India

Culture and conflict

The project used participatory methods, centred around craft making. This research brought together a historically divided community where religious identity had created fractures. Hindu/Pandit women who fled from persecution in 1992 returned for the first time to Kashmir for training in December 2023 with their Muslim counterparts. The Hindu/Pandit women continue to live in camps for internally displaced people in the neighbouring region of Jammu. Internally displaced refugee camps in this context are situated outside of the cities where there are few options for work .

What we found

Empowerment
Craft making enables the women to generate an income from home and avoid expensive travel into the cities, leaving behind their duties of care. The desire to make money and a living flows from the training as the women come to realise their own skills and self-worth as artists in the context of a patriarchal society that traditionally prioritises the skills of men.

Conflict and exclusion
Conflict systematically excluded women from the political narrative because of their gender. Other factors like class, social status, ethnicity, religion, and cultural background added to their suppression. They were rendered invisible. Investment in community peacebuilding approaches through a gender lens is key. To begin dialogues between communities, such as in Kashmir and Jammu, a gender lens is crucial to ensure that all community members are recognised and being included in peacebuilding activities.