As Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi addressed the UN General Assembly on September 27th, claiming ‘normalcy’ in Kashmir, about 500 individuals and organisations of feminists, women’s rights activists, peace, civil and democratic rights’ activists, lawyers, academics, students, journalists, scientists, artists, writers, and others, raised their voices in salute and solidarity with the women of Kashmir. Issuing a statement from 30 countries across the globe – ranging from South Asian nations to the U.S, Iran to Indonesia, Afghanistan to Argentina, Europe to Mexico, Israel, Palestine, Uganda, Nigeria and South Africa – they declared their determination to stand with Kashmir in this, its darkest moment.
On August 5, 2019 the Government of India unilaterally terminated Jammu and Kashmir’s semi- autonomous Constitutional status, and bifurcated it into two directly ruled Union Territories. This action was accompanied by a military blockade, an unprecedented media and communications clampdown and the mass and arbitrary detentions of thousands of dissidents, politicians and ordinary Kashmiris including children.
“Today 8 million Kashmiris are being held hostage by close to 1 million Indian armed forces personnel. There is credible and mounting evidence of a healthcare and humanitarian crisis, civilian deaths, pellet blindings and other injuries in attacks by Indian armed forces, torture, molestations, arbitrary arrests, and the severe curtailment of freedom of opinion, expression, and information; assembly and movement; and religious freedoms. The civil and democratic rights of the people of Kashmir stand suspended, including of course, their right to determine their own future,” said the press release issued by the group accompanying their statement titled WOMEN OF THE WORLD #StandWithKashmir, #StandWithTheWomenOfKashmir.
“One particularly insidious justification for the illegal constitutional changes has been that they will benefit women, dalits and sexual minorities by granting them constitutional rights so far denied to them. This bolsters colonial tropes of a backward Muslim majority region whose women and minorities are in need of rescue by the civilisationally superior people of India. Moreover, it is based on outright falsehoods, mininformation, and false equivalences, that are being deliberately amplified, including by high state functionaries, despite being repeatedly debunked by experts and lawyers,” says the statement. It opposed the co-option and weaponisation of the langages of women’s, dalit and queer liberation to justify the oppression of Kashmiris.
“Women have been at the forefront of Kashmiri struggles for freedom, justice, truth and accountability for widespread human rights violations particularly sexual violence and enforced disappearances. Today the women of the world stand with them in resisting the forces of tyranny, militarism and violence. They urge the Indian government to step back from its current aggressions and end the violence and militarisation that has failed to resolve the dispute since 1947,” they said.
Below is the full statement and the list of signatories:
WOMEN OF THE WORLD #StandWithKashmir,
#StandWithTheWomenOfKashmir
Statement issued on 27 September 2019.
NEW DELHI. NEW YORK
On 30 August 2019,the United Nations’ International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, Parveena Ahangar, mother of Javaid, a 16 year old who was ‘disappeared’ by paramilitary forces in Kashmir in 1990 mourned again: “Every year, the families of APDP (Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons) come together on 30 August. This is our way of reassuring each other that we are not alone in our grief. Yet this year we have been strangled, and there was no coming together because through its siege, India has denied us even the right to mourn.”
Kashmir under siege. Kashmir caged. Kashmir imprisoned. Analogies abound for of the Indian Government‘s actions of August 5, 2019 when it unilaterally terminated the semi-autonomous Constitutional status granted to the region as a condition of its accession to India, and bifurcated it into two directly ruled Union Territories. This action was preceded in the previous week by a military blockade, a state of undeclared emergency, and an unprecedented media and communications clampdown. An estimated 4,000 Kashmiris have been arbitrarily detained including politicians, business leaders, lawyers, human rights defenders, chartered accountants, journalists, teachers, and students. Some are being held without charges or trial, under administrative detention laws such as the Public Safety Act, 1978 while the grounds of detention and whereabouts of a large number, including children as young as ten, remain unknown. An unknown number of people have been moved to prisons outside the state of Jammu & Kashmir.The Indian government continues to declare that all is ‘normal’ in the face of credible and mounting evidence of a healthcare and humanitarian crisis, civilian deaths and blindings and other injuries in pellet gun attacks by Indian security forces, torture, molestations, and the severe curtailment of freedom of opinion, expression, and information; assembly and movement; and religious freedoms.
As the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi addresses the UN General Assembly on 27 September and reasserts this claim of ‘normalcy’, we, the women of the world urge the global community to remember that 8 million Kashmiris will still be held hostage by close to 1 million Indian security personnel. Still stripped of their constitutional rights, fundamental freedoms and liberties. The promise of plebiscite given to them at the time of their accession to India, broken. Their right to self-determination, throttled. Their control over their lands, shattered.
Like colonised peoples anywhere, the future of the Kashmiri people is deeply uncertain. Their imprisonment is strengthened by the silence of world leaders, international civil society, the near complete gag on the media, as well as Indians who have celebrated the constitutionalised annexation of Kashmir, and believed the narrative that this is being done for their own good. One particularly pernicious strand of this discourse has been that the move will benefit women, dalits and sexual minorities by granting them constitutional rights so far denied to them. Not only does this bolster the colonial tropes of a backward Muslim majority region whose women are in need of rescue by the civilisationally ‘superior’ people of India, it is based on outright falsehoods, misinformation, misrepresentations and false equivalences, that are being deliberately amplified, including by high state functionaries, despite being repeatedly debunked by experts and lawyers. The government’s concern for the women of Kashmir might have rung truer if members of the ruling party were not witnessed publicly gloating over their new found sexual access to Kashmiri women, now that Indian men can finally get “Kashmiri brides” as though Kashmiri women are spoils of war.
The Indian government claims Kashmir needs ‘development’, but its social development indices, including gender indicators such as maternal mortality, age of marriage, child sex ratio and female literacy are better than the Indian average. Land reforms enabled by Article 35A have reduced social and caste inequities and landlessness, and brought relative prosperity. While acknowledging that militarisation and militarised sexual impunity exacerbates both public and private patriarchy, we need to listen to Kashmiri women, when they say, as they did to a recent Fact Finding delegation from India: “We are capable of fighting our own battles. We don’t want our oppressors to claim to liberate us!”.
The women of Kashmir should know. As successive governments in Delhi have systematically violated all democratic norms in Kashmir, it is the women of Kashmir who have been at the forefront of the struggles for justice, truth and accountability for widespread human rights violations particularly sexual violence and enforced disappearances. They have stepped out in protest, been jailed, sexually assaulted, and still risen to make sure they are heard.
As feminists, women’s rights activists, peace, democratic and civil rights’ activists, lawyers, academics, students, journalists, scientists, artists, writers, etc., we raise our voice today in salute and solidarity with the women of Kashmir. About 500 individual women and women’s organisations from about 30 countries across the globe – ranging from South Asian nations to the U.S, Iran to Indonesia, Afghanistan to Argentina, Europe to Mexico, Israel, Palestine, Uganda, Nigeria and South Africa – stand with them in this, their darkest moment.
- We condemn the actions of the Indian government and their dealing with a political problem as a territorial one.
- We call for an end to the culture of fear and terror, violence and assault that has been cultivated in the state for far too long.
- We speak out against the continued detention of countless people of the state and demand their immediate release.
- We seek an immediate end to the Internet shutdown, lift on all restrictions on movement and communications, and a restoration of real ‘normalcy’.
- We call for restrictions be lifted in order to allow the independent media in Kashmir to carry out its duty of reporting facts and informing the public, without fear or favour.
- We urge the Indian government to step back from its current aggressions and stop the militarisation that has failed to solve the problem since independence.
- We seek a reinstatement of consultative processes with the people of Jammu and Kashmir on any action that concerns them, their lives and their community.
- We call for an end to the smokescreens of Kashmir being an ‘internal matter’ etc., to avoid meaningful dialogue. For that is the only way to evolve a long lasting peaceful solution to Kashmir.
Because like the women of Kashmir, we have also, all too often, been told that the violence and control we face in the home, family, community and nation is an ‘internal matter’, not to be exposed to the world. But we all have lived and learnt the reality, that it is only in breaking our silence that we break the shackles of our oppressions. And in that fight, we #StandWithKashmir, #StandWithTheWomenOfKashmir!
For as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King famously said “No one is free until we are all free.”
…….
Statement issued and endorsed by:
Individuals – India
1. Vasanth Kannabiran, Asmita Resource Centre, Hyderabad.
2. Uma Chakravarti, Feminist historian & Filmmaker, New Delhi.
3. Syeda Hameed, writer, activist, Delhi.
4. Roshmi Goswami, Researcher and human writer activist, Shillong.
5. Sarojini NB, Health activist, New Delhi
6. Annie Raja, NFIW.
7. Srilatha Batliwala, Independent gender/women’s rights consultant.
8. Flavia Agnes, Mumbai.
9. Lalita Ramdas, Feminist-Activist-Educator, PIPPFD, CNDP.
10. Meena Kandasamy, novelist, poet and activist
11. Nivedita Menon, JNU, New Delhi.
12. Nandini Sundar, University of Delhi.
13. Govind Kelkar, Independent Gender consultant.
14. Farah Naqvi, Writer and Activist
15. Shrimoyee Nandini Ghosh, Lawyer and legal researcher, Delhi.
16. Bishakha Datta, Film-maker/Writer, Mumbai
17. Ritu Menon – Writer, Feminist publisher, New Delhi.
18. Imrana Qadeer, Distinguished Prof. Council for Social Development, New Delhi
19. Rosemary Dzuvichu, Ph.D-Advisor, Naga Mother’s Association, Kohima
20. Pratiksha Baxi, Academic, New Delhi
21. Kalyani Menon-Sen, Feminist Learning Partnerships, New Delhi.
22. Mary E John, Academic, New Delhi.
23. Pamela Philipose, Journalist, Delhi
24. Farida Khan, Retd Professor, Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi
25. Freny Manecksha, Independent Journalist, Mumbai.
26. Chhaya Datar, Mumbai
27. Kalpana Kannabiran – Council for Social Development, Hyderabad.
28. Dr Anita Ghai, New Delhi.
29. Dr Sagari R Ramdas, Secunderabad
30. Nalini Nayak, Trivandrum
31. Monisha Behal, New Delhi.
32. Ammu Joseph, Journalist, Bangalore
33. A. Mangai, Theatre person/academic/activist, Chennai.
34. A.R Vasavi, Farmer’s Rights Activist, Delhi.
35. Aarthi Pai, Lawyer and activist, Bangalore
36. Abha Dev Habib, Miranda House, University of Delhi.
37. Ajitha G.S, publisher and editor, Bangalore.
38. Albertina Almeida, Goa.
39. Aleyamma Vijayan, Trivandrum Kerala
40. Amarinder Kaur, Visthar
41. Amla Pisharody, Independent Researcher, Bangalore
42. Amrita Gogoi – Researcher, Women & Conflict, Dibrugarh.
43. Anchita Ghatak, Kolkata.
44. Angela Rangad, Social activist, TUR, Shillong
45. Annie Thomas, Journalist, Delhi.
46. Anu Aaron, South India AIDS Action Programme, Chennai.
47. Anuradha Banerji, Independent Researcher, New Delhi.
48. Anuradha Chatterji, Women’s Rights Activist, New Delhi.
49. Anuradha Kapoor, Social Activist, Kolkata.
50. Anurag Modi, Shramik Adivasi Sangathan.
51. Anurita P Hazarika, woman activist, Guwahati.
52. Archana Dwivedi, Delhi
53. Archismita Choudhury, Mumbai
54. Arshia Sattar, Academic, Bangalore
55. Arshie Qureshi, New Delhi, India.
56. Aruna Burte
57. Arundhati Dhuru, National Alliance of People’s Movements.
58. Ashima Roy Chowdhury, feminist activist, New Delhi
59. Bharati Jagannathan, Delhi University.
60. Bharati, Feminist Activist, Jaipur.
61. Bhavna Jaimini, Architect, Mumbai
62. Bijoya Sawian – writer, educationist, Dehradun
63. Bindhulakshmi Pattadath, Associate Professor, TISS Mumbai.
64. Bondita Acharya, Jorhat, Assam
65. Brinelle D’Souza, TISS, Mumbai.
66. D. W. Karuna, visiting faculty, Azim Premji University
67. Deepa V, Health Activist, Delhi
68. Deeptha Achar.
69. Deepti Sharma, queer feminist activist, Delhi
70. Dimple Oberoi Vahali, Delhi.
71. Dr Manasee (Nadi) Palshikar, author, Pune.
72. G. Arunima, Professor, Centre for Women’s Studies, JNU
73. Gargi Sen, Film-maker, Delhi
74. Gaura Narayan
75. Gayatri Menon, Bangalore.
76. Geeta Seshu, Journalist, Mumbai.
77. Ghazala Jamil, JNU.
78. Gitanjali Mahadevan, Retired Doctor, Bengaluru
79. Gitanjali Rao, Film maker, Mumbai
80. Hamsila Samuel Rajan, Bengaluru.
81. Huma Khan, Lucknow.
82. Indira Chakravarthi, Public Health Researcher, Delhi.
83. Indira N, Consultant R & D, Hyderabad.
84. Jabeen Merchant, Film Editor, Mumbai.
85. Jahanvi Pai.
86. Jalashaya, film maker, Mumbai
87. Jaya Sharma, Activist and Writer, New Delhi.
88. Jhelum Roy, Jadavpur University.
89. Jhuma Sen, Jindal Global Law School, New Delhi
90. Jyoti Punwani, journalist, Mumbai.
91. Jyotsna Murthy
92. Kaushiki Rao, Counsellor, Bangalore
93. Kavin Malar, Writer/Activist, Chennai.
94. Kavita Srivastav, PUCL, Jaipur.
95. Khairunnisa Nakathorige,Department of English, MANUU, Hyderabad.
96. Kirtana Kumar
97. Kochurani Abraham, Feminist Theologian, Indian Christian Women’s Movement (ICWM), Kerala
98. Krishna Roy, Women’s Rights Activist, AIPWA, Kolkata.
99. Lata Singh, New Delhi.
100. Laxmi Murthy, Journalist, Bengaluru.
101. Lubaina Suares, Teacher, Mumbai
102. Madhu Bhushan, writer/activist/researcher, Bangalore.
103. Madhu Sarin, Psychoanalyst, Delhi
104. Madhura Chakraborty
105. Malini Ghose, Educationist and researcher, New Delhi
106. Mallika Virdi, Maati, Uttarakhand.
107. Mamatha Karollil, Assistant Professor, New Delhi.
108. Manasi Asher, Researcher and Activist, Himachal Pradesh.
109. Manasi, Educator-Learner, Pathashaala, Tamil Nadu
110. Manorama Sharma – Retd. Prof. North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, and Academic Advisor, Assam School of Journalism, Guwahati.
111. Masooma Ranalvi, Delhi.
112. Meenakshi Kapoor, Researcher, Dharmshala.
113. Miriam Chandy Menacherry, Filmmaker
114. Monalisa Tiamerenla Changkija, Poet and Editor, Nagaland Page, Nagaland
115. Mubashira Zaidi, ISST, New Delhi.
116. Nandini Mazumder, Devleopment professional, Delhi
117. Nandini Rao, Women’s Rights Trainer, New Delhi.
118. Nasir Tyabji, FormerDirector and Professor, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi.
119. Navaneetha Mokkil, Assistant Professor, Center for Women’s Studies, JNU
120. Navsharan Singh, Activist and Researcher, New Delhi.
121. Neha Gupta, Journalist, Delhi
122. Niloufer Bhagwat, Lawyer, Mumbai.
123. Nimi Ravindran, Writer/Theatre Director, Bangalore.
124. Nisha Abdulla, Theatre maker, and Artistic Director, Qabila, Bangalore
125. Nisha Biswas, Kolkata.
126. Nitasha Kaul
127. Nonibala Narengbam, Manipur.
128. Padma Velaskar, Retd professor, Mumbai.
129. Padmaja Shaw, Hyderabad.
130. Pallavi MD, Singer/Actor, Bangalore.
131. Payal Dhar, Author, New Delhi.
132. Ponni Arasu, Historian and Women’s Rights Activist.
133. Ponnuthai Sappani, President Kalanjium Women Farmers Association, India.
134. Praveena Kodoth, Trivandrum.
135. Priti Kodikal, Doctor, Bengaluru
136. Purnima Gupta, Delhi
137. Purwa Bharadwaj, Delhi
138. Radha Gopalan, Educator and Researcher on Social and Ecological Justice, Visiting Faculty, Azim Premji University, Thiruvananthapuram
139. Radhika Chitkara, Legal Researcher, New Delhi.
140. Radhika Khajuria.
141. Rajashri Dasgupta, Independent Journalist, Kolkata
142. Rashee Mehra, SeniorAssociate – IIHS, Delhi.
143. Rashmi Sawhney, Associate Professor, Christ University.
144. Ridhima Mehra, Delhi
145. Rinchin, India.
146. Rita Manchanda, Independent researcher and human rights activist, Pak-India Forum for Peace and Democracy.
147. Ritu Ghosh.
148. Rohini Hensman, Writer and Independent Scholar, Mumbai.
149. Roopashri Sinha, Freelancer researcher and K M consultant, Mumbai.
150. Runu Chakraborty, New Delhi.
151. Rupa Chinai, journalist and author, Mumbai.
152. Rupsa Malik, Women’s Rights Activist, New Delhi.
153. Rushda, NFIW, New Delhi.
154. Sabah Hasan, Artist, Mumbai.
155. Sabah Khan, Mumbai.
156. Sadhna Arya, Delhi University, New Delhi.
157. Sajaya Kakarla, Hyderabad Women and Transgender Organisations Joint Action Committee.
158. Sakina Kurawadwala, former Professor and current HR head, Mumbai
159. Sameera Khan, Journalist/Writer, Mumbai
160. Sandhya Srinivasan, Mumbai
161. Sanghamitra Malik, Singer & Activist.
162. Sangita Chatterji.
163. Sanjana Gaind, Women’s Rights Activist, Delhi/Calcutta.
164. Sarah Mathews
165. Satnam Kaur, feminist activist, New Delhi
166. Seema Baquer, Disability Rights Activist and Lawyer, New Delhi.
167. Sehba Taban, India.
168. Shabnam Hashmi, Social activist – ANHAD (Act Nowfor Harmony and Democracy)
169. Shakun Doundiyakhed, Begaluru.
170. Shalini Singh, Women’s Rights Activist, New Delhi.
171. Shanta Gokhale, Writer, Mumbai.
172. Sharanya Nayak.
173. Sheba George, Ahmedabad.
174. Sheelu Francis, President, Women’s Collective, Tamil Nadu.
175. Sheila Kumar, Author/Editor, Bangalore.
176. Sherin Balachandran, Architect, Bangalore
177. Shewli, Social activist
178. Shifa Haq, Delhi
179. Shipra Nigam, New Delhi.
180. Shiva Pathak, Artist, Bangalore
181. Shivani, activist
182. Shraddha Chickerur, University of Hyderabad.
183. Shweta Vachani, Editor and Web Developer, New Delhi.
184. Simona Sawhney, IIT Delhi.
185. Sister Leelamma N.T, Advocate, Kottayam, India.
186. Soma Marik, India.
187. Sonia Jabbar, Filmmaker
188. Srinidhi Raghavan, Gender and disability rights activist, Hyderabad
189. Stella Issac, President, Kalanjium Unorganized Workers Union.
190. Sudarsana Kundu, Social development professional, Hyderabad.
191. Sujata Patel, National Fellow, IIAS.
192. Sumi Krishna, writer, researcher, teacher, Bangalore
193. Sumitra Sunder, Curator/Artist, Bengaluru.
194. Sunanda Bhat, film-maker, Bangalore.
195. Sundari Perumal, Trustee, Tamilnadu Resource Team.
196. Sushama Varma, Activist,Bangalore.
197. Susheela Mahadevan, Retired Teacher, Bengaluru
198. Sushma Veerappa
199. Sushobha Barve, Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation.
200. Svati Joshi, academic, Ahmedabad
201. Swathi Seshadri, Researcher, Bangalore
202. Swati Paranjape, Thane.
203. Uma V Chandru, Bangalore.
204. Usha Raman, Department of Communication, University of Hyderabad
205. Vahida Nainar, PH.D scholar, Mumbai.
206. Vaishnavi K, gender and sexuality activist, New Delhi.
207. Vani Subramanian, Feminist activist and filmmaker, Delhi
208. Vijay Rukmini Rao, Social/feminist activist, Hyderabad.
209. Vineeta Bal, Scientist, Pune.
210. Virginia Saldanha, Secretary, Indian Women Theologians Forum, Goa.
211. Yasmeen Lukmani, University of Bombay, Mumbai
Individuals – International
1. Rashida Manjoo – Professor University of Cape Town, South Africa, Former UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women.
2. Charlotte Bunch – Distinguished Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies, Rutgers – The
State University of New Jersey, USA.
3. Savitri Goonesekere – Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka and former member of UN CEDAW.
4. Shanthi Dairiam – Founder IWRAW-AP, Former UN CEDAW Committee member.
5. Sultana Kamal – Human rights activist, Chair, South Asians For Human Rights, Dhaka, Bangladesh
6. Kamala Chandrakirana – Human rights defender, Former Chair, UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women in Law and Practice & Komnas Perempuan.
7. Haley Duschinki, Ohio State University, USA.
8. Anne F Stenhammer- Former Deputy Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Elected Representative, Regional Parliament of Nordland and Fauske, Norway.
9. Hameeda Hossain, human rights activist and academic, Dhaka, Bangladesh
10. Betsy Hartmann, Professor Emerita of Development Studies, Hampshire College, USA.
11. Susan Abulhawa, Palestinian American writer and human rights activist, Yardley, Pennsylvania, U.S
12. Chandra Talpade Mohanty, Distinguished Prof. of Women’s and Gender Studies & Dean’s Professor of the Humanities, Syracuse University, US
13. Yamini Mishra, Human rights advocate, London, UK
14. Patricia Viseur Sellers – International Criminal Lawyer, Brussels, Belgium
15. Denise Dora, Human Rights lawyer, Brazil, member UN Women Civil Society Advisory Group, Latin America.
16. Rajeswari Sunder Rajan, Prof NYU, U.S.
17. Amrita Basu, Amherst, US
18. Geeta Misra, New York, USA
19. Amrit Wilson, writer and activist, UK
20. Amrita Chhachhi, Netherlands.
21. Angana Chatterji, Feminist Scholar, University of California, Berkley, USA.
22. Ania Loomba, Academic, USA
23. Dalia Sachs, University of Haifa, Israel
24. Judy Norsegian, Boston US
25. Sima Samar, Human Rights Advocate, Kabul, Afghanistan.
26. Afina van der Veen, The Hague, The Netherlands
27. Akanksha Awal, Post Doctoral Fellow, Univ of Oxford, UK
28. Aklima Ferdous, Rights activist, Bangladesh.
29. Akshara Ravishankar, University of Chicago, USA.
30. Alessandra Mezzadri, Senior Lecturer in Development Studies,Department of Development Studies, SOAS, London
31. Alma Khasawnih, PhD, USA.
32. Alouki Labbe Rachel, filmmaker, native rights, Montreal, Canada
33. Amarinder Kaur
34. Ambreen Ahmad, Rozan, Pakistan.
35. Amena Mohsin, Professor, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
36. Amita Asavari, PhD student, Department of Sociology, University of Connecticut, USA.
37. Amrita Dhar, Ohio State University, USA.
38. Amrita Pande, Assoc. Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town, South Africa
39. Angela Waldegg, Artist, Vienna, Austria.
40. Anber Raz, Co-Chair of Imkaan, UK
41. Ann Rueso, Chicago, USA.
42. Anne Hendrixson, Population and Development Program, Hampshire College, Amherst, USA.
43. Anne Marie Manga – Psychologue-Consultante, Enseignante a l’university de Yaounde
44. Anupama Rao, Columbia University, USA.
45. Barbara Klugman- Strategy and Evaluation practitioner, South Africa.
46. Barbara Ransby, writer, historian, professor, and activist, University of Chicago
47. Bhavani Fonseka, Sri Lanka.
48. Bhavani Raman, Associate Professor History, University of Toronto
49. Cara Cancelmo, University of Connecticut, USA.
50. Carole Spary, University of Nottingham
51. Cayathri Divakalala, Independent Researcher, Sri Lanka
52. Charo Mina-Rojas, Black Feminisms, Colombia
53. Cynthia Rothschild – Independent Human Rights Activist, New York,USA.
54. Daniela Colombo, Italy
55. Dharashree Das, US
56. Diane Elson, Emeritus Professor University of Essex, UK. Member of UN Committee on Development Policy
57. Dina M Siddiqui, USA.
58. Diya Basu-Sen, Bengali Feminist and Social Justice Advocate, Executive Director Sapna NYC Inc, New York, USA.
59. Dorcas Coker-Appiah, Huma rights activist, Accra, Ghana
60. Dr Molly Doane, Associate Professor of Anthropology
61. Dr. Natalie Bennett, Educator/Women’s Center, Director, Chicago, United States
62. Dr. Sanjukta Mukherjee, Associate Professor, Department of Women’s and Gender Studies,
DePaul University, Chicago, USA.
63. Duna Goswami, MD, FRCSC, Canada.
64. Elizabeth Cox, HELP Resources, Wewak, Papua New Guinea.
65. G Patel, translator, writer, Charlottesville, Virginia, US
66. Gayathry Venkiteswaran, Malaysia
67. Gayatri Kodikal, Artist, Writer and Game Designer, Rotterdam and Goa
68. Gayatri Reddy, Professor, Gender and Women’s Studies Program, University of Illinois at Chicago
69. Gila Svirsky, Women in Black, Israel.
70. Gloria González-López, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Sociology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
71. Goldie Osuri, University of Warwick, UK.
72. Hanna Safran, Historian.
73. Harshita Yalamarty, PhD Student, York University, Canada.
74. Heba Al Adawy, PhD Candidate Australian National Unviersity
75. Heidi Grunebaum, University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
76. Heidi Paredes, Feminist Activistand Resource Development Coordinator, Israel/Palestine
77. Huong Nguyen, UAF, Oakland, USA.
78. Ivy Josiah, Former director, Women’s Aid Organisation, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
79. Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala, Feminist, Colombo, Sri Lanka
80. Jessica Nevo, Sociologist, Argentina and Israel
81. Kajori Chaudhuri, New York, USA.
82. Kalpana Wilson, BIRKBECK College, London
83. Kasturi Sen, Oxford, UK
84. Khushi Kabir, Activist, Sangat, Bangladesh.
85. Kiran Grewal, Reader, Department of Sociology, Goldsmiths, University of London, Lewisham Way, New Cross, London, UK
86. Kriti Budhiraja, PhD Student, University of Minnesota
87. Laila Malik, AWID
88. Leena Kumarappan, London, UK.
89. Lilach Ben David, Israel.
90. Lorena Arocha, University of Hull, UK.
91. Lori Heise, Professor, Baltimore, USA
92. Lotika Singha, Honorary Research Fellow, Wolverhampton University, UK.
93. Lucía Pérez Fragoso, Mexico.
94. Marcia Freedman, former Member of Knesset (Israel), Berkeley, California
95. Margaret Price, Associate Professor, Department of English, Director, Disability Studies Program, The Ohio State University
96. Maria Iosue, Toronto
97. Mariam Baloch, Women’s Rights Advocate, New York
98. Mariam Gagoshashvili – Astraea Foundation, New York, USA.
99. Marina Roesler Ph.D – Founder and Principal, RiskDNA LLC, New York
100. Mario Iosue, Psychotherapist, Toronto, Canada.
101. Marisol Ruiz, Mexico
102. Mary Jane Real, Human Rights Defender, Manila, Philippines.
103. Mary Pampalk, Women in Black, Israel
104. Maryam Al-Khawaja, Copenhagen, Denmark
105. Melanie Alperstein, South Africa
106. Melissa Upreti, Senior Director, Centre for Women’s Global Leadership, The State University of New Jersey, Rutgers, New Jersey, USA.
107. Michel Freidman, Feminist activist and Social change practitioner, South Africa.
108. Michelle Lee, PhD Student, University Of Minnesota, USA.
109. Mihika Chatterjee, Departmental Lecturer, University of Oxford
110. Mihika Sud
111. Miray Philips, PhD Candidate, University of Minnesota, USA.
112. Mitra Ebrahami, Teheran, Iran
113. Mridula Rao
114. Muktasree Chakma, Researcher and Rights activist, Bangladesh
115. Nabila Q, Graduate Student, Canada
116. Nadine S. Naber, Professor, University of Illinois in Chicago, USA.
117. Naheed Ahmad, Academic, Paris, France.
118. Navnidhi Sharma, PhD Scholar, New York.
119. Navtej Purewal, SOAS, UK.
120. Nayana Somaiah, MD CCFP, Toronto, Canada.
121. Neeti Nair, Historian, USA.
122. Neloufer De Mel – Professor, Colombo, Sri Lanka
123. Nida Kirmani, Associate Professor, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
124. Nikita Sud, Oxford, UK.
125. Nirupama Ravi, PhD student, University of Massachusettes, Amherst, US
126. Niyanthini Kadirgamar, PhD Student, UMass Amherst, Jaffna People’s Forum for Coexistence, Sri Lanka.
127. Norma Swenson, Boston , US
128. Nova Ahmed, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North South University, Bangladesh.
129. Or Ben David, Activist, Israel.
130. Pankhuri Agarwal, Researcher, University of Bristol, UK.
131. Patricia Viseur Sellers – International Criminal Lawyer, Brussels, Belgium
132. Paulette Meyer, San Francisco, USA.
133. Penny Vera Sanza, Birbeck, UK.
134. Prerna Gupta, PhD Student, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
135. Priyanka Kodikal, Interaction Designer, Berlin
136. Professor Ravinder Barn, Royal Holloway, University of London
137. Professor Valentina Vitali, University of East London, London, UK
138. Radhika Balakrishnan, Rutgers University, USA.
139. Rajani Bhatia, State University of New York, USA.
140. Rajender Kaur, Professor of English, Director, Asian Studies Program, William Paterson University, New Jersey
141. Rekha Mehra Ph.D – Washington, USA.
142. Rela Mazali, Independent Scholar and Activist, Israel.
143. Remi Aruna Olajoyegbe, Women’s Empowerment Coach, London, UK.
144. Rita Thapa – peace activist, Kathmandu, Nepal.
145. Ritty Lukose, Associate Professor, New York University, USA.
146. Ritu Ghosh, PhD student at the Department of Anthropology, The University of Illinois at
Chicago
147. Rona Mashiach, Israel.
148. Ruchi Chaturvedi, Senior Lecturer, Department ofSociology, University of Cape Town, SA.
149. Ruth Noack, Curator, Berlin
150. Ruth Ojiambo Ochieng – peace activist, friend of Kashmir, Kampala, Uganda.
151. Sadaf Khan, Human Rights Activist, Pakistan
152. Samantha Agrawal, PhD Student, John Hopkins University, USA.
153. Sanchita Bakshi, PhD Student, Institute of Social Studies, The Hague
154. Sarala Emmanuel, Researcher and Activist, Sri Lanka.
155. Savitri Hensman, Writer and health research involvement coordinator, London, UK.
156. Sheba Tejani, Assistant Professor, The New School, USA.
157. Shilpa Menon, PhD student, Anthropology, The University of Illinois at Chicago, USA.
158. Shivangi Kaushik, DPhil Candidate in International Development, University of Oxford.
159. Shree Mulay, Associate Dean and Professor, Division of Community Health and Humanities in the Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, St. John’s Newfoundland, Canada
160. Sneha Krishnan, Associate Professor in Human Geography, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
161. Snigdha Kumar, PhD Student, University of Minnesota, USA.
162. Solange Rocha, Researcher and Consultant, South Africa.
163. Sravanthi Dasari, Doctoral Student, University of Illnois, USA.
164. Srimati Basu, University of Kentucky, USA.
165. Subha Wijesiriwardena – Women and Media Collective, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
166. Sujatha Subramaniam
167. Sumi Madhok, Associate Professor, Department of Gender Studies, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London
168. Sunita Viswanath, Human rights activist, NYC
169. Susanne Zwingel, Florida State University, USA.
170. Svati Shah, University of Massachusetts, USA.
171. Tahira Abdullah, peace, environment and rights activist, Islamabad, Pakistan.
172. Talma Bardin
173. Terry Greenblatt, Berkley, USA.
174. Terry Mcgovern, feminist, human rights lawyer, New York, USA.
175. Tharanga De Silva, Women & Media Collective, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
176. Trimita Chakma – APWLD, Chiangmai, Thailand
177. Vasuki Nesiah, New York University, USA.
178. Virginia Botelho – feminist activist, Recife, Brazil.
179. Vrinda Marwah, University of Texas-Austin, USA.
180. Xeenarh Mohammed, TIER, Nigeria
181. Xiaopei He, Pink Space, Sexuality Resource Centre, China.
182. Yousi Fazili, International human rights lawyer, Washington DC
183. Zoey Martin-Lockhart, Graduate student in Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Chicago
184. Zulaikha Haq, Independent Professional Consultant, Afghanistan.
Organisations – Indian/Global
1. Saheli Women’s Resource Centre, New Delhi, India.
2. National Federation of Indian Women, India.
3. Global Fund For Women – San Francisco, USA.
4. Rahila Gupta, Southall Black Sisters
5. Women’s March Global
6. Our Bodies Ourselves (OBOS), USA.
7. AWID, Toronto, Canada
8. Urgent Action Fund – New York, Oakland, USA
9. Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), Chiangmai, Thailand.
10. Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Malaysia
11. Association for Progressive Communications (global network of 58 organisations and 35 individual members, active in 72 countries) Registered in USA, head office in South Africa
12. Shireen P Huq, Naripokkho, Bangladesh.
13. Yifat Susskind, MADRE, NewYork, USA.
14. Baljit Banga, Director Imkaan, UK (Black feminist organisation dedicated to addressing violence against women and girls in the UK)
15. Association of Women Rights in Development, Toronto/Mexico, Cape Town.
16. Anushaya Collure, South Asians for Human Rights, Colombo, Sri Lanka
17. Dorathy Benjamin, Empower Malaysia, Malaysia
18. Unwanted Witness, Uganda
19. AIHMS Global
20. Fantsuam Foundation, Nigeria
21. Bebaak Collective, India.
22. Elsa DSilva, Red Dot Foundation, Mumbai, India
23. Forum Against the Oppression of Women, Mumbai.
24. Anja Kovacs, Internet Democracy Project, India
25. Nighat Khan, Director, ASR, Lahore
26. Alternative Justice Centre, Israel/Palestine
27. Amita Swadhin, Founding Director, Mirror Memoirs, USA.
28. Amna Mawaz Khan, Awami Workers Party, Lahore, Pakistan.
29. Ashila Dandeniya, Standup Movement Lanka, Sri Lanka.
30. Atreyi Dasgupta, Sanhati.
31. Bharti Sharma, Shakti Shalini, New Delhi.
32. Deekshya Illangasinghe, South Asians For Human Rights, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
33. Dinah Musindarwezo – FEMNET, Nairobi, Kenya.
34. Dr. Hannah Safran, feminist activist and Women’s Studies teacher and researcher.
35. Faizun Zackariya, Muslim Women’s Research & Action Forum, Sri Lanka.
36. Farida Akhter, Women’s rights’ activist, Narigrantha Prabartana (Women’s Resource Centre), Bangladesh
37. Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW), Thailand.
38. International Women’s Rights Action Watch – Asia Pacific, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
39. Jaribu Hill, Mississippi Workers’ Centre for Human Rights, Greenville, Mississippi USA.
40. Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentation Centre, Accra, Ghana.
41. Jyotsna Maskay, Chairperson, LOOM/WOREC, Kathmandu, Nepal
42. Kashmir Women’s Collective, New Delhi, India.
43. Kaveesha Coswatte, i-Pro bono, Colombo, Sri Lanka
44. Kavita Mehra, Executive Director, Sakhi for South Asian Women, NYC
45. Kishwar Sultana – Insan Foundation Trust, Pakistan
46. Kumudini Samuel, Women and Media Collective, Sri Lanka.
47. Kyli Kleven – The Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, New York.
48. Lame Olebile – Astraea Foundation, New York, USA.
49. Lesley Ann Foster, Masimanyane Women’s Rights International, South Africa.
50. Lihi Jofee, Board member, The Coalition of Women for Peace, Israel-Palestine.
51. Lizzy Igbine, National President, Nigerian Women Agro Allied Farmers Association, Nigeria
52. Mabel Bianco, President, Foundation for Studies and Research on Women,Buenos Aires, Argentina.
53. Mamas Activating Movements for Abolition and Solidarity (MAMAS), Chicago, USA.
54. Media Matters for Democracy, Pakistan
55. Miabi Chatterji, Astraea Foundation, New York, USA.
56. Michel Lambert, ALTERNATIVES, Canada
57. Neelam Hussain, Academic- Activist, Women’s Action Forum, Lahore, Pakistan.
58. Nelika Rajapakshe – Women and Media Collective, Colombo, Sri Lanka
59. New Profile, Movement for the Demilitarization of Israeli Society.
60. Nighat Dad, Digital Rights Foundation, Pakistan
61. Nosheen Ali, Karti Dharti, Karachi, Pakistan.
62. Paola Salwan Daher, Board member, Urgent Action Fund, Geneva, Switzerland.
63. Priyanthi Fernando, IWRAW AP, Sri Lanka.
64. Prospera International Network of Women’s Funds, Ottawa, Canada & Mexico City, Mexico
65. Purogami Mahila Sangathan, India.
66. Renu Rajbhandari – NAWHRD, Tarangini Foundation, Nepal.
67. Roots for Equity, Pakistan
68. Rubina Saigol, Independent Researcher, Women Action Forum, Lahore, Pakistan
69. Ruth Acheinegeh, Regional Coordinator for the North West/South West Associations of Women With Disabilities, West Africa English Cameroon.
70. Sabina Martins, Bailancho Saad, Goa
71. Sachetana Women’s rights organisation, Kolkata, India
72. Sachini Perera- RESURJ, London, UK.
73. Samuyukta, India.
74. Sepali Kottegoda, Women and Media Collective, Sri Lanka.
75. Sheepa Hafiza, Director, Ain O Salish Kendra, Bangladesh.
76. Shreen Abdul Saroor, Women’s Action Network/Muslim Women Development Trust/Mannar Women’s Development Federation, Sri Lanka.
77. Soudeh RAD, Spectrum (feministspectrum) Paris, France
78. South Asian Women, NYC, USA.
79. Tamil Nadu Women Forum, India.
80. The Initiative for Equal Rights – Lagos, Nigeria.
81. Vimochana, Bangalore, India.
82. Why Loiter, India
83. Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression, India.
84. Women in Black/Isha L’Isha – Haifa Feminist Center, Haifa, Israel
85. Women in Governance (WinG), India.
86. Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET)
87. Yasmin Rehman, Juno Women’s Aid, Nottingham, UK.