Insha Qayoom Shah is a dedicated advocate for women’s involvement in peacebuilding and conflict resolution, with a particular focus on conflict zones such as her home region of Kashmir. She actively works with the Umran Green Perspective Foundation, where she implements initiatives to empower women and foster community resilience through art and creative expression. Insha’s academic background further supports her dedication to this cause. She is pursuing my PhD research which examines the marginalisation of women in classical myths, especially in the context of mythological battles. This in-depth research has sparked a significant interest in the intersection of women and conflict, providing valuable insights that she applies to contemporary issues in my region.  

In addition to her academic and professional work, Insha writes poetry that revolves around the struggles and resilience of women, particularly those in conflict zones. Furthermore, she is working on an independent research paper which explores the survival strategies employed by women amid conflict, focusing on how creative endeavours such as needlework, weaving, painting, and writing help them cope with trauma. She also writes for Feminism in India, an intersectional feminist media platform, to highlight specific challenges confronting women in India and Kashmir, leveraging her platform to draw attention to their hardships and strength. Additionally, Insha  assists her artist father in organising exhibitions and collaborating with him to create paintings on women-related issues. Given his language barrier, they look for opportunities to underscore the value of art as a survival tactic in combat settings. They often work together on the same canvas to produce meaningful art. Insha firmly believes in the transformative power of artistic expressions as tools for peacebuilding, justice, and gender equality. Art serves as both a psychological retreat and a practical strategy for survival and empowerment, transforming suffering into resilience. 

Participant in: August 2024 Fellowship: The Arts as a Tool for Peacebuilding