Kashmiri women make political stand

From Suhasini Haidar
CNN Correspondent

Women's Congress Party supporters conceal their identities during an election rally in Srinagar

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VIDEO CNN's Suhasini Haidar reports on the latest violence between Kashmir separatists and Indian authorities. PLAY VIDEO CNN's Satinder Bindra says Kashmir candidates are under death threats from separatist militants. PLAY VIDEO RELATED • Strike call as violence worsens  • Kashmir minister survives another attack  • Kashmir rally turns violent  Special Report: Conflict in Kashmir

SRINAGAR, Kashmir (CNN) -- Women rarely come out for rallies in Kashmir. And when they do, it's wearing burqas and veils so they cannot be recognized.

Kashmiri women are being threatened by separatist Islamic militants operating in the region who want them to stay at home.

It's rare for women to be in the streets supporting their candidates and rarer still for a woman to be a candidate. Less than thirty of the more than six hundred candidates in this election are female.

In Kashmir, as well as the rest of the Indian sub-continent, most women join politics through the family route. Many join after a father, a brother or a husband dies. Their presence is not so much a boost for women's rights -- more the continuation of a political dynasty.

Sakina Itoo won elections in 1996, shortly after her father, a senior Kashmiri politician, was assassinated. She is the only woman elected to the state legislature, and the only woman in the state cabinet.

In this year's election she has already survived four attempts on her life. Suspected militants have attacked her home, her car, and her security guards. (Kashmir minister survives attack)

Despite the risks involved, Shamima Firdoz, a female candidate, has no intentions of pulling out of the election race.

"Women have been too scared to come out in the past decade," says Firdoz. "Unless someone comes forward, who is going to work for women?"

There is also Farida, called Bahenjee, or sister by her supporters. Farida is part of Kashmir's separatist movement. She tells me she was jailed for four years, and says Indian security forces killed her father, a charge they deny.

Farida is campaigning not to win but to convince everyone to boycott the elections.

"Why should only men have a role in the movement," asks Farida. "Women should have a bigger role -- because all the problems here hurt women more."

There is one common theme from the three -- it's time for women to step out of the political shadows.

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