Tracing Inequalities: A Geospatial Study of Women’s Well-Being in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir

Women’s well-being is a multidimensional concept encompassing health, education, economic participation, and social empowerment, reflecting both individual capabilities and societal opportunities. This study examines the spatio-temporal patterns of women’s well-being across districts of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, with a focus on inter-district disparities and temporal changes. The study is based on the secondary data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4, 2015–16) and NFHS-5 (2019–21) to understand the spatio-temporal trends. Further, composite index was constructed based on various indicators and sub-indicators to evaluate and compare the status of districts across multiple indicators. Geospatial techniques were employed to map and visualise these variations, enabling a clear representation of both spatial patterns and temporal shifts. The findings reveal marked spatial inequalities, with districts such as Jammu, Samba, Kathua, and Srinagar located in the plains and characterised by higher levels of urbanisation, connectivity, and infrastructural development consistently performing better on the composite well-being index. Conversely, hilly and remote districts such as Rajouri, Riasi and Ramban exhibit lower scores, reflecting constraints in accessibility, resources, and service delivery. The results underscore the significance of geographic, socio-economic, and infrastructural factors in shaping women’s well-being, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to bridge regional disparities and promote inclusive development in the Union Territory.