Afspa and Violation of Women Rights in India

Women become victims of wars and violent conflicts in different parts of world as well in India. The experience of armed conflicts in Kashmir and North-East region tells the story of subjugation and oppression of women. Women become victims of domestic, political and cultural violence, fragmentation of families, loss of children and men, violence of dislocation and predatory masculinity and misogyny of war, rape and murder. Armed Forces Special Power Act 1958 (AFSPA) is one such law in India which violates women rights intentionally or unintentionally. Civil rights activist Irom Sharmila Chanu has been on a fast for the past 14 years against this Act. On the one hand state (Police Forces) targets women and uses violence against them as a means of suppression. On the other, the community is apathetic to the special problems faced by women. Present paper is a humble attempt in this regard. It will analyse origin of AFSPA, its need and impact on women as they bear the brunt of this law. The paper focuses on how provisions of AFSPA result in violations of human rights including women rights. It sums up that security concerns should be the priority of every government but only militarized approach can be counterproductive.