Liberating Working Women in Traditional Occupations: Exclusion, Exploitation and Deprivation

Abstract

This article seeks to introspect the place and significance of Kashmiri women within traditional occupations—professions wherein women have a substantial presence. These occupations have previously acted as the nerve of the economy in Kashmir. It is also the only sector that employs people across age and genders. However, women who are currently associated with traditional occupations experience different forms of deprivation. In light of this fact, this article seeks to examine the prevailing levels of deprivations of Kashmiri women through qualitative research techniques. Besides, the study emphasizes the channels to liberate women from diverse forms of exclusion within the realm of traditional occupations. Women’s deprivation is analysed and explored in carpet and shawl weaving occupations, occupations based on indigenous knowledge. The selection of the participants is based on inclusion criteria. The study remained restricted to the Ganderbal district of Kashmir division. The results of the study were documented through 15 case studies. The results revealed that women involved in traditional occupations have experienced different forms of deprivation depending upon the nature of work, current working conditions, nature of wasta (master), availability of work and distance from the workplace.

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“…While male entrepreneurs engaged in physical commerce within local markets to promote their goods, their female counterparts did not avail themselves of this option due to traditional unawareness of the physical market milieu [22]. Women associated with handicrafts had to sell their products to local businessmen who sold these articles in the local market and only paid a meagre sum to the original product creators, thus exploiting the women artisans [23]. This creation of intermediaries leads to the exploitation and underpayment of women artisans [5,24].…”