TL;DR: Due to a massive unemployment crisis in Jammu & Kashmir, women are increasingly pushed into low-paying jobs or home-based work despite having higher educational qualifications. Cultural barriers and safety concerns also restrict them from working outside the region. The unemployment rate for urban women aged 15-29 is a shocking 52.6%, compared to the national average of 21.7%.
Kashmir is in the grip of an unemployment nightmare, especially for women. 🥀 Despite high educational qualifications, young women in the region are being forced to take up low-paying jobs or home-based work like tailoring, just to make ends meet. 🎓🪡
📊 Alarming Stats:The unemployment rate for urban women aged 15-29 in Jammu & Kashmir is a whopping 52.6%, compared to the national average of 21.7%. In rural areas, it’s 23% against the national figure of 8.2%. This isn’t just bad; it’s catastrophic. 😓💥
💔 Cultural Constraints & Fears:Women fear moving out of the region for work due to cultural norms and the possibility of being targeted for their identity. Families often refuse to let women work outside the region, forcing them into underemployment or low-wage jobs. 🧕😟
🪡 The Tale of Ifrat Rashid:Despite having two postgraduate degrees, Rashid couldn’t find a decent job and had to resort to tailoring to earn money. Her story is not unique; several highly educated women are opting for similar work due to lack of opportunities. 📚👗
🏢 Fading Job Market:Since the 2019 lockdown and subsequent restrictions, government job opportunities have dried up, pushing women into the informal sector. Also, economic experts point out that the local economy’s absorption capacity is minimal, forcing many to take up agriculture, animal production, or stitching jobs. 💼🌾
🛑 What Needs to Change:The government's failure to provide sufficient job opportunities is pushing women into deep economic distress. Instead of encouraging cheap labor and exploitation, the focus should be on creating secure and well-paying jobs. ✊💪
📢 MediaFx Opinion:The current capitalist system has failed the women of Kashmir by denying them dignified employment. It's time to empower women with better educational and economic policies, and to end the exploitation of their labor. The working class must unite and fight for their rights! 🚩✊
