The Bakarwals and Gujjars are nomadic tribes who traditionally roam the valleys and mountainous regions of Jammu and Kashmir with herds of goats and sheep.
However, their way of life is increasingly neglected by political decisions and influenced in many ways by climate change. The members of the community are massively discriminated against by society and, like the Kashmiris themselves, are suffering from the consequences of the ongoing violent conflict in their immediate vicinity. This makes it difficult for them to address other challenges such as access to healthcare, sanitation, food and water, and information.
Both the Bakarwals and the Gujjars have no choice but to conform to the system of a society that excludes them for who they are.
