Geneva, June 23, 2023 (PPI-OT): A seminar held on the sidelines of the 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, while debating women empowerment in conflict zones, has stressed the need for women’s inclusive and meaningful participation in peace building and creating an environment where their voices and contribution are heard and acknowledged.

The seminar titled, “Women in Conflict: Challenges and Responsibilities” was attended and addressed by former parliamentarians, diplomats, rights activists, writers and academicians hailing from different parts of the world including Julie Ward, former MEP (Member of European Parliament); Georgiana Epure, senior advocacy and campaigns officer at Girls Not Bride; Tazeen Hasan, the recipient of Harvard Spotlight award; Barrister Margaret Owen, President Widows for Peace Through Democracy; Ms Shamim Shawl, representative of International Muslim Women Union (IMWU); Dr Shagufta Ashraf and several others. Whereas, the side-event sponsored by International Human Rights Association of American Minorities (IHRAAM) and Word Muslim Congress (WMC) was moderated by WMC representative and Chairman of Kashmir Institute of International Relations, Altaf Hussain Wani.

The speakers, while referring to devastating impacts of Kashmir conflict on women, said the women have been the worst victims of the long drawn dispute. Besides bearing the brunt of violence, they said the Kashmiri women have lost their kith and kin during the ongoing conflict. They regrettably noted that sexual violence being leveraged as a weapon of war by the Indian forces in the region has been grossly overlooked at the international level despite growing awareness of urgent need to empower women in the conflict-hit areas. They said the prolonged Indian military occupation of Kashmir and the presence of over half a million troops in the region have created a fertile ground for violence against the women. “Outrage of modesty and other forms of violence against women have been one of the deadly aspects of the long drawn conflict that has inexpressibly shattered the lives of women living under a constant threat of rape and sexual assault from the Indian army,” they said.

Referring to the nightmarish ordeal of the Kashmiri women have been going through, the speakers said, “The mass-rape of scores of women in Kunanposhpora village in Handwara in 1991 by the Indian occupation forces and double rape and murder case of Shopian serve as the most shocking example of the Indian state terrorism”. They said, the ongoing conflict has wreaked havoc on women’s physical and mental health. “There has been a phenomenal increase in psychiatric morbidity due to the continued conflict in the region while on the other hand the sense of insecurity is greater among girls and young women who have become virtual prisoners in their own houses because of the continued threat of abduction and sexual abuse from the Indian army found present at every nook, corner and cranny of the state,” they added.

The speakers noted that the Kashmiri women continue to suffer the worst consequences of violence and abuse of power by the Indian forces despite growing calls for empowerment of women in conflict zones. They said that it was high time that the world human rights bodies should take effective cognizance of the matter and take concrete steps to help stop violence against the Kashmiri women.

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