Islamabad, Women have been disproportionately affected by Indian state terrorism in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) over the past seventy-five years, report released by the Research Section of Kashmir Media Service. The report underscores the extensive human rights abuses and violence that women in the region have faced.
According to Kashmir Media Service, at least 685 women have been martyred by Indian forces since January 2001. Women in IIOJK have suffered immensely in the conflict, with 22,972 becoming widows since 1989. The report condemns the sexual harassment, molestation, and disgrace that Kashmiri women have endured at the hands of Indian troops, paramilitary, and police personnel as part of efforts to suppress their demand for the right to self-determination. It documents that 11,263 women have been victims of such abuse during this period.
The report highlights several notorious cases of brutality by Indian forces, including the Kunanposhpora mass rape in 1991, the Shopian double-rape-and-murder case in 2009, and the Kathua rape-and-murder of an 8-year-old girl in 2018. These incidents exemplify the extreme violence perpetrated by Indian forces in the occupied territory.
Further, the report sheds light on the thousands of women who have lost family members to custodial disappearances. The Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons reports over 8,000 Kashmiris missing in custody over the past 35 years.
The report also reveals the harm caused to school children by pellets fired by Indian troops, with many losing their eyesight. This includes young victims like 19-month-old Heeba Jan and 2-year-old Nusrat Jan.
At least 33 women, including Hurriyat leaders and activists, are currently facing illegal detention due to their involvement in the struggle for self-determination. The majority of Kashmiris suffering from multiple psychic problems are women, the report adds.
The Kashmir Media Service’s report calls for the world community to acknowledge the severe hardships and brutalities faced by Kashmiri women in the occupied territory and urges international action to address these human rights violations.