International Women’s Day Civilized was celebrated across the globe on Thursday with great pomp and show, but the ground reality is that a lot more is needed to be done for the social and political emancipation of the women folk that constitute almost half of the total population in the world.
Despite the fact that there had been great advancement in every field of life but it is quite unfortunate that in this modern world we are living in the women continue to face severe challenges such as domestic violence, gender-bias, harassment and sexual victimization. In third world countries lack of education, inequality, access to education and absence of proper health care facilities are the major issues confronted by the women.
However, in unrecognized disputed territories like Palestine and Kashmir the condition of women is even more horrendous and appalling. The Indian occupied Kashmir that happens to be the world’s most militarized zone, presents a dismal picture, not to talk of fundamental rights the womenfolk in this forsaken land has been subjected to worst kind of oppression by Indian occupation forces for past several years.
According to a report released on International Human Rights Day, thousands of women are among 94,930 civilians martyred by Indian troops and paramilitary personnel since January 1989. The Indian state terrorism rendered 22,866 women widowed, while 11,043 were molested. Whereas, a large number of women have lost their sons, husbands, fathers and brothers during custody of Indian army and police.
“Hundreds of girls were among the injured, with 16-year-old Insha Mushtaq and 14-year old Ifra Shakour who lost eyesight in firing of pellets and bullets by Indian forces since July, 2016”, the report said.
Nonetheless, the unending agonies of women continue unabated in occupied Kashmir. But the most unfortunate part of this tragic story is that Indian occupation forces have been using rape as a weapon of war but the so-called civilized world has maintained complete silence over this pathetic situation the women of the troubled region are forced to go through. The chilling brutalities unleashed upon the women by Indian forces in the disputed territory must serve as an eye-opener to world.
Gender equality and women’s empowerment are fundamental to the global mission of the United Nations to achieve equal rights and dignity for all women living in different parts of the world but the cries of weeping and wailing mothers, sisters and daughters go unheard and unnoticed at international level.
It is time that the international community must take effective cognizance of the worsening situation in the region and play its much needed role to mitigate the sufferings of Kashmir women. The protracted conflict, as a matter of fact, has been major cause of violence in the region that has taken heavy toll on women’s lives being vulnerable segment of the society.
