Special Correspondent: The Kashmiri delegation, participating in the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, has demanded that the international community ensure protection of children in conflict zones, particularly in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and uphold their rights to education, dignity, health and a secure future.

According to Kashmir Media Service, during the discussion, Shamim Shawl and Mehr un Nisa attended a side event titled “Education as a Primary Tool for the Reintegration of Children Returning from Conflict Zones.”

Shamim Shawl highlighted the situation of children in occupied Kashmir, stressing that when formal international mechanisms, treaty frameworks and state protection structures fail or prove inadequate during prolonged conflict, children are among those left most vulnerable to serious human rights violations.

She underscored that the impact of conflict on children extends beyond immediate physical harm. Prolonged insecurity, displacement, psychological distress, disruption of education and erosion of protective social structures can expose children to long-term social and developmental consequences.

Drawing attention to the growing substance-abuse crisis in IIOJK, Mehr un Nisa noted that a Parliamentary Standing Committee report estimated approximately 1.35 million people affected by substance use in Jammu and Kashmir, including an estimated 168,700 children between the ages of 10 and 17.

Ms. Mehr emphasized that these figures should be viewed not merely as a public-health concern but also in the context of the prolonged conflict environment and its impact on children and young people.

The increasing dependence on opioids and other substances among young people further underlines the need for effective prevention, rehabilitation, psychosocial support and educational opportunities. They stressed that education must remain a central component of any meaningful reintegration strategy for children affected by conflict. They called for stronger international attention to children living in conflict-affected regions and urged greater investment in education, mental-health support, rehabilitation and child-protection mechanisms.

The Kashmiri delegation reiterated that the international community must ensure that children affected by conflict are not left without protection and that their right to education, dignity, health and a secure future is upheld.

The participation of the Kashmir delegation at HRC63 reflects its continued efforts to raise international awareness about the human-rights situation and the challenges faced by children and youth in IIOJK.