Geneva: A seminar in Geneva focused on the distressing impact of the ongoing conflict in Kashmir on women, detailing the severe consequences of Indian state actions on this vulnerable demographic.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the seminar, titled “Women in Conflicts,” was organized by the International Muslim Women’s Union in partnership with the Kashmir Institute of International Relations and other groups. It featured experts like Ms. Shamim Shawl and Barrister Margaret Owen among others, who discussed the dire situation faced by Kashmiri women, including instances of mass rape and other forms of sexual violence used as weapons of war by Indian forces.
The speakers criticized the Indian judiciary’s failure to prosecute those responsible for these atrocities, notably in cases such as the infamous Kunan-Poshpora incident, where victims have yet to see justice after more than three decades. The seminar highlighted the ongoing efforts by the Indian government to suppress the Kashmiri struggle for self-determination, using brutal tactics against civilians.
The event concluded with a strong appeal to the international community to intervene and hold the Indian government accountable for its human rights violations in Kashmir, and to ensure that justice is served for the affected women.