Abstract

Gender is a common term whereas gender discrimination is meant only for women, because females are the only victims of gender discrimination. Females are nearly 50% of the total population in India but their representation in public life is very low. Gender discrimination has deep roots in the Kashmiri culture, which in academic discourse has often remained unexplored or unaccounted. The only Kashmiri sociologist who devoted most of his time in exploring the emerging issues in Kashmiri society was Professor Bashir Ahmad Dabla, one of the renowned sociologists of Kashmir. Women-related issues were always kept out of intellectual discourse until modernization and westernization were drawn. Kashmiri women face gender discrimination, injustice, poverty, loneliness, dowry deaths, and suicide attempts, and are even victims of rape and assassination. It was in this context that the present study was conducted in a sociological sense to investigate gender inequality in the south district of Kulgam. The study is primarily based on field observation and survey relied on interview schedule and observations.

Key words: Gender, Discrimination, Violence, Jammu and Kashmir, Kulgam District.