UNITED NATIONS: Emphasizing its strong commitment to incorporating a gender perspective in UN peace operations, Pakistan has called for an end to the suffering of women and girls under foreign occupation, particularly in Kashmir and Palestine.
Ambassador Munir Akram, addressing the UN Security Council during a debate on ‘Women, Peace, and Security,’ highlighted that the most severe violations against women and girls occur in situations of foreign occupation, where the subjugation of the occupied population is a primary goal, placing women and girls in especially vulnerable positions.
He pointed out that in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, over 100,000 men, women, and children were killed since 1990.
Ambassador Akram urged the Security Council to confront “the dire and unacceptable” situation faced by women and girls under foreign occupation. The day-long debate featured over 60 speakers advocating for women’s involvement in peace processes and equal participation in decision-making.
He noted that Pakistan was the first nation to endorse the UN Secretary-General’s Declaration of Shared Commitments, recognizing Women, Peace, and Security as a central priority in strengthening UN peacekeeping efforts.
He cited Pakistan’s dispatch of its first all-female community engagement team to Africa in 2019, which successfully implemented various initiatives, including vocational training for local women and students.
In recent years, the number of Pakistani women peacekeepers has increased, with many serving as doctors, nurses, and police officers in challenging environments. Notably, Shahzadi Gulfam became the first-ever recipient of the International Female Police Peacekeeper Award in 2011.
Ambassador Akram emphasized that Pakistan’s highly trained UN peacekeepers, including female personnel, continue to uphold the highest standards in fulfilling peacekeeping mandates and protecting vulnerable populations, particularly women, from violence.
He further stated that the global situation remains perilous for women and girls, who are often ensnared in cycles of violence and suffering due to ongoing conflicts and disputes, making them extremely susceptible to sexual violence.
“The anguish of Kashmiri women is heightened by the abduction of family members, including children, during midnight raids, illegal detentions, and torture by occupying forces,” he said. “The Women, Peace, and Security Agenda must prioritize ending the suffering of women under foreign occupation—in Kashmir, Palestine, and elsewhere.”
