Syed Faiz Naqshbandi
Women and children in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK) remain among the worst affected victims of India’s prolonged military occupation. For decades, Indian armed forces have subjected Kashmiri civilians—particularly women and children—to systematic violence, fear, and collective punishment, leaving deep physical, psychological, and social scars.
Women in Indian occupied Kashmir face harassment, intimidation, sexual violence, arbitrary arrests, and enforced disappearances of family members. The widespread presence of troops and draconian laws such as AFSPA have created an environment of total impunity, where crimes against women often go unpunished and has resulted in multidimensional trauma—as mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives. They endure the pain of seeing their loved ones arbitrarily detained, tortured, disappeared, or killed by Indian forces. Thousands of women have been forced into the agonising category of “half-widows,” living in perpetual uncertainty without legal or emotional closure. Such practices constitute violations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which obligates states to protect women from violence and ensure their dignity and security.
Children in IOJK grow up surrounded by militarization, violence, and fear. Usually children witnessed killings, night raids, and violent crackdowns by Indian Army and paramilitary forces. The excessive use of pellet guns has blinded, maimed, and traumatized hundreds of children, permanently damaging their futures.
Most alarming practices is the occupation and misuse of schools by Indian armed forces. Educational institutions have been subjected to conversion into military camps, interrogation centers, or temporary barracks, depriving children of safe learning environments.
The frequent internet shutdowns by Indian Government have further damaged children’s academic development, mental well-being, and access to information. In an era where education, healthcare, and communication rely on digital access, these blackouts amount to collective punishment, prohibited under international humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention. These actions violate Article 28 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which guarantees every child the right to education.
Indian forces routinely use collective punishment, conducting cordon-and-search operations, demolishing homes, and terrorizing neighborhoods. Schools are closed for months, healthcare access is restricted, and families are denied justice. These acts constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
Despite relentless oppression, Kashmiri women and children continue to display remarkable resilience. However, resilience cannot replace justice. The international community must recognize that the suffering of women and children in IOJK is not collateral damage, but a direct consequence of a brutal occupation.
The suffering of women and children in IOJK is not incidental—it is the direct consequence of an unlawful occupation of India and its systemic repression with impunity.
International law demands protection, accountability, and justice. safeguarding the rights and dignity of all. The end of Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and the implementation of UN resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir in letter and spirit can result in lasting peace in the region .
The author is senior leader of All Parties Hurriyet Conference (APHC) and legal expert of international law. He can be reached at faiz.naqshbandi@gmail.com