Memo #44
Alifa Bandali
The 2002 Gujarat incident, in which inter-religious violence fuelled mass riots, resulted in gruesome deaths and injuries. The incident led to a rise in the number of cases of sexual assault and violence against women. On October 15 2010, Members of the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) took “the extraordinary measure of requesting a special report because of the seriousness of the violations, the large scale of the violence and the alarming reports that the Committee had seen at the time of the incident”. India submitted this exceptional report to CEDAW almost 9 years after the initial conflict.
It is truly remarkable that CEDAW and India-based national-level NGOs working in Gujarat held India accountable to provide additional information. Originally, India had not provided the most up-to-date data and neglected important issues that women face. But the NGOs indicated that the conflict and its aftermath had serious implications for the state of discrimination against women. Women faced violence, a low number of reopened cases, the impunity of political officials involved, and gross insensitivity displayed in the Indian justice system.
At the meeting, the delegation from India was asked a series of questions about the rehabilitation, protection, and compensation of female victims of sexual violence from the incident. One CEDAW member mentioned the five year delay of the sexual violence bill. CEDAW recommended that India seek justice for women victims of the incident. This included developing, coordinating, and establishing a truth and reconciliation commission, and taking appropriate measures to ensure long-term integration of affected communities into existing ones.
It is significant that CEDAW compelled a special report from India on the basis of information provided by Indian NGOs. If not for the NGOs, CEDAW would not have been able to ask such pertinent questions. The NGOs were dedicated to helping women victims from Gujarat. They reported on ground-level issues regarding gender equality and women’s advancement and facilitated constructive dialogue between India and CEDAW. NGO engagement should be treated as equal to the participation of states in order for women’s issues to be properly addressed.
About the Author:
Alifa Bandali is a graduate student in the Master of Arts-Asia Pacific Policy Studies (MAAPPS) program at the University of British Columbia.
Links:
- Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women considers exceptional report on India, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), October 2010
- BJP dismisses Gujarat riot claims, BBC News, Delhi, October 2007
- Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, October 2010. (For more information about the recommendations from the Committee)
Related Memos:
- If you haven’t already, see Dr. Mandakranta Bose’s October 2010 Asia Pacific Memo, titled Gender Issues in the Hindu Tradition
- Our other Memos about India