Lost In Heaven
Responding to Gendered Violence in Kashmir
Asim khan
IAD –A
11/24/2013
About this Report
This report is the result of discussions with ‘half widows,’ widows, and married and unmarried women in Kashmir. It also draws upon conversations with Kashmiri men and women, including academics, students, homemakers, tailors, farmers, doctors, lawyers, and teachers. No consultations were made with any politicians in or outside Kashmir. It is authored by the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP), a member organization of the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS). Srinagar-based APDP advocates for justice for victims of enforced disappearances and is an active member of JKCCS, which works to strengthen an independent civil society movement in Kashmir.
Table of Contents
Executive Summary 4
1. Insecurity in Jammu and Kashmir 6
2. Women and Violence in Kashmir 7
i. Gendered Violence 7 ii. Civic Action 8 iii. Peace-building. 10
3. ‘Half Widows’: State of Perpetual Limbo 11
i. Numbers