'She' not only teaches but also writes
'She' not only teaches but also writes
Saima Farhad is another Kashmiri woman, who does not 'create' but takes care of common social problems of women.

Srinagar: Saima Farhad is a teacher in the department of Social Work at the Kashmir University, who runs a Magazine called "She" which focuses on issues concerning Kashmiri women.

Much of her focus is on women's issues- that she says are often ignored in this conservative society.

Saima said, "looking at all the local papers- you can't see any one paper where one page or two pages have been devoted to women".

In the month of April, 25-year-old Saima, along with her friend and wife of Hurriyat Leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq launched "She" - the first ever Kashmiri women's magazine.

"It's not glossy- doesn't have very many pages- certainly not a patch on some popular women's magazines in the rest of the country," but Saima says she is happy to have made a start.

Her biggest problem is "finding" - the sources of funds and more women journalists to contribute".

In a society where militant threats enforce the hijab- and beauty parlours are frowned upon, the magazine stays away from articles on religion and politics.

But on social issues- "She" has boldly gone where perhaps no Kashmiri has gone before- even discussing dating.

Saima said, "Dating is something that everyone knows is going around here- and we are not saying whether it is good or bad - we are just trying to discuss it".

Ahead of her times, Saima even seems ahead of her young students in her thinking.

Students have mixed reaction on "She", "We don't really need a magazine for women," said some, while some students admire her, " She has done what she set out to do".

Saima has a more modest assessment, "I am not a social reformer that I can make a change- but at least I can do something- a bit- not for change but for my satisfaction that I can do something in society".

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