Combating Violence against Women
Seminar Report
Total time of the Webinar : 2 Hours and 18 minutes
Date : July 1st, 2020
ModeratorMs. Shagufta Ashraf
Notable Speakers
Former MEP Julie Ward
Ms. Marina Zukka
Barrister Margaret Owen
Catherine Constantinides
Ms Soraya Boyd from UK
Mrs. Shamim Shawl
Dr Saira Shah
Highlights
In the first instance, Altaf Hussain Wani, Chairman KIIR, established the welcoming note to the panelists to formally open the discussion. He asserted the necessity of conducting this debate through a webinar on the sidelines of the 44th Human Rights session, which they couldn’t attend physically due to the presence of an epidemic, COVID-19.
Mrs. Shamim Shawl clearly said that it’s been more than seven decades that the parabola of gender based violation
in Indian occupied Kashmir has been increasing since the last seven decades. The violence against young women,
widows and half widows in India and IOK has been condemned by the international human rights activists and
communities as it is against the international human rights laws like Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
She described the insight of pain of Kashmiri women who face all kinds of harassment, molestation and rapes from the Indian security forces. Furthermore, she recalled the Poshpora massive rape incident 1989. She reclaimed that thousands of women have been figured out to be half widows in IOK, who were left behind psychologically, morally and physically weak. Sorrowfully, she expressed that women of all ages had been killed by the Indian security forces.
Barrister Margaret Owen said that the sexual violence has been evident to be a tool to suppress Kashmiri people of IOK. Women's bodies, regardless their ages have been harassed and molested in IOK, which causes the stigmatization of women in IOK. She expressed her concerns over the gender based violations in IOK. Moreover, she said that India should be held accountable for the brutal activities in IOK and should be brought to the International court of Justice. She condemned the Indian government for the prosecution of human rights in IOK and she highlighted the ethnic cleansing motives of Indian government towards their own country as they are exterminating muslims, the second largest population in India, by rendering various amendments in Indian constitutional laws. In addition to this, she criticized the Indian government to launch double lockdown in IOK amidst the covid-19, by disrupting the communication lines, medications and internet.
The former MEP, Julie Ward, discussed the struggles women faced due to the terrible incidents of sexual violence all over the world. She rightly said that Kashmiris are suffering from the global pandemic of depression and repression of minorities by the Autocratic authorities.
An International Human Rights Law and International Criminal Law expert Ms. Marina Zukka, reclaimed that India is committing Genocide in Indian Occupied Kashmir. She discussed the sufferings of women in children, in the region of conflict. She said that Indian government did use Covid-19 against the minorities in India. She added that Gender based and social violence have been used to suppress and provoke people. India has been deliberately violated the International human rights law. She said that we could work together with the supranational organization like European Union, civil societies and UN bodies and Conventions based on eliminating Gender based violations to achieve peace all over the world. She condemned the autocratic policies of Modi’s government of India. She said that women should be protected against all types of violations.
Catherine Constantinides highlighted the importance of international solidarity. She expressed her sorrow and sympathy towards the Kashmiri people of Indian occupied Kashmir, who faced absolutism and totalitarianism of Indian government, in the forms of torture and gender based violation. Catherine Constantinides emphasized the need to work together to support the right to self-determination of all people to decide of their own free will and achieve their political aspirations.
Ms Soraya Boyd from the UK, exposed the heinous intentions of Indian government to change the demography in Indian occupied Kashmir just like Israel did in Palestine. She added that how the double lockdown had disrupted and devastated the people of IOK. She said that India is no longer a constitutionally democratic state because they are violating the democratic rights of the minorities in IOK. She said that Modi’s government promotes and supports ethnic hatred and faith violence against Kashmiris.
Saira shah rightly explained the sufferings of kashmiri people. She said that it’s not a war in IOK but a freedom right movement, which had been suppressed in IOK since the last three decades. Sexual violence has been instigating traumatic physical and mental abuse against women and men in IOK. India is mainly using the abuse of power in IOK. Furthermore, she added that the sexual abuse is a substantial threat to the people of IOK. Indian forces are enjoying the impunities for their cruel and brutal acts in IOK. She explained how women of IOK have been in complete despair due to the disappearances and deaths of their sons, husbands and fathers.
Past Events
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