This is the joint written contribution by Kashmir Law and Justice Project and the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) for review of India under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women—94th Pre-sessional Working Group (27-31 October 2025)). It highlights two interrelated dimensions of women’s rights in Indian-administered Kashmir (IAK). First, it documents how women in IAK, alongside the broader population, are deprived of fundamental rights guaranteed under the Convention–such as freedom of movement, access to justice, participation in public and political life, and the rights to health and education. Second, it underscores how women experience distinctive and compounded harms within this system of repression, including sexual violence, gendered stereotyping, economic marginalization, and barriers to redress. By presenting both the generalized denial of rights and the specific forms of gendered harm, this report seeks to assist the Committee in holding India accountable to its obligations under CEDAW.

In October 2025, Indian authorities continued to commit grave human rights violations in Indian-administered Kashmir (IAK). Indian forces killed at least two people in IAK. Indian authorities continued their systematic campaigns of mass arbitrary detention, raids, collective punishment and property expropriation.
Numerous Kashmiri journalists, human rights defenders, activists, and dissenters continue to be arbitrarily detained. Emblematic cases include those of human rights defender Khurram Parvez—illegally imprisoned for four years (1,457 days), journalist Irfan Mehraj—illegally imprisoned for over two and a half years (973 days), human rights lawyer Mian Abdul Qayoom—illegally imprisoned for almost a year and a half (511 days) and scholar Shafat Wani—illegally imprisoned for over seven months (218 days).

In September 2025, Indian authorities continued to commit grave human rights violations in Indian-administered Kashmir (IAK). Indian forces killed at least eleven people and continued their systematic campaigns of mass arbitrary detention (at least 70 new detentions reported), raids and property expropriation. Indian authorities denied funeral rites to the family of Prof. Abdul Ghani Bhat, blocked over 300 additional social media accounts and installed the Ashoka emblem at the Hazratbal mosque/shrine (and detained people who protested). Efforts to criminalize human rights work, erase documentation of violations and impunity and manufacture false history in IAK accelerated, including through the publication and promotion of a propagandistic attack on landmark human rights work on enforced disappearances and unmarked graves in IAK.

Numerous Kashmiri journalists, human rights defenders, activists, and dissenters continue to be arbitrarily detained. Emblematic cases include those of human rights defender Khurram Parvez—illegally imprisoned for almost four years (1,430 days), journalist Irfan Mehraj—illegally imprisoned for over two and a half years (946 days), human rights lawyer Mian Abdul Qayoom—illegally imprisoned for over one year (484 days) and scholar Shafat Wani—illegally imprisoned for over six months (195 days).

In August 2025, Indian authorities continued to commit grave human rights violations in Indian-administered Kashmir (IAK). Indian forces killed at least seven people and continued their systematic campaigns of mass arbitrary detention, raids and property expropriation. Indian authorities banned more books, expanded their surveillance infrastructure with a new school-focused initiative and took over 215 independent schools.
Numerous Kashmiri journalists, human rights defenders, activists, and dissenters continue to be arbitrarily detained. Emblematic cases include those of human rights defender Khurram Parvez—illegally imprisoned for almost four years (1,401 days), journalist Irfan Mehraj—illegally imprisoned for over two and a half years (917 days), human rights lawyer Mian Abdul Qayoom—illegally imprisoned for over one year (455 days) and scholar Shafat Wani—illegally imprisoned for almost half a year (166 days).

Goodwill as Bad Faith: Unmasking Operation Sadbhavana in Jammu & Kashmir analyzes India's "winning hearts and minds" military strategy dubbed Operation Sadbhavan ("Goodwill") deployed in Indian-administered Kashmir. The analysis works from a recent, emblematic case -- the implementation of that strategy beginning in January 2024 in Topa Pir, Poonch after nine men from the village were arbitrarily detained and tortured by the Indian military in December 2023.  The Indian military killed three of the victims. The analysis demonstrates that rather than provide actual goodwill, Operation Sadbhavana serves to facilitate and further international crimes and violations in Indian-administered Kashmir.