by Naila Altaf Kayani
International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on March 8, serves as a powerful reminder of the remarkable achievements of women worldwide and their significant contributions to various facets of society. It is a day dedicated to honouring the social, economic, cultural, and political accomplishments of women, while also raising awareness about the challenges they continue to face, such as gender inequality, discrimination, and violence.
The origins of this global celebration trace back to the struggles of female textile workers in New York City in 1857 and women workers in the needle trades in 1908. These early protests laid the foundation for International Women’s Day, which began its annual observance in 1910. Over the years, the day has evolved into a platform for acknowledging the ongoing fight for women’s rights and equality.
Despite increased global awareness and progress in women’s rights, the plight of women in many parts of the world remains dire. One such region is occupied Jammu and Kashmir, where the intersection of gender-based violence and political oppression presents a grave human rights crisis. While women in Azad Jammu and Kashmir thrive in various spheres of life, their counterparts across the ceasefire line face daily challenges due to the illegal occupation by India.
Occupied Kashmir stands as a stark example of human cruelty and oppression. Kashmiri women are deprived of basic human rights guaranteed by international declarations and conventions, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The Indian government’s refusal to grant these rights exacerbates the suffering of Kashmiri women.
Under military rule and state terrorism, Kashmiri women lack protection and freedom in society. The brutality of the Indian forces manifests in the form of witnessed killings, forced rapes, and psychological trauma. Kashmiri women are not only victims of war crimes but also endure the burden of becoming psychiatric patients, with mental stress-related cases skyrocketing from 10% to 60-70% since 1990.
The challenging conditions in Kashmir, deliberately imposed for military purposes, serve as a weapon to crush resistance against the status quo and suppress the voice of freedom. For seven decades, Kashmiri women have borne the weight of widowhood, unable to secure employment due to the overwhelming presence of Indian troops. Health and education facilities for orphans are scarce, contributing to the perpetuation of their plight.
Even in the face of adversity, Kashmiri women have not merely remained behind the scenes but actively participated in the freedom movement, often facing imprisonment while demonstrating leadership alongside men. On this International Women’s Day, it is crucial for the world not to turn a blind eye to the atrocities suffered by every mother, sister, and daughter in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir at the hands of the invading army and administration.
The global community must hold India accountable for the massive crimes against women in both Occupied Kashmir and within its own borders. International Women’s Day serves as a poignant reminder to take immediate action to save Kashmiri women from the brutality inflicted by Indian soldiers, thereby advancing the dream of true peace and freedom worldwide. It is a collective responsibility to ensure that the principles of equality, justice, and human rights extend to every corner of the globe, leaving no woman behind in the pursuit of a better and more equitable world.
Writer is a social and political analyst and human rights campaigner based in Muzaffarabad Azad Kashmir. She can be reached at nyla.kayani@gmail.com
