Children of women prisoners in Kashmir: Consequences of structural and social invisibility

Abstract

This article draws on in-depth interviews conducted with children and caregivers of children left behind due to maternal imprisonment in Kashmir. The narratives illuminate the challenging circumstances faced by these children, including experiences with alternative caregiving, the consequential impact on educational attainment, and the pervasive stigma associated with maternal imprisonment. These challenges are all given heightened significance within the pre-existing context of vulnerability that surrounds children in Kashmir in Kashmir, a region marked by long-term political disturbance. The intricate interplay of these issues is further complicated by the unique cultural dynamics shaping the societal position of women in the region. This article presents a scholarly exploration of the multifaceted challenges embedded within the specific socio-cultural milieu of Kashmir. In doing so, it makes a substantial contribution to the evolving discourse on children of prisoners by elucidating the social and structural invisibilities experienced as a result of maternal imprisonment. The recognition of the social and structural context also enriches our understanding of the “symbiotic harms” experienced by children and families of incarcerated women as part of the complexities of punishment in a non-Western society.

Keywords

Children of prisoners children in Kashmir women prisoners in Kashmir stigma children in conflict zones

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