‘Impact of Conflict on Women in Kashmir’ report released
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net,
Srinagar: “Rape, outrage of modesty and other forms of violence against women in the last 25 years have been used as a weapon of war in Kashmir,” and “61% of married women suffer from health disorders due to adverse political situation and militarization,” a report released here to mark February 23 as Women Resistance Day’ in Kashmir said on Monday.
“Due to adverse political situation and militarization,” the report, quoting National Health Survey, says that 61 % of married women in Kashmir are suffering from different types of women related health disorders, which is much higher than India’s national average of 39 %. “Thousands of women are suffering from infertility which has saddened such families,” it further added.
The Hurriyat Conference, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, released the report regarding ‘Impact of Conflict on Women’ while commemorating the 24th anniversary of Kunan Poshpora incident.
The report documents the Human Rights violations committed against the Kashmiri women in past 25 years. As per the report – which quotes the interviews conducted by NGO ‘Medicins Sans Frontierers’ – “As many as 11.6 % of women said they have been victims of sexual violence.”
“The most heinous crime against women was witnessed in Kunan Poshpora where the troopers of 4 Rajputana Rifles barged into the homes in the dark of the night and raped more than 50 women on the intervening night of February 22-23, 1991,” the report said.
Despite public furore, no responsibility was fixed and the accused are roaming free, it said, adding, the accused have not been produced in court, neither justice was done to the victim women even though an FIR regarding the incident stands registered in the concerned police station.
The report, quoting a research project of Kashmir University, says that 60 % of the patients brought for treatment at the only psychiatric hospital of the valley happen to be women, who suffer from psychiatric and mental disorders. “These have been directly or indirectly found to be a result of conflict situation,” it said. According to SKIMS research, conducted on 112 young women suffering from PCOS, 65-70 % women suffer from psychiatric ailments, it said.
Besides, prevalence of hypertension among women has shown a considerable increase, the report adds.
Expressing strong concern over the condition of women, the Hurriyat Conference and its Human Rights Division have stressed upon the international community to declare ‘sexual and physical harassment’ of women in Kashmir as a war crime in accordance with the norms of International Laws.
(Photos courtesy: GNS Kashmir)