Three Kashmiris address UNHRC on the same day, two hold side panel discussions
By Our Special Correspondent
GENEVA, Switzerland: The Kashmiri delegation to United Nations in Geneva saw its busiest day on Wednesday, where three Kashmiri leaders addressed the Human Rights Council and two chaired side panel discussions on the situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir.
The three Kashmiri speakers requested the UNHRC to appoint a special rapporteur for Kashmir, where freedoms and human rights have deteriorated considerably in the last four years.
Senior APHC leader Altaf Hussain Wani, Mrs. Shamim Shawl of International Muslim Women’s Union, and Sardar Amjad Yousaf Khan, the Executive Director of Kashmir Institute of International Relations, participated in the General Debate of the 34th Meeting of the 25th session of UNHRC currently underway in Geneva.
Shamim Shawl chaired a side panel on Women in Conflict, where two Kashmiri women activists, Zomorroda Habib and Masooda Bano, addressed the audience via Skype from Srinagar, Indian-occupied Kashmir.
Indian, French, Moroccan and Dutch women rights activists joined the panel discussion, including Daniela Donges, Joyce Anderson, and Sadani Malinie.
At one point, the panel invited APHC’s Wani to chair the sideline event while Mrs. Shawl left to participate in the parallel session of UNHRC where she delivered a statement to member States and NGO representatives.
