Mountain Girls of Kargil

In the remote northern region of Ladakh, India, young Muslim women are redefining their culture, religion, and gender roles. As they pursue higher education and participate in traditionally male-dominated sports, these women are discovering their strength, freedom, and happiness while exploring some of the world's most rugged mountains.

The Mountain Girls of Kargil bears witness to a story about the courage to explore one's identity in the face of societal constraints and the roles young Muslim women must take on within her culture. These societal constraints include gender norms, limited educational opportunities, and cultural expectations that often restrict women's freedom and potential. These bright and curious women are encouraged into an educational or career path they do not want to follow or are expected to get married and start a family.

This Mountain Girls of Kargil illuminates the profound strength of quiet acts of defiance while pushing boundaries to see what can be discovered about oneself and the world.

Eleanor Moseman

Eleanor Moseman is a photographer, human rights advocate, and adventurer who uses her camera to amplify social and cultural narratives involving women and persecuted groups. She is based in Oregon, but considers Asia "home".

From 2008-2020, Eleanor was based in China and focused on drawing international awareness to the humanitarian issues of persecuted Buddhists in Tibet and the Muslim Uighurs (or Uighur community) of Xinjiang. As political regimes and the landscapes eradicate these cultures’ traditions change, she is working on creating photographic historical records of an era soon to be gone.

Eleanor's photography has been published in The Guardian, PBS NewsHour, The Atlantic, Nikon: Learn & Explore, The LA Times, Bust, Zeke Magazine, Forbes Life (China), and other international publications. In 2020, her work was exhibited at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C., the Rose-Hulman Institute, and the British Museum in London. Her photography, first-hand knowledge, and experiences also contribute to the research of anthropologists, historians, and conservationists.

Eleanor continues her commitment to the Tibetan and Uyghur people while continuing her education and pursuing personal goals. She has been studying the Tibetan language since 2020 and volunteers under an alias for a Tibetan publication. She participated in the prestigious Missouri Photojournalism Workshop 75, a workshop with Ed Kashi and PhotoVoice.

Exploration of Asia began on a two-year, 15,000-mile solo bicycling tour around China, Tibet, and Central Asia that ended in 2012. This adventure was the catalyst that moved her towards a career in photojournalism while she embarked upon many more intrepid solo adventures. These journeys into remote regions of Asia brought her closer to the people, culture, and pressing social issues that need to be documented and shared with the rest of the world.