At a recent UN Security Council debate on conflict-related sexual violence, India’s Charge d’Affaires, Eldos Mathew Punnoos, strongly criticized Pakistan for its “shameful record” of sexual violence, which India says dates back to the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
Punnoos recalled that “hundreds of thousands of women” in East Pakistan were subjected to sexual crimes by the Pakistani Army. He stated that this pattern continues today, with women and girls from minority communities in Pakistan being abducted, trafficked, and forced into marriage and religious conversions. He pointed to reports from the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) that document these abuses and notes that Pakistan’s judiciary often validates them.
In his statement, Punnoos called for a survivor-centric approach to justice, including legal prosecution of perpetrators and providing comprehensive support for victims through healthcare, psychosocial services, and safe shelters. He also highlighted India’s efforts to combat sexual violence, citing the creation of the Nirbhaya Fund to finance women’s safety projects and the nationwide emergency helpline, 112.
Punnoos further noted that India has contributed to the UN Secretary-General’s Trust Fund for Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and has joined the “Circle of Leadership” on preventing sexual exploitation in UN operations. He highlighted that India sent the first all-women police unit to a UN mission in Liberia in 2007 and continues to deploy female contingents in peacekeeping missions to address gender-sensitive issues.
