Women Leaders in Village Panchayats

The population of Kargil comprises mainly of peasants and masons, who

are subservient, to the Shia clerics. Their social fabric, heavily influenced by

religion, discourages women to participate in affairs outside their homes.

Bound by centuries of subjugation within the four walls of the domestic

domain, it still takes a lot of courage and determination to break this silence.

I was the first woman in the history of Ladakh to contest the recent local Hill

Council elections despite all sorts of pressures and threats.

I stood against a powerful Agha (religious head of Shias) from a constituency,

which is considered one of the most conservative in the region. I was born

and brought up there and always saw women as oppressed by religion. When

I stood for elections, I gave out a clear message saying that women should no

longer be suppressed by men under the influence of ‘‘Mullahgiri’.

I overcame the fear that women are conditioned to succumb to. I remained

steadfast against threats and pressures made by the community when I filed

my nomination papers. Even my family put lot of pressure on me. They

threatened to sever their relationship with me but I stood my ground. The

pressure was so intense that it was almost impossible for my supporters to

campaign for me. Even while I write this, my agent is being threatened to

withdraw his support.

My objective was very clear when I decided to challenge male domination. I

wanted to fight for women’s rights and address serious issues related to health,

education, multiple marriages and so on. Women are left in the lurch without

any social acceptance. I fought hard but lost the election. The mere 88 votes I

won were hard earned, and mean a lot to me.

It was, in actual terms, a victory over orthodoxy. My contesting the elections

has inspired many other women across the region of Ladakh. When I filed

my nomination, I was invited by women from as many as five other areas to

contest from their constituencies. Women from Baru, Kargil town, Khomeini

Bagh, and so on came to me requesting me to stand on their behalf. The

Zahira Bano
Village: Kannuar
(Trespone)
Block: Sanku
District: Kargil
Ladakh