Female Faculty Navigating Professional Journeys in Higher Education of Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Academia is often perceived as a meritocratic and egalitarian space, yet it remains laden with structural barrier that disproportionately affect women in their professional journeys within higher education institutions. This study explored these barriers in the context of higher education in AJK. We used quantitative research design and employed cross-sectional research method in the positivistic tradition. We collected data from a sample of 35 women academicians from one public sector co-educational university in AJK by means of simple random sampling technique. We employed a questionnaire of 21 items in data collection. The findings revealed that the challenges women face in their professional careers are structurally embedded within gendered institutional norms of higher education, as theorized by Acker (1990). Experiences of alienation, work-family conflict, the glass ceiling, low self-esteem, and exclusion from decision-making are not isolated issues but reflect deeply ingrained patriarchal values within the higher education system of AJK.