GENDERED CONSTRAINTS FOR WOMEN MOUNTAINEERS OF GILGIT BALTISTAN

Abstract

Gilgit-Baltistan in Northern Pakistan is globallyknown for its high-altitude terrain and mountain peaks; however, mountaineering in the region has historicallybeen perceiveda male-dominated realm. Although women’s recent participation in mountaineering challengesdeep rooted gender stereotypes,significantsocio-cultural barriers continue to persist.Current article exploreshow socially constructed notions of gender roles and expectations systematically limit women’s participation in mountaineering. Employing a multi-sited ethnographic approach, the research uses participant observation, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs),in-depth interviews from a sample of 25 respondents,todocument women lived experiences across diverse social contexts within the region.The study findings reveal that women mountaineers face gender inequalities, particularly in the form of spatial confinement to domestic spheres. Constraints such as, restricted social andphysical mobility, the unequal burden of reproductive labor and the cultural preferences of familial responsibilities overprofessional aspirations create substantial barriersto women participation in mountaineering. Further, the gendered division of labor reinforces the perception of high-altitude environments as inherently “masculine” spaces. The study concludes that women’s exclusion from mountaineering is not merely a matter of individual choice, but rather a manifestation of broader structural inequalities that govern access to and control over geographical and physical spaces