GENEVA: Speakers at a seminar in Geneva highlighted the severe impact of the Kashmir conflict on women, focusing on the suffering caused by Indian state terrorism.
The seminar, titled “Women in Conflicts,” was organized by the International Muslim Women’s Union in collaboration with the Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR), AHRAAM, and other organizations.
A distinguished panel of human rights activists, academicians, and international law experts participated, including Ms. Shamim Shawl, Ms. Caroline Handschin Moussir, Barrister Margaret Owen, Ms. Wendi Momen, Ms. Zarin Hansworth, Ms. Settla Harris, Ms. Hadia Sartaj, and Ms. Naila Altaf Kanynie.
The speakers underscored the vulnerability of Kashmiri women, who have suffered immense physical and psychological trauma due to the ongoing conflict. They called on global human rights organizations to intervene and put an end to the violence and mistreatment inflicted by Indian forces.
The panel discussed the continued trauma faced by women in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, referencing multiple incidents of mass rape, including the infamous Kunan-Poshpora case.
Despite 32 years having passed, justice remains elusive for the victims of Kunan-Poshpora, with the case closed in 1991 under pressure from the Indian army.
The speakers condemned the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war by Indian forces and criticized the Indian judiciary for failing to hold the perpetrators accountable. They also denounced the Indian government’s attempts to suppress the Kashmiri people’s fight for self-determination through brutal tactics.
“It is hypocritical for a nation that claims to be progressive to use rape as a weapon of war,” the speakers remarked, pointing out that despite numerous reports, no Indian military personnel have been held accountable for these crimes.
