GAHKUCH, GHIZER: It used to be that shopping Ghizer was a predominantly masculine affair. Shopkeepers were men and customers were men. If you were a woman who wanted to buy a pair of shoes, you’d have to send someone from your family to get the job done.

But all that has changed in Ghizer’s capital Gahkuch. Now, in the middle of the busy bazaar full of men, you can find the First Women Trade Centre, a market run for women and by women, one of Gilgit Baltistan’s first such enterprises.

“We have everything, including beauty parlors, tailoring, ladies’ garments, kids’ garments, cosmetics, shoes, crockery, arts and crafts shops,” says Shaista Parveen, the centre’s chairperson.

The idea for a women-only market was conceived under the Aga Khan Economic Planning Board in 2016.

In a year, 22 shops opened and today the number has gone up to 30. The market is a place where young girls can train in crafts and how to run a business.

“When the customers come to our centre, they feel very comfortable here which is why they come again and again,” she explained.

The sense of privacy and safety is created by a boundary wall with a gate and no men can enter. The space has turned into a safe one for children too, who play in the lawn while their mothers shop.

The market has opened a source of income for families as well. Shah Bano used to be on a limited salary as a private school teacher but as her cosmetics and garments shop took off, she quit. “I can easily earn Rs30,000 to Rs40,000 a month but it depends on the season,” she said. “Before Eids or other celebrations, our sales hit Rs150,000 and we earn a higher profit then.” An additional help is that the women can bring their children to work to keep an eye on them.

According to Shah Bano, the market is not just a business centre but a community space where the women can get together to discuss their problems.

The initiative encouraged women sitting at home to join in. “In this time of inflation and price hikes domestic needs cannot be met by the earnings of a single man,” Shah Bano said. “Therefore, women should come forward to earn and assist their men in financial matters.”

The centre has three popular beauty salons. At one Saba, a beautician who was busy with a client’s facial, said that she had wanted to do this work for a long time. When she learnt about the women trade centre opening in Gahkuch, she enrolled in a beautician’s course.

“On average days, 20 to 25 customers visit us daily for a facial, cleansing, brow work, hairstyles, skincare and bridal makeup,” she says.

Some young women are so enthusiastic that they want to pursue careers in the beauty industry.

Ishrat, for example, is one young student who enrolled after her SSC exams. “I want to become a beautician because on one hand I love it and on the other hand it has a great demand in this area,” she says, adding that she wants to open her own salon.

Most of the businesswomen are from the Ismaili community but a majority of customers are women from the Sunni community. “Women from the Ismaili community have no restrictions on going outside and buying from general shopping centres run by men,” says Shah Nigar, who runs a cosmetics shop. “Mostly women from the Sunni and Shia communities come here to shop as they have no issues with purdah.”