The establishment of all female police stations in "Naya Jammu and Kashmir" following the repeal of Article 370, a temporary provision of the Constitution, and the implementation of a 15 per cent female quota in the non-gazetted cadre of the J&K Police are contributing to the fight against injustice that the Himalayan region endured during the 30-year period of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
The helmsmen have placed a special emphasis on eradicating gender imbalance in the formerly princely state since the Centre's announcement on August 5, 2019, that it would revoke J&K's special status and partition it into two Union Territories.
Women now have the opportunity to pursue their ambitions and realise their dreams because of special self-employment programmes, job and educational sector reservations, and other factors.They developed into prosperous businesspeople during the last three years and now lead crucial institutions and departments. In every field, they have demonstrated their mettle.
Women were the main targets of the gun-toting terrorists who appeared on the streets of the Valley in 1990 when Pakistan-sponsored terrorism first broke out in Kashmir. The women were instructed to stop working, don veils, and limit themselves to their houses. And those who disobeyed the terrorists' orders had to endure acid attacks and even gunfire.
From 1990 to 2019, cases of domestic violence against women were at peak with many going unreported. The Centre's decision to change J&K's 70-year-long status quo came as a blessing for the women folk in the Himalayan region. Massive campaigns were launched to make the fairer sex aware of their rights and raise their voice against the injustice they faced. The results are evident as women have become torch-bearers of change and a force to reckon with.
Only two women's police stations, one in Rambagh in Srinagar and the other in Gandhi Nagar in Jammu, existed in J&K as of 2019. Women police stations have opened in Udhampur, Rajouri, Kathua, Doda, Anantnag, Baramulla, Kupwara, and Pulwama over the previous three years. The Kashmir area now has women-only police cells in Budgam, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Shopian, Kulgam, Awantipora, and Handwara.
The women police stations and women police cells have become symbols of empowerment of the fairer sex in the Union Territory as the women without any fear are coming forward to report cases of domestic violence, atrocities, eve teasing, stalking, matrimonial problems, acid attacks and other issues confronting them.
Till 2019, females refrained from approaching male-dominated police stations which led to many of them suffering in silence. After the setting up of women's police stations and women's police cells things have changed. Victims don't hesitate to visit these institutions as they don't have to face the men in the women's police stations and cells.
The creation of police stations and women's cells created a secure environment for females. The complaints registered by the victims are being acted upon swiftly.
The government has created 52 posts for each women's police station in J&K. Each police station would have an inspector and a sub-inspector, two assistant sub-inspectors, six head constables, 34 constables and eight followers.
The strength of women police in the Union Territory has increased manifold and some women officers have been directly recruited as Deputy Superintendents through the J&K Civil Services examination.
In January 2022, Jammu and Kashmir became the first place in the country to reserve 15 per cent non-gazetted posts in J&K Police for women. While making the announcement on National Girl Child Day, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha tweeted: "On #NationalGirlChildDay, approved 15% reservation for women in non-gazetted posts of @JmuKmrPolice. This is just the beginning. We are determined and committed to increasing it further in future."
In another tweet, the Lieutenant Governor said his administration was committed to ensuring 'Nari Shaktis' social and economic empowerment. "For women and girls to be agents of change, J&K government is committed to ensuring Nari Shaktis' social and economic empowerment while redressing long-standing inequalities to build a more just and resilient society."
The step taken by the J&K government was aimed at giving due representation to women in the Police force and ensuring the availability of sufficient women personnel to engage exclusively in matters of gender-based crimes.
Despite several assurances before 2019, the matter of reservation for women in J&K Police was never addressed. Till January 2022 women without any exclusive reservation constituted 3 per cent of the total strength of J&K Police.
During the past year, reservation has been implemented in recruitment. It has helped to build up an exclusive women police force for women only.
The dispensation led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ended the discrimination against the female folk in Jammu and Kashmir and has instilled a sense of security and pride among them.
( With inputs from ANI )
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