GENEVA: Speakers at a seminar titled ‘Women and Children of Conflict,’ held on the sidelines of the 56th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, called for the Council’s proactive involvement in addressing the pressing challenges faced by women and children in conflict and colonial regions.
The seminar featured distinguished human rights activists, international law experts, and academicians from around the globe.
Speakers included Shamim Shawl, permanent representative of IMWU; Carolyn Handschin Moser from the Women’s Federation for World Peace International; Julie Ward, former Member of the European Parliament; Barrister Margaret Owen, founder of Widows for Peace & Development; Ghazala Habib; Ahmed Bin Qasim; Maria Iqbal; Madiha Khan; and Stella Harris, member of the Women’s Federation. The event was moderated by KIIR chairman Altaf Hussain Wani.
The speakers highlighted the dire plight of the Kashmiri and Palestinian people, lamenting that despite international humanitarian laws and numerous resolutions of the UN Security Council aimed at protecting their rights, these vulnerable populations continue to suffer severe hardships.
Describing women and children as the worst victims of ongoing conflicts in these war-torn areas, the speakers emphasized that they constitute a significant portion of civilian casualties. “Women and children, being vulnerable segments of society, face exacerbated suffering during emergencies and armed conflicts as they become prime targets of inhumane acts, leading to physical, psychological, and socio-economic harm,” they noted.
The speakers stressed the importance of fostering dialogue, enhancing understanding, and mobilizing action to protect and empower women and children in conflict zones.
They called for the equal application and implementation of international humanitarian laws, including the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, which provide for the protection of civilians.
They regretted that the lack of implementation of these laws is a primary cause and consequence of ongoing violence and bloodshed in the Indian Illegal Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Palestine.
The speakers emphasized the urgent need to strengthen global efforts to safeguard the rights and dignity of vulnerable populations worldwide, especially in conflict-affected areas like IIOJK and Palestine.
The speakers argued that only through collective action and respect for international humanitarian laws can women and children be protected from the ravages of conflict.
They made a passionate appeal to the international community to stand up for the rights of Kashmiri children, who have been among the worst victims of the prolonged dispute and Indian state terrorism.
Referring to the devastating impacts of the conflict on Kashmiri society, they said, “Besides affecting the mental and physical health of women and children, the continued violence has rendered their future bleak.”
The speakers highlighted that foreign occupation is the main cause and consequence of bloodshed and violence in both disputed territories of Kashmir and Palestine.
They also appealed for the release of jailed Kashmiri women including Asiya Andrabi, Nahida Nasreen, and Fahimda Sofi, who are facing false charges and have developed multiple complications in Delhi’s Tihar jail.
The seminar was jointly organized by the International Muslim Women Union and the Kashmir Institute of International Relations.
