Social Work Chronicle

Sumeera Nazir ¹, Shazia Manzoor ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Social Work, University of Kashmir, Jammu & Kashmir, IN

Abstract

Since the beginning of the armed insurgency in Kashmir, thousands of people have been subjected to enforced disappearances. According to official reports of the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) a non-governmental organisation (NGO) formed by the parents of disappeared persons in Kashmir, there is an estimate of around 8000 to 10,000 cases of disappearances. Whatever be the reason and nature of the disappearance, the phenomena of enforced disappearances leads to two kinds of victims, first the individuals themselves and second their families. As the disappeared people are largely men in Kashmir, they have left behind the families that mostly comprise of their wives. The wives of such disappeared men locally known as Half-Widows are the worst sufferers. ‘Half-Widow represents the starkest outcome of the on-going armed conflict in Kashmir for last 25 years in the region. The paper in the cultural contrast of the region endeavors to make an analysis of the social, legal, sexual, and psychological harassment faced by the half-widows through the state, nonstate actors, society and their own family members. The study is based on in-depth interviews carried out with Half-Widows of district Baramulla of Jammu and Kashmir state. Drawing upon the personal accounts of these women, it focuses on their experience of loss, the ostracism and stigma faced by them, and their struggle for survival and justice.

Keywords

Enforced Disappearance, Half-Widows, Women Victims of Armed Conflict, Harassment.

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Amira Wali ¹, Shazia Manzoor ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Social Work, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, IN
2 Department of Social Work, University of Kashmir, Jammu & Kashmir, IN

Abstract

The rights-based advocacy method has been used in multiple settings in India, whether it is the basic educational rights of children or the accessibility rights of physically handicapped people. As we embark on a rights-based approach in social work, in multicultural societies, we need to ensure that the social work strategies are context specific. Religion is a very important social institution that binds communities and disciplines people. The Indian Constitution has part III detailing the Fundamental Rights of a citizen and Article 51A that talks of fundamental duties. Likewise, the religion Islam also has certain sanctions for women, in particular, to their rights and certain duties/obligations towards the Almighty and their husband and children. This paper details the rights of women within the realm of marriage from an Islamic perspective; in terms of issues related to their maintenance, treatment and inheritance that are common causes of marital disharmony. These religious sanctions could be used as a strong reference point in advocating for women’s rights. Since marriage holds a sanctioned place in religion as well as society, a collaborative approach in social work can be adopted to address the denial of women’s rights. The paper is particularly relevant in the context of women in Kashmir as it is a Muslim majority state. Religion-based rights’ advocacy can be developed as a viable paradigm for social work practice towards restoring the harmony in marital relations.

Keywords

Religious Rights, Muslim Women, Social Work Practice, Rights-based Advocacy, Marital Discord.

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