Kashmiri Pashmina entreprenuer speaks at UK-India Trade Roundtable on Gender in UK Parliament

London, 12th July – The All-Party Parliamentary Group on India (Trade and Investment) and Kings College London recently hosted a roundtable discussion on ‘Gender Inclusivity in the UK-India Trade and Investment Relationship’ at the House of Lords in the UK Parliament. The event featured the participation of Kashmiri entreprenuer Mujtaba Kadri, who is the founder of the luxury pashmina brand, Me&K.

Chaired by Baroness Prashar, a well-known figure in gender-inclusive trade, the two-hour session aimed to shed light on various aspects of trade and its impact on women, particularly in the context of the UK-India relationship. The roundtable focused on four key questions, addressing trade policies, equitable distribution of benefits, policy challenges, and consumer awareness related to gender inclusivity.

Pertinetly, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on India (Trade and Investment) examines how trade and trade facilitation policies impact women and explores ways to ensure that the benefits of trade are more equitably distributed among genders. The group also examines issues of gender equality and fairness in supply chains, particularly in industries such as textiles and fashion. It explores ways to ensure that women workers in these industries receive fair wages, safe working conditions, and equal opportunities for advancement.

During the introductory remarks, Kadri emphasized the endeavors undertaken by Me&K to empower women and revitalize the traditional art of hand spinning pashmina in Kashmir. Recognizing the growing demand for slow and sustainable fashion, he highlighted the enduring sustainability of Kashmir’s pashmina and other traditional textiles over centuries.

Kadri drew attention to the significant role played by women in the pashmina industry, particularly in the intricate craft of hand spinning and embroidery. To ensure fair wages and empower women, he proposed leveraging the ‘Kashmir Pashmina’ Geographical Indication (GI) tag, which authenticates the production process and provides a QR code for each hand-spun pashmina. With approximately 80% of wages going to female workers in the hand-spun, hand-woven pashmina sector, Kadri urged the MPs and the Chair to advocate for duty-free import of ‘Kashmir Pashmina’ with a GI mark. This measure would incentivize entrepreneurs and designers to incorporate ‘Kashmir Pashmina’ in their creations, ultimately increasing demand and uplifting women’s wages.

Addressing an important trade-related concern, Kadri highlighted the detrimental impact of negative travel advisories issued by the UK government for the past 33 years, leading to hesitancy among companies to send personnel to Kashmir for trade purposes. This situation has significantly affected export trade in the region.

The APPG chair expressed keen interest in organizing a meeting in Kashmir in the near future, indicating the potential for further collaboration and exploration of trade opportunities.