Pakistan Hosts UN Event on Women’s Plight

APP 

Islamabad: The Pakistan Mission to the UN will host an event on Monday afternoon aimed at highlighting the challenges faced by women and girls in areas under foreign occupation.

This side event is part of the ongoing 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) and will be held at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The event will feature a panel discussion titled “Women Under Foreign Occupation,” with participation from members of the UN diplomatic community, women’s rights organizations, academia, and activists.

Speakers will offer their perspectives and insights on the hardships endured by women in regions affected by foreign occupation, armed conflicts, and the violation of fundamental rights.

Throughout history, women have shouldered significant burdens during periods of settler-colonialism and movements for self-determination and liberation from foreign control, as highlighted in a concept paper.

Even in modern times, women and girls continue to be particularly vulnerable to the oppressive tactics often associated with foreign occupation and intervention in struggles for freedom.

The concept paper underscores that within the framework of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda, empirical data reveals that the most severe forms of violence and violations against women and girls occur within contexts of foreign occupation.

The panel discussion will offer an opportunity to not only shed light on the hardships and sufferings of women facing situations of foreign occupation but also emphasize the necessity for a more robust and uniform implementation of international humanitarian and human rights law. This may include advocating for measures such as an additional protocol to the Geneva Convention, United Nations Security Council resolutions, and an optional protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.