killings, stone pelting etc but surprisingly representing the other side has been neglected too nicely which might have led to relevance and cohesion. There is more to Kashmir than Apples, Walnuts & Mountains. A place where sufi’s had curated mystic verses, where lal-ded/laleshwari saw shiv, where writers found poetry and where singers found songs in the breeze.

Kashmir has been always discussed through the lens of authorities and vested interests. When we talk about the modern day Kashmir narrative we forget to mention how women have equally played a role in shaping it.  It’s very important to understand what type of information has been produced to build the Kashmir narrative and by whom?

This article is an attempt to represent a fresh perspective from an inverted lens of women in kashmir.

Kashmiri women have been rarely discussed in the media and amongst the political agenda and not much work has been carried out to make the discourse more gender neutral. It is personally very important for me to help people locate the place of women in ongoing Kashmir dynamics.

Women are as important as men for carrying forward the cradle of civilization. The women of Kashmir despite long decades of Turmoil have not let that be a roadblock and shine in every field of life. The propaganda voices in the past tried to paint Kashmiri women and their life a certain way which was far from truth. Kashmiri women didn’t even leave the place to pursue higher education let alone for jobs.  But the truth has changed for the better, be it in the Silicon city of Country Bengaluru or the heart of country Delhi, Kashmiri  women can be seen in every sphere of life contributing to national progress  and building their careers.. They are not shying away when it comes to the more daring sectors like Media and aviation. Nowadays you can see Kashmiri women flying the planes in the country, contributing to academics, working in public policy, leading newsrooms and changing the scenario of male dominated journalism in kashmir. 

Talking of entrepreneurship, four lakh women in over 48,000 Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (UMEED) have revolutionised women entrepreneurship at the grassroots level.

There are also lists of schemes being implemented for women empowerment like:

 Awareness Generation Projects for Rural and Poor Women (generating awareness among women regarding various issues like education, female foeticide etc) Condensed Course of Education for Adult Women (providing women above the age of 15 who did not have the opportunity to gain formal education a condensed general education along with vocational and skill development trainings in order to integrate them with the workforce), 

Family Counselling Centres, Scheme for Working Women Hostels, 

Swayamsidha Scheme (a Self Help Group based programme with an emphasis on convergence activities aimed at ensuring that the members of such groups avail all relevant schemes in an integrated and holistic manner), 

Umeed (a Government of India flagship project to empower women in Kashmir), Sher-i-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Programme, Educational Loans, Micro Credit Loans etc. A plethora of government schemes are making an impact both in the education and employment scenario. For example, the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana has resulted in the skill development and employment of a number of Kashmiri youth, especially women.

In 2021, Kashmir University had 94 gold medalists, of which 77% were girls. Similarly, during the Islamic University of Science and Technology convocation, most gold medalists were women.

In 2022, two women from kashmir were awarded with Nari Shakti Puraskar, but again the discussion around this topic will be very less. 

The point i am trying to make here can be experimented by everybody, for eg; if we try to search on google or ask anybody what is the position of women in kashmir dynamics?

you’ll mostly see them painted as victims of violence and their resilience. Though i don’t doubt their resilience for a split second but we also need to acknowledge that resilience does not only work in violent situations, it exists in excelling at professions too. 

So this makes us ponder upon the fact that it is part of the narrative that they are represented in only one way or is the Kashmiri society non accepting of the fact that young women can choose for themselves and break the shackles of victimhood. 

Though not much has been done for the kashmiri women living outside, the central government needs to ensure that they are provided with proper incentives and platforms so that they find a clear path to work in other parts of the country. Kashmiri women should be given more options to choose from in order for their decisions to be unaffected by state boundaries. The major fact which has been neglected is that the more kashmiri women are empowered, the more kashmiri society will empower because they have the potential to equally contribute.

Tehmeena Rizvi

The author is a Public Policy Professional from J&K, Currently working in New Delhi. Her areas of work include gender, inclusion, conflict and development.

STUDENT’S  FUTURE MUST BE TAKEN CARE OF 

By Syed Mustafa Ahmad

Students are an asset. They are past, present and future of a nation. It is they who keep the flame of development alive. The Poet of East,  Sir Muhammad Iqbal, stressed upon this fact that the destiny of the students is not this worldly matter; but rising above the worldly bonds, is the main aim of students. Looking through this lens makes it clear how we  sensitive we must be  towards the development of students. No leniency is acceptable in this regard. 

       If we look at the developed nations of the world, they invest in students. They have experienced old people, who guide the youth or students in the best possible way. Japan and China are some live examples. Instead on spending on other futile things, they want to make their nation supreme in every respect. So, they are sensitive towards the all round development of their students. However, in our case, there is no such thing. Students are left with no opportunities to prove their mettle. They have world class brains but the absence of opportunities and some other factors, hurt their cause. It should be kept in mind that it is not the product of a single factor; rather it is the combination of many factors. Let us try to know some of them.

       The first  is materialism. When the main objective of life is to pile up material things, then there are cent percent chances that students will be neglected. Indeed, it is happening in our society. The associated-thing with it is that education itself has become a source of earning as much as anyone can. In this situation, no doubt, we have students but they are good for nothing. They want to complete their education because they think that education is an end in itself. So, getting a piece of degree, make them to feel that we have invested a lot in earning these pieces of degrees, now, let us extract as much as we can. In this way, the main objective before students, is thrown to winds.

       The second  is lack of knowledge. We do not know why we are here. When the elders and leaders do not their objective of life, it makes no sense that students of theirs can do miracles. They will toe the line and become good for nothing. Mark Twain says that only two days are important: One is when we are born and the day when we know why. This is the gist of life. Any sane person who, if asked, admits that there is an objective behind our creation. We are not useless. However, our ignorance has made it possible that neither we nor our students know anything about it.

       The third  is imitation. Well, imitating others in good principles is a welcome step. However, imitating others blindly, is a curse. Everyone is different. No two people are same. But we tend to forget this thing. The main concern of our students is to imitate those who earn a lot and are respected by each and everyone. They forget themselves and at the end of the day, are not found in any place. It is a big fault of our society that let students follow others without looking at both sides of the coin. In this way, the marvellous brains are destroyed.

      The  and last is corruption. Students feel choked in a corrupted society. Their wings are clipped before taking a flight. In our corrupted state, merit is taken for granted while show off and bribery take a long flight which no one can imagine. What can a student do in this environment? Obviously, he or she will feel that it is useless to be enlightened. However, he or she enlightens himself or herself but in some other way. A student asides itself from the mainstream learning where question papers are sold. In this way, the very aim of education goes for a toss and enlightenment hangs its head in shame.

       In short, students should be taken care of. They have plastic minds. We are moulders. We have to come forward to mould them in the best manner. Let us to pledge that we will never let our students feel in want. Instead, we must be ready to help them in whatever way we can. Hope good sense prevails!

The writer hails from HAJIBAGH, ZAINAKOTE 

ShashiTharoor:A game changer for the future politics of INC. 

Owais Ahmad Shah

PG Student at University of Kashmir. 

In the tough & tumultuous political climate of today’s India, it has become rather indispensable that a strong, viable & vibrant opposition party emerges that can play a principal role by constructive criticism & healthy debate to help the ruling party to facilitate the strengthening of democracy,pluralism & free speech.India as a plural country has always been a standard-bearer of inclusivity, tolerance & acceptance. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr, “To other countries I may go as a tourist,but to India I come as a pilgrim”.Such was the reflection of rich diversity of India across the globe.The past few years have been rife with the turmoil & unending political storm.The rising incidents of hate & bigotry has brought  India to a pretty pass.There has been a lot of international outrage & India is being debated for such incidents. The question of strong opposition that can constructively help India to revive it’s democratic strengths is much needed. Unfortunately, the democratic process has been only left for spewing venom at each other & debate has been reduced to political commotion that has no positive outcome.The mammoth support generated by BJP is undoubtedly their outreach to the people across the nook & corner of India. They have somewhere left their mark on the public mind leading to their thumping victory in two consecutive elections.The principal opposition party, Indian National Congress has undergone a metamorphosis. They have stepped down to the lowest rung on the ladder.The party has not only been open to criticism for it’s bad performances but also for it’s internal modus operandi. It’s leadership has been under scathing criticism & dynasty politics is being targeted. The party has also witnessed it’s veteran leader’s resigning & joining other parties or establishing their own parties & Gh Nabi Azad can be seen in the recent  political developments.

The question of change for better has become an urgency now.There has to be a strong opposition party that maintains it’s check on the activities done by the ruling party.This opposition party needs a strong leadership that will take not only the party but the country to new heights & reclaim the glory of India’s past. In the recent political developments, the Indian National Congress after serious deliberation has finally taken a decision to conduct it’s party presidential elections & it has caught the attention all through India’s political sphere. There has been at the inception Ashok Gehlot, the CM of Rajasthan contesting elections which has now come to an end & Congress veteran leader, Malikarjun Kharge has nominated himself for the elections but the principal actor in this election is ShashiTharoor. He has been hotly debated for his intellectual strengths, mammoth global experience & erudition. Also, he has been subjected to the debate of “Elitism”. The support that ShashiTharoor has generated all across India is massive because people see in him an agent of change who can reinvigorate INC as a strong opposition party & can play a vital role in India’s democracy & plurality.The support that ShashiTharoor generates behind is for a reason & it’s because he has been a strong advocate of India’s plurality & secularism & can help through his statesmanlike gravitas to open doors of great success for Indias political health which has been adversely affected through past years. As some people rightly say that he is the oxygen that INC needs as it is on the ventilator.

It is keenly observed that how the election would be helpful to ShashiTharoor if he is elected as Congress President.His opponent doesn’t seem to get enough support behind & some have started projecting him as backed by the Gandhi family but what’s fascinating is the Tharoor for presidential elections & it has generated speed with every passing day.This has been a long public demand that ShashiTharoor should be pushed forward for taking the charge of the party to resuscitate it from the depths of disarray.Its not yet a foregone conclusion that ShashiTharoor will emerge as winner but the pendulum is swinging more on his side & he is supported not only by a good number of his party colleagues but a large number of people who are not associated with the party. The elections would not only decide who wins but it will also decide the future of the party & this is at a time when the next Lok Sabha election is in proximity. This is an election that would  not only help INC to awaken form it’s political slumber but will also help public debate to re emerge & democracy to breathe a fresh air. It would not only be a humongous success if ShashiTharoor wins but also a massive challenge for the ruling party to deal with him. 

THE OPENING OF A MULTIPLEX IN KASHMIR : A LANDMARK TOWARDS NORMALCY

Dr. Adil Malik

Art and its appreciation – is a gift that humans embrace in various forms. Cinema has always been a way of expressing oneself for many people – a way of rekindling, making memories and revisiting them, having good times and so on. The picturesque valley of Kashmir has opened its first multiplex for public with regular shows from 30th September 2022 marking a historic moment for the enthusiastic film lovers of Kashmir.

The first multiplex in India was started in New Delhi in 1997, however  the valley of Kashmir had been deprived of not only multiplexes for almost 25 years ,but even cinema halls for the last 3 decades. Late 80s and early 90s saw Kashmir captivated by militancy, shutting down all cinema halls, also some of them were even set on fire and eventually calling a ban on theaters. Films were considered “haram” or unislamic by the fundamentalists in the region. There were efforts in 1999 by the government Led by Farooq Abdullah to reopen the cinema halls, but went in vain as a violent attack took place in the course of the first show leading to 1 casualty and 12 people getting wounded. Many years later, when a ban on cinema halls was lifted by Saudi Arabia, there was an attempt to reopen theaters in the valley by BJP and PDP collation government. However, again this move of the government was criticized by some ill in the region.

The youth of Kashmir has not enjoyed the privilege of watching cinema. Since, the only way the people could enjoy movies was with pen drives, DVDs and internet, on small screen, the younger generation has never experienced how it feels to watch movies on big screen with popcorns and snacks during the interval. The pleasure and satisfaction of watching a movie in a cinema hall cannot be substituted by other alternative means. Since the youngsters in the valley have been the biggest sufferers because of the uncertainties and atrocities they have gone through in their lives, cinema would not only provide them relaxation but also reduce their stress levels. It was an irony that “the paradise on earth”, which had been the hot favouritelocation to shoot movies, was itself not able to showcase those movies. People had to travel 300km all the way to Jammu in order to watch a movie in the theatre. It is unbelievable that an entire generation in the region has grown up without ever watching their most liked stars on big screen. Along with providing entertainment, multiplexes would also become a source to organize employment and business opportunities for the local people. It is also expected to add on to the revival of Kashmir’s sluggish economy. The younger lot would be able to relish the same entertainment provided by cinema, which their peers in other parts of the country adore.

With the inauguration of 2 multiplexes in the Pulwama and Shopian districts of Kashmir and inauguration of more in near future Lieutenant Governor of J&k , Mr. Manoj Sinha is very hopeful for a new positive change to take place in the region. It is a very nostalgic and emotional moment for the owner of the multiplex, Mr. Dhar, since his family has shared a special bond with the theatre world, as it owned “Broadway”, one of the oldest cinema halls in Kashmir. This first ever multiplex of the valley has been designed by INOX and will comprise of 3 auditoriums which will flaunt the most advanced Dolby sound systems. It will have a capacity to accommodate 520 people and will also be equipped with provision of recliner seats in addition to other comfortable seating facilities. In addition to the modern touch given to the multiplex by INOX, papier-mache designs, wooden chips and Kashmiri khatamband ceiling given by the local artisans has made it a unique design among all existing cinema halls in the country.

With things getting back in place and normalcy returning, the new generation is hopeful to see a mesmerizing Kashmir which they have read and heard about. The filmmakers across the world are again getting encouraged to choose Kashmir as a preferred location to shoot their movies ever since the Kashmir World Film Festival started in 2015. The open-air floating theatre at Dal lake, which started in 2021 has also opend the world of theatre for the valley. And 2022 saw J&K  governmentorganizing the first-ever national film festival in Srinagar in the month of June. Since, there has been an extraordinary relationship between Kashmir and movies for decades, this move to start with multiplex in the union territory would surely strengthen the bond further. Because Cinema and theatre are also means to inspire social and cultural reflection in addition to providing entertainment, its rekindling implies that a new wind of change has started blowing in valley, which will finally help in restoration of what Kashmir already possessed for decades but had lost due to militancy and terrorism.

Author;

Dr Adil Rasool Malik ; Author besides being a Doctor and is very active in positive perception management of various political and social issues. Author can be reached at drmalikadil@gmail.com  & twitter @drmalikadil

              OVER-THINKING NEEDS SOME DISCIPLINE

Dr Suhaib Ashraf Bhat

Whatever you hold in your mind on a consistent basis is exactly what you will experience in your life. This is something that the world’s most successful people realize – and the only difference between them and everyone else is that they are able to harness the power of thoughts to help them achieve. They’ve learned how to stop overthinking and start taking action.

The good news is that you weren’t born an over-thinker. Overthinking is the result of one fact of human existence: we all have patterns to our behaviour. These patterns, good and bad, develop over time based on life experiences. And just as patterns are learned, they can also be unlearned.

Overthinking is simply what its name suggests – thinking too much. Overthinking is going over the same thought again and again, analysing the simplest of situations or events until all sense of proportion has gone. The overthinking brain cannot translate these thoughts into actions or positive outcomes, so therefore creates feelings of stress and anxiety.

Surely we all overthink to some extent? As parents, sons or daughters, employees or business people, worrying about things is linked to caring about our loved ones, and about doing a good job.

However, people who really struggle with overthinking tend to be “ruminators”, going over events that have already happened. Plain old worrying tends to be about the future: can I meet this deadline? Can I find a nice residential flat for my mum? Often, our worries help us move forwards as we are working out how to mitigate them; however overthinking tends to be passive rather than active, dwelling on past events and building up disproportionately negative future results.

Take this scenario. You accidentally call your new boss by the wrong name. What do you think and feel when you realise this later?

The average worrier will feel mildly embarrassed, plan to apologise with some self-deprecating comment the next day, then forget about it and make dinner. The over-thinker will replay this error over and over, while rewriting different outcomes. By four in the morning, he or she will be mentally creating scenarios of being passed over for future promotions, or even chosen for redundancy. The incident has triggered big questions in the overthinking mind, which blow the whole event way out of proportion. 

There was a question from a married couple, we think about every little thing and we worry a great deal. This is affecting our worship too; all the time we think about the worries and problems that we are going through. Is there any solution to this?

YES, FOR EVERY PROBLEM THERE IS ALWAYS A SOLUTION.

1 –Thinking about the matters of our daily lives, and our private and public affairs is something that is essential and important, it is necessary in order for us to deal with these matters and benefit from them in the appropriate manner. The Qur’aan – which is the word of Allah swt – urges us to think, in more than one verse, for example: 

“…and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose…” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:191] 

“And on the earth are signs for those who have Faith with certainty.

And also in your ownselves. Will you not then see?” [al-Dhaariyaat 51:20-21] 

“Will you not then take thought?” [al-An’aam 6:50] 

“Have you then no understanding?”[al-Baqarah 2:76]

And there are other verses which encourage us to think about our affairs and indeed about the life and creation around us. 

So thinking in and of itself is not a problem, rather it is required, important and essential, and it is enjoined by our religion and encouraged by our Qur’aan. 

2 – This “thinking” may become a psychological or social problem if it prevents a person from playing his natural role that is expected of him in life. 

Such as thinking that things are more serious than they really are, or thinking too much about matters where thinking about them will not change anything at all, rather that only causes distress and becomes an obstacle prevents one from taking any initiative, and make him hesitant and confused, and unable to take any decision. 

Thinking may become a problem in if it makes a person go beyond his intellectual limits in thinking about matters of the unseen and things that he can never comprehend, which may open many doors for the accursed Shaytaan to influence him. 

3 – With regard to thinking a great deal about everything and worrying about every problem, this is to some extent a natural thing, so long as it does not prevent you from living your lives in a natural manner. What I mean here is, is this thinking helping you to come up with solutions to these problems that you are facing? Do these situations deserve all the time that you are spending on thinking about them? If the answer is yes, then there is no problem! But if the answer is no, then you yourself are admitting that they do not warrant that, and then you are halfway to solving the problem, which is to identify the problem and take a decision concerning it. Because when we know what the problem is, it is easy for us to find the right way of dealing with it. 

4 – Overcoming these problems needs some discipline and some time. You can make the decision to start and you are able, with the help and support of Allah swt, to do that. You have to trust yourselves in this regard! 

5 – Concerns and problems fall into three categories or levels: 

1. Concerns and problems that have a direct impact upon your married and social lives in a serious manner that may lead to breakdown in relationships. These must be given their due measure of objective thought and you should try to reach an agreement and settle the matter. They should not be ignored for so long that it becomes too difficult to deal with them.

2. The second level is concerns or problems in which the positive and negative aspects are equal and in which you are involved. In these cases you should pray istikhaarah to Allah swt, and it is o.k. to consult others concerning them and to weigh up alternatives, then decide what you think is the solution, without going to extremes in worrying about it.

3. The third level is concerns and worries that do not concern you at all, because they have to do with other people. It is better not to get involved in them and waste your time with them, because they simply do not concern you and your opinion does not matter.

6 – The concerns and matters of our daily lives inevitably fall into one of three categories: 

1. Matters which are in the past and are over and done with. We should not worry about these too much, except to the extent from which we can learn from our mistakes and experiences when dealing with things in the future. The past cannot come back and there is no need to worry about things that are over and done with.

2. Matters which lay ahead in the future. It is more appropriate not to think about these a great deal before they happen, because the future is part of the unseen, and all that we have to do in this case is to examine the choices we have in this matter if it comes to pass. When the time comes, we have to put our trust in Allah swt and take a decision.

3. Matters of day-to-day life. This is where we attempt to weigh up all the available alternatives, and it is o.k. to consult others with regard to these things and to exchange ideas without going to extremes or worrying too much. In the end, things will turn out as we hope, by Allah swt’s leave, so long as we pursue the means of praying istikhaarah and consulting others, and good lies in that which is chosen by Allah swt.

Like many traits of anxiety and depression, overthinking actually comes from one of our primitive preservation instincts. The primitive mind will always see things from the worst possible perspective. This is because the brain is being hyper-vigilant, trying to keep us alive – there’s no sense in being optimistic about those sabre-toothed tigers I’ve mentioned above!

On its own, overthinking isn’t recognized as a mental disorder. However, overthinking symptoms often indicate that another mental disorder is present, such as depression or anxiety. Even then it can become a “which came first?” scenario: Is overthinking a symptom of anxiety, or does anxiety cause overthinking? The important thing to know is that even if overthinking isn’t a mental disorder, it can have negative effects on your life and needs to be addressed. 

Conclusion: LIVE IN THE MOMENT.

The writer can be reached at   suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com

  One year of Taliban:

Woman’s agency still a myth   

 By Tehmeena Rizvi 

The decommissioning of American forces from Afghanistan left quite a gruesome and horrifying image in all of our minds. We all saw the doomsday-like visuals of afghani’s falling out of american military carriers like sand off a boulder. It was a frightening concept of a fear mongering, highly patriarchal and un-democratic organisation running the show in a country.

Taliban takeover has made catastrophic situations for women on multiple fronts. More than one year after their takeover Afghanistan of today is becoming a hellhole for its women. From changing the system of women’s access to education to limiting their mobility, they have become an embodiment of every woman’s nightmare. In a place like Afghanistan where war and misery have been going on for decades, special attention was required and efforts were required in order to reestablish normalcy and education amongst the women. However, the current situation has only made things worse for them and even a slight hope of improvement has been tarnished by the present regime. The psychological and social wellbeing of the women has gone so low, that it would take several years of intensive care and counselling to return to the daily round. According to a U.N. Women report: “In practice, restrictions on women’s freedom of movement often go beyond what is prescribed in decrees,” due to the intimidation attached to taliban. After the Taliban takeover, women employees working in the government departments were forced to stay at home. Approximately three million girls are currently banned from getting secondary education in Afghanistan, according to UNICEF. 

Just recently, innumerable number of girls have protested in Afghanistan’s Paktia province after Taliban authorities shut their schools just days after classes resumed, and the protest harboured global limelight. At a higher level, The academic week has been split so that male and female students can be taught separately, for three days each.

Academics and education experts opine that  this segregation, and the shortage of female lecturers, has reduced the quality of education, particularly for women. Some subjects have even been discontinued for female students, according to some scholars and students. Human rights campaigners and groups  have accused the Taliban of trying to erase women from all walks of public life. In June, several thousand Taliban clerics and tribal leaders gathered to discuss issues of national importance. But Taliban leaders did not allow women to participate, which drew worldwide outrage.

International bodies like the United Nations are openly spilling the beans on the painful scenario of Afghanistan women under Taliban rule. Recently a renowned UN rights expert said women’s freedoms had significantly deteriorated since the Taliban returned.

“There’s no country in the world where women and girls have so rapidly been deprived of their fundamental human rights purely because of gender,” Richard Bennett, the special rapporteur to UNHRC on the human rights situation in Afghanistan 

Even the women participating in the economic activities in Afghanistan are dwindling after the Taliban takeover. A whopping  77 percent of women’s CSOs have had no projects in 2022 due to a lack of funding, while some heads of organisations and civil society members have left the country. Since the Taliban takeover, foreign donors have drastically cut aid to Afghanistan, where there is a major economic and humanitarian crisis. The gruelling poverty under Taliban rule has made women of Afghanistan its first victim.

Child marriage is not thoroughly tracked in Afghanistan, with gaps in concrete, holistic data about the number of children affected, UNICEF has reported children being sold as young as 20 days old for future marriage, with girls disproportionately affected. Now, amid spiralling poverty and the difficulty of finding sustainable jobs – only five percent of Afghan families have enough to eat daily, and inflation for essential household goods is at 40 percent (PDF) – even more families are struggling. THIS Makes most of girl child vulnerable for Child marriage.

Even before the Taliban seized power, Afghanistan was ranked among the five poorest countries in the world, with almost half the population suffering from chronic food insecurity.

A year after the Taliban took control, aid agencies say nearly all Afghans now live in poverty.

Amid all this, women of Afghanistan are grappling with horrible choices.  A good number of Afghan women are now selling their babies. Poverty in Afghanistan has risen to a point where scores of women line up in front of bakeries in capital Kabul daily to beg for bread and keep their children alive. Women after selling their daughters are forced even to sell kidneys to feed their families. The fact of the matter is that 48 percent of the population in Afghanistan consists of women and thus Taliban need to dawn upon the reality fast  that the country cannot progress without the active participation of its women in building society, especially one which is war torn.

The all important menstrual hygiene has palmetted to a new low in the past one year, with a very small percentage of women having access to basic menstrual hygiene. Afghan girls lack access to menstrual products and education not just at home, but in school as well. Nearly half of women and girls are left in the dark when it comes to menstruation in the first place since education in such areas is virtually non-existent. One hopes Taliban who call themselves the harbinger of so-called morality would look into this aspect ,the hopes of which are bleak .

The whole World needs to brainstorm on how to help the women of Afghanistan recover from trauma & tragedy and get them the basic human rights that they have been deprived of for so many years now. The media, having covered it immensely in the beginning but slowly fading, should get it back into the light of discussions. In its entirety, humanity should empathise with the plight of the Afghan people & especially the women, extending all the aid possible.

Tehmeena Rizvi The author is a Public Policy Professional from J&K, Currently working in New Delhi. Her areas of 

Role of Youth in Shaping Kashmir’s Future : 

By Advocate Adnan Magray 

“The nation  has to offer today’s Kashmiri  youth something better” 

The idea of nation-building  started to fascinate me during my higher secondary school days . I was a student at army public school Srinagar and from 2010 to 2014 Those were exciting times to be in school during that time  Anna Hazare’s movement had gained national prominence, Modi had announced his national campaign, Arvind Kejriwal had launched a political party. 

The churn that was happening nationally was not limited to the Jan Lokpal bill. Particularly from a youth perspective, it was evident that young people had a desire to play a role in nation-building. 

Every day, thousands  of 10- to 15-year-old students walk through the doors of their middle schools with anticipation and great hopes for their future. Some will fall into leadership positions, but something so important should not be left to chance—or to the few.

Every student has the potential to be a leader, and their teachers and administrators have the responsibility to establish a school climate that nurtures their growth as self-sufficient, engaged citizens, and to develop their leadership skills.

Youth are the most important and dynamic segment of the population in any region . It is believed that developing countries with large youth population could see tremendous growth, provided they invest in young people’s education, health and protect and guarantee their rights. We can undoubtedly say that today’s young are tomorrow’s innovators, creators, builders and leaders.

But they need the required support in terms of good health, education, training and opportunities to transform the future. The economic trigger happens when a county’s more hands to work available than more mouths to feed. To put it succinctly, working age population has to be larger than the dependent population.

Today, Jammu and Kashmir is one of the youngest union territory / state  in the country with more than 62% of its population in the working age group (15–59 years), and more than 54% of its total population below 25 years of age. The youth of today’s Jammu and Kashmir  is increasingly becoming restless and struggling to remove the disparities. However, more efforts need to be put in, if we are to become free from the vicious circles of poverty, malnutrition, corruption, violence and unemployment in the region of Jammu and Kashmir. All these vices are still prevalent in the society, which are not allowing our great nation to function in its real spirit.

Unfortunately, being a democratic nation and largest democracy in the world, India is still lagging behind in achieving socio-political and economic equalities, which were dreamt by our predecessors. As a nation, since 72 years, we have been striving to eliminate these inequalities at all levels, which are existing in the forms of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, corruption, violence, gender bias etc. 

India is ranked at 130 in Human Development Index, 115 in Human Capital Index, 100 in Global Hunger Index, 122 in World Happiness Index, 62 in Inclusive Development Index, 141 in Gender Development Index and 145 in Global Burden of Disease Study. India’s rank in various development indices has barely grown over the years. If India is to improve upon these indices, then the Indian Youth needs to take the charge and come forward to fight against multiple inequalities and contribute in nation building  with special focus on Kashmir policy .

Jammu and Kashmir has the edge of demographic dividend. They have the power to change . 

Young minds of Jammu and Kashmir will be more fresh and innovative which helps in the progress of the country. But adequate opportunities should be given to the youth to represent their ideas and policies for the upliftment of the nation. Only way to express the ideas and to implement their policies is politics. Young people should be motivated to take part in politics and to occupy the high positions such as , Chief Minister , minister’s , MLA’S , MP’S .

Knowledge and unity speaks a lot rather than experience. For instance, a mass protest by the youth in Delhi for justice of Nirbhaya case, a mass protest in Delhi for India against Corruption and a mass protest in the Marina beach for Jallikattu etc are some of the prominent examples for the strength of youth. 

If the ruling power is given in the hands of the youth, then definitely Jammu and Kashmir  will become developed and prosperous region  soon.

They have power to change. Education programs should aim to teach and young minds right from the school level the importance of choosing right people who would take charge of governance. Conventionally, youth of Jammu and Kashmir specially Kashmir valley  have been asked to keep away from politics by dynasty politicians because if their personal self interest .

  Youth of Jammu  and Kashmir should be motivated to consider politics as a means to serve the nation. They should be oriented on anti-corruption drives with focus on prevention, education, and strategies for fighting corruption. Good governance is realistic with youth empowerment.

The pivotal role of youth of Kashmir valley  who are afresh with ideas and not ideals, will help in this movement towards a transparent civil society structure which can influence the political administration for the benefit of the society. It is only through a strong system of representation that democracy work and it is only through a strong youth representation that the dynamism and vigour of a country be maintained.

It is therefore important to acknowledge the role of civil societies in empowering youth towards strengthening of the democratic system of the Jammu and Kashmir sustainable development. 

The solution lies to effectively utilize modern tools in disseminating the belief among youth on their participation and representation in democracy through civil society initiatives.

Jammu and Kashmir needs them to resolve most of our problems. Currently Jammu and kashmir is facing a lot of challenges, and youth are capable of solving them. They just need to be given a chance to prove themselves. Youth have the power to unite individuals in the various ethnic groups. Racism is an ongoing issue around the world. Individuals are fighting against each other because of the complexion of their skin and the texture of their hair. Religion is another issue, the youths can convince their fellow man to live in peace and love. All of us are one and we should not allow these little differences to push us away from each other. There also a lot of crime taking place. Women are being killed by their abusive husbands. Person’s homes, businesses, are being broken into. All of this crime and violence needs to stop. The youth once more has the ability to bring about a change in the country.

Youths  of Jammu and Kashmir seems to have the ability to face any issues and challenges. They have a positive influence on their fellow young people. They are able to teach them the positive things in life. The ones who are destroying their future, they tend to listen to their fellow youths. They will make them understand the importance of being a good human being.

The wise youth that we have out there should be taken into consideration. Some of them, though educated are unemployed. They should be given an opportunity to expose their intelligence to the world and make themselves into someone. Government, Civil Society, voluntary organizations and other stakeholders should assist the youths; so that they can make our land a great and educated one. They will make a huge difference in society and the entire world. The youth of Kashmir valley  are  lifeline  our nation. They will make India  proud. The country will be recognized by the positive approaches of youth of Kashmir valley . They  just need the support and enabling environment at family level, community level, society level, state level, national level and international level which in turn will them to perform their duties.

The role of the youth of Jammu and Kashmir in the nation building is crucial. They are problem solvers, have a positive influence on other young people and the nation, and are extremely ambitious. They have the ability to create an identity for themselves and move the nation forward. However, they will not be able to do this without the support of government of India   Then the youth of Kashmir can make their beautiful land flourish and shine in success.