Geneva, A Kashmiri delegation leveraged International Women’s Day to shed light on the grim circumstances faced by women in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) during a meeting with Dilnoza Mingboyeva, the Second Secretary at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations in Geneva.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the delegation detailed the alleged exploitation of Kashmiri women by Indian forces, describing them as instruments of war in the ongoing conflict. The representatives pointed out the dire situation of humiliation and victimization that these women endure, highlighting the large numbers who have become widows or ‘half-widows’—a term used for women whose husbands are missing but not confirmed dead.
Moreover, the delegation discussed the detention of Kashmiri women by Indian authorities, noting that many are held without trial in jails across India and IIOJK. The encounter provided a platform for the delegation, which included Syed Faiz Naqshbani, Hassan Al-Bana, and Advocate Parvez Ahmad Shah, to voice these pressing human rights concerns on an international stage.
Mingboyeva expressed her concern for the Kashmiri populace, particularly the women who bear an undue burden in the conflict. This meeting underscores the ongoing international dialogue about the situation in Kashmir, highlighting the need for awareness and action concerning human rights violations in the region.