Women’s Pride: Kashmir’s first ‘for women only’ store

Pulling her white hijab tighter, Ruhi Ayub took my hand and led me into her small shop — Women’s Pride. 

Around 58 km north of Srinagar lies Sopore, one of Kashmir’s worst conflict-hit districts. Being a hotbed of militancy, locals are used to waking up to curfews, hartals, protests and shutdowns. 

In 2006, Ruhi Ayub with the help of her husband set up the first-ever ‘for women only’ store in Kashmir. Located in the corner of an alley in Sopore’s main market, the shop, run by women, has almost 50 women customers visiting every day. In a conflict-affected place like Kashmir, Ayub said that women found it difficult to come out and buy what they wanted. In fact, she added that most of them weren’t even let outside the house. She began this shop so that women could buy undergarments, sanitary pads and other personal care items. 

This  W omen’s Day, let’s meet Ruhi Ayub who has been successfully running ‘Women’s Pride’ against all odds.