United Nations – India criticized Pakistan for duplicity and hypocrisy in regard to gender based violence at the United Nations Open Debate held August 19, 2025 on “Innovative Strategies to Ensure Access to Life-Saving Services and Protection for Survivors of Sexual Violence in Conflict Zones”.
Mentioning the historical 1971 heinous sexual crimes recorded against women in the then East Pakistan, India pointed out that such crimes continue even today in Pakistan.
“Rampant abduction, trafficking, child early and forced marriages and domestic servitude, sexual violence and forced religious conversions of thousands of vulnerable women and girls as weapons of persecution towards religious and ethnic minority communities are reported and chronicled including in the recent OHCHR reports,” pointed out Charge d’ Affaires, Eldos Punnoose, delivering India:s statement.
Convened by Panama who has the Presidency of the Security Council for the month of August, the debate sought to identify innovative strategies to make life-saving services and protection available to survivors of sexual violence in conflict zones.
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A discussion on the Secretary General:s report on conflict related sexual violence was part of the debate. Also discussed was the role of the UN in addressing this issue, particularly that of the Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict which was created by the Security Council in 2009 through Resolution 1888.
The debate was attended by representatives of organizations and UN Member States including the European Union, Ireland, Australia, Estonia and India who all delivered statements. Participants also included Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, and Sudanese women’s rights leader, Ikhlass Ahmed.
Speaking of measures India is taking to deal with sexual violence, Punnoose mentioned India’s Prime Minister Modi’s membership to the Circle of Leadership on prevention of such crimes and a voluntary agreement India has entered into.
“Our dedication to the cause can be seen from the fact that in Nov 2017, a voluntary compact was reached between UN Secretary-General and the Government of India on commitment to eliminate sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping, humanitarian and development work,” Punnoose said.
Punnoose then listed steps taken by India for women’s safety, making special mention of establishing of the $1.2 billion Nirbhaya Fund for women’s safety and implementation of related legislation.
Other concrete steps include establishing new response systems including a pan India Emergency Response Support System by calling 112; Sakhi One Stop Centers for police assistance, medical care, shelter and legal aid; and Fast Track Special Courts dedicated to women’s safety, Punnoose said.
Speaking about India:s willingness to share its expertise and experience with other Member States, Punnoose referred to the introduction of specialized courses addressing sexual and gender based violence in armed conflict at the Center for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK) in Delhi.
Punnoose also drew attention to India’s being first to deploy in 2007 all women Formed Police Unit to the UN Mission in Liberia, and its recent deployment of Women’s teams to MONUSCO in Congo, to UNISFA in Abyei and to UNMISS in South Sudan.
Stressing the need to adopt a survivor-centric approach which would include prosecuting and deterring such crimes in conflict situations and ensuring no impunity for perpetrators, India reaffirmed its commitment to root out sexual violence in armed conflict and support and assist survivors of such heinous crimes.