Geneva seminar calls for global action to protect women & children in Kashmir, Palestine
Geneva: Speakers at a seminar held on the sidelines of the 56th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council highlighting the plight of women and children afflicted by conflict in Kashmir and Palestine, called for the Council’s proactive role in addressing the pressing challenges faced by these vulnerable populations in areas afflicted by conflict and colonialism.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the seminar, titled “Women and Children of Conflict,” was jointly organized by the International Muslim Women Union and the Kashmir Institute of International Relations. The event was attended and addressed by noted human rights activists, international law experts, and academicians from various parts of the world, including Mrs. Shamim Shawl, permanent representative IMWU, Ms. Carolyn Handschin Moser from Women’s Federation for World Peace International, Ms. Julie Ward, Former Member of the European Parliament, Barrister Margaret Owen, Founder of Widows for Peace & Development, Ms. Ghazala Habib, Ahmed Bin Qasim, Ms. Maria Iqbal, Ms. Madiha Khan, Advocate Parvez Ahmad, Dr Waleed Rasool, and Ms. Stella Harris, Member of Women’s Federation. The event was moderated by KIIR chairman Altaf Hussain Wani.
The speakers emphasized that foreign occupation fuels violence and bloodshed in both the disputed territories of Kashmir and Palestine, making women and children the primary victims. Despite existing international humanitarian laws and resolutions, these vulnerable populations continue to suffer severe hardships, they said. The speakers regretted the insufficient implementation of these laws, which perpetuates violence and blood in Kashmir and Palestine, asserting that only through collective action and respect for these laws can women and children be protected from the ravages of conflict.
The speakers passionately urged the international community to stand up for the rights of Kashmiri children, who have been the worst victims of the lingering dispute and Indian state terrorism. They highlighted the devastating impacts of the conflict on Kashmiri society, stating, “Besides affecting the mental and physical health of women and children, the continued conflict violence has rendered their future bleak.”
Additionally, the seminar called for the release of Kashmiri women prisoners unjustly detained in New Delhi’s Tihar jail, including Asiya Andrabi, Nahida Nasreen, and Fahimda Sofi, who face false charges and multiple health issues.
