Pakistan Urges UN to Protect Kashmiri and Palestinian Women: Saima Saleem

New York: Pakistan’s Counsellor to the United Nations, Saima Saleem, has called on the international community to ensure protection for Kashmiri and Palestinian women suffering under prolonged conflict and occupation. She made the remarks while addressing the UN Security Council’s open debate on *“Women, Peace, and Security”*, held to mark the 25th anniversary of Resolution 1325, which recognizes the vital role of women in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

Saima Saleem emphasized that women’s inclusion in peace processes, negotiations, and mediation is not only a moral imperative but also supported by research showing that peace agreements involving women are more durable and effective. She urged the United Nations to establish mandatory quotas for women’s participation in all mediation processes to ensure that their voices are fully represented in global policymaking.

The Pakistani diplomat called on the international community to protect women under international law, hold accountable those who use sexual violence as a weapon of war, and provide sustainable financial support to women’s organizations working in crisis zones. “These women are often the first to respond and the last to leave,” she noted.

Expressing regret, Saima Saleem pointed out that the recent report by the UN Secretary-General failed to mention the plight of women in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), despite decades of documented reports of sexual violence and human rights abuses by Indian forces. She warned that excluding Kashmiri women from the *Women, Peace, and Security* agenda undermines the credibility and universality of the framework.

Referring to the suffering of Palestinian women, she described their situation as “one of the greatest tragedies of our time.” Citing Gaza’s devastating war last year, she highlighted that *seven out of every ten people killed were women*. Pregnant women, she said, were forced to give birth amid bombings and without access to medical care—acts she described as deliberate war crimes demanding justice.

Saleem also revealed that in the past two years, conflict-related sexual violence has surged by 90%, while deaths among women and children have quadrupled—evidence that progress on this agenda has stalled. “Women remain the first victims of violence and the last voices heard in peace negotiations,” she warned.

She reaffirmed Pakistan’s long-standing commitment to the *Women, Peace, and Security* agenda, noting that Pakistani female peacekeepers have served courageously and compassionately in conflict zones across Africa and beyond.

Concluding her address, Saima Saleem stated, “The path to peace must be built through the joint efforts of both women and men. The time has come to move beyond promises and ensure real implementation of our commitments.”