International Women’s Day is a worldwide event that celebrates women’s achievements – from the political to the social – while calling for gender equality.
It has been observed since the early 1900s and is now recognised each year on March 8. It is not affiliated with any one group, but brings together governments, women’s organisations, corporations and charities.
The day is marked around the world with arts performances, talks, rallies, networking events, conferences and marches.
On this International Women’s Day, It would be pertinent to highlight the women rights situation in Kashmir and draw attention of international community towards the same.Kashmiri women play a big role for achieving their rights, for resolution of Kashmir issue and hence achieving the sustainable peace in the region.
Women in conflicts zones carry the heaviest burdens and bear the greatest weight of occupation and same is the case with Kashmiri women. Kashmir represents the worst case of human barbarity and particularly the condition of women in Indian Occupied Kashmir is vulnerable. Women in Kashmir don’t enjoy the basic rights which are given under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and even promised under CEDAW (The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly described as an international bill of rights for women. This defines women rights and their fundamental freedom in the political, economic, social, cultural, and civil or any other sphere of life. Unfortunately, the international instruments have no impact on the situation of human rights in Kashmir and Indian government is not providing the basic rights to the Kashmiri people especially to women. That’s why Indian government doesn’t allow international representatives and foreign media to enter in Jammu & Kashmir
Since 1989, more than ten thousand Kashmiri women have been gang raped by Indian forces and more than twenty two thousand have been widowed and thousands are living the lives of half widows whose husbands have disappeared and their fate remains unknown.
In Kashmir, women are being raped with impunity and most of them go unreported given the social stigma and fear of retribution by the Indian Government. Further the black laws implemented by Indian government in Kashmir give impunity to Indian forces and protect their atrocities and this has added to the miseries of Kashmiris
In Kashmir, women haven’t freedom and protection in society due to state terrorism by Indian occupied troops. Their husbands, brothers and sons are brutally murdered in front of their eyes. Similarly males of the family are forced to stand while their women are being raped. It is psychological trauma and to be a woman has become a crime in Kashmir. Kashmiri women are victim of Indian war crimes. Women carry burden of murdered men as they are unable to earn livelihood for themselves and for their children in presence of about 800 thousand troops. Orphans have no access to good education and health facilities. These sufferings are not accidental but are being used as a tool to achieve military objectives such as spreading political terror, suppressing the voice of freedom, breaking the resistance against status quo etc. Kashmiri women since last seven decades are fighting for just cause and have given all these sacrifices for getting their basic rights and peace in their home
land Kashmiri women stand resilient today in their victimhood. Tribute to women who are facing violence, crackdown, fake encounters, disappearances, brutal torture and shoot to kill incidents but still struggling to have their rights. Women are principal stakeholders in Kashmir issue and it is time that everyone has to recognize that.
This is time when women around the world are putting their demands for full education, health care, security etc. Theme of international women day is ‘make it happen’ and indeed the brave women of Kashmir will not be intimidated by occupied troops For international community, the Kashmiri women are a forgotten chapter. If sexual assault against women is committed in other countries, the conscience of international community is jolted and it responds but when Kashmiri women are victimized, conscience of world is silent because it is driven by realpolitik. Bigger the country, more influential it is, more impunity it will have. Justice should not be selective and this message should go from the civil society to important capitals which influence the decisions across the globe.
One big problem is access to information from the ground as Indian government doesn’t give access to free media for coverage of ground realities. Due to Indian hegemony, suffering women and children are missing from media. Lack of access of international institutions makes women soft target for sexual and physical abuse. Victims are living in constant fear and culprits are seldom brought to law.
Kashmiri stories need to find place in media which will create awareness in different parts of world. Media should give voice to voiceless and highlight women’s condition and their role in Kashmir struggle by publishing the stories of women. Social media should be used to create awareness regarding Kashmir issue by publishing stories of victimized women. The Kashmir issue has been forgotten over the globe and it needs to be raised once again with reference of International Day of Women. People of Kashmir are not letting go down their struggle, so we should stand with them and talk for them.
Education, economy, technology and wisdom are needed to resolve such issues and to secure rights of Kashmiri women. This painful story needs to come to an end. There has to be sustainable peace in Kashmir which cannot be imposed by military means. A small army can defeat a big army but even a biggest army cannot defeat a nation. Indian forces will not be able to impose their will on the people of Kashmir.
In a small valley, presence of eight hundred thousand military and paramilitary troops with the black laws giving ‘license to kill’, has no justification. There is distinction between freedom fighters and terrorists and this distinction should be kept in mind while discussing about Kashmiris’ freedom struggle. An important ingredient in seeking sustainable peace is that the very people, who are affected, must be a part of the solution. In Kashmir, we don’t see women in conflict resolution and peace building process. Women as survivors, protectors, freedom fighters and peace builders, all should be documented in stakeholder analysis. There is need of inclusive security to bring women to peace talks.
Women are able to link the informal space at grass root to the decision maker. In North Ireland, South Africa, Guatemala, by inclusion of women, the quality of agreement and the chance of implementation improved. Collective action by women should be undertaken as a catalyst for peace. Demilitarization and repeal of draconian laws are mandatory steps for peace process in Kashmir.
