NEW YORK: A panel discussion, organized by Pakistan’s Mission to the UN during the ongoing 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) at UN Headquarters in New York, emphasized the need for international cooperation to address the challenges faced by women in conflict zones, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine.
The discussion brought together prominent speakers representing diplomatic corps, academia, women’s rights organizations, and civil society to shed light on the hardships endured by women, girls, and children living under foreign occupation.
Panelists advocated for greater global efforts, including the uniform implementation of UN resolutions, treaties, and conventions, to end the suffering of women in conflict-affected areas.
Among the panelists were Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram, Algerian Ambassador Amar Bendjama, OIC Ambassador to the UN Hameed Ajibaiye Opeloyeru, Dr. Dalal Kanaan from Fordham University, and Dr. Ameena Zia from CUNY Lehman College & Founder of Blue Ridge Impact Consulting. Additionally, a special video message was delivered by Mushaal Hussein Mullick, former Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Human Rights and Women Empowerment.
The panelists called for incorporating provisions related to the situation of women and girls under foreign occupation in all future UN reports and resolutions, emphasizing the need for a UN monitoring mechanism to register crimes and violations against them.
Furthermore, they urged the establishment of mechanisms to ensure accountability for sexual violence and other crimes perpetrated by occupation forces, including the possibility of an International Criminal Tribunal.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of elaborating international human rights and humanitarian laws to enhance the protection of women under foreign occupation.
In his remarks, Ambassador Munir Akram underscored the urgent need to address the disproportionate suffering of women and girls in conflict situations, citing specific examples from Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir.
Ambassador Bendjama emphasized the resilience of Algerian women in their struggle for freedom and called for global attention to the plight of Palestinian women under Israeli occupation.
OIC Ambassador Hameed Ajibaiye Opeloyeru highlighted the exploitation and persecution faced by women and young girls in conflict zones, urging the UN Security Council to take action to end genocidal wars.
Mushaal Mullick shared the harrowing stories of Kashmiri women and called for accountability for violators of women’s rights, while Professor Ameena Zia stressed the importance of women’s inclusion in policy-making processes and the alignment of humanitarian efforts with development goals.
Dr. Dalal Kanaan provided firsthand accounts of Palestinian women’s struggles under prolonged Israeli occupation, expressing solidarity with Kashmiri women.
