India Condemns Use Of Sexual Violence As Tool Of War, Terrorism And Political Repression At UN

Published 10 July 2026 · india

India Condemns Use Of Sexual Violence As Tool Of War, Terrorism And Political Repression At UN Published By, Last Updated: July 10, 2026, 07:09 IST

India Condemns Use Of Sexual Violence As Tool Of War, Terrorism And Political Repression At UN Published By, Last Updated: July 10, 2026, 07:09 IST India condemned sexual violence in conflicts as a weapon of war, terrorism, and political repression. Ambassador P Harish called for collective action at UN Security Council debate India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador P Harish (Photo/@IndiaUNNewYork/X) India has strongly condemned the use of sexual violence in conflicts, saying such crimes are being used as weapons of war, terrorism, torture and political repression to silence dissent, subjugate communities and cause human suffering. Addressing the UN Security Council Open Debate on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV) on Thursday, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador P Harish, called for collective action to tackle the growing threat. Harish cited the UN Secretary-General’s report, which recorded a sharp rise in verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence in 2025 and highlighted the extreme brutality involved in such crimes.

“Sexual violence continues to be used as a means of war, of terrorism, torture, and political repression to subjugate communities, suppress dissent, and inflict human suffering. This continues amid a thriving culture of impunity. We strongly condemn such heinous acts," Harish said. The Indian envoy also highlighted the role of women peacekeepers in preventing conflict-related sexual violence, saying India’s experience had shown that their deployment could have a transformative impact. He referred to India’s deployment of the UN’s first-ever all-women formed police unit to Liberia in 2007. According to Harish, the unit helped tackle criminality, deter sexual and gender-based violence and rebuild a sense of safety and confidence among local communities. He added that women peacekeepers bring a unique perspective that strengthens mechanisms to prevent and deter conflict-related sexual violence. Harish also announced that Indian peacekeepers Major Moiz Yassin and Major Sonia Devendra Navaskar will receive the 2026 UN Secretary-General’s Military Gender Advocate of the Year Recognition Certificate for their efforts to prevent CRSV.

Major Moiz Yassin, serving as a force ombudsperson and welfare officer in UNMIS, established an accessible, confidential and victim-centred mechanism for informal grievance reporting. She also conducted more than 40 tailored sessions for troop- and police-contributing countries and military observers, while creating a force gender database to support evidence-based and gender-responsive planning. Major Sonia Devendra Navaskar, the focal point for uniformed women and a member of the UNMIS Gender Task Force, contributed to intelligence and planning efforts aimed at preventing conflict-related sexual violence. She also helped build best-practice networks between UN police and military personnel and engaged with the host country on gender-related issues. Harish said the two Indian peacekeepers were following in the footsteps of other personnel from the country who received similar recognition in 2019, 2024 and 2025. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Anushka Vats Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom.