Uyghur mothers' plight highlighted at UN Human Rights Council meet

At the UNHRC, the World Uyghur Congress highlighted China's treatment of Uyghur women, noting mothers are separated from children through detention and coercive measures, which a UN report says can amount to torture. Women activists are also silenced.

The Chinese government's treatment of Uyghur women and families came under international scrutiny at the 62nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), where the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) highlighted the plight of Uyghur mothers separated from their children through arbitrary detention, travel restrictions and other coercive measures.

WUC Highlights Plight of Uyghur Mothers at UN

Addressing the Interactive Dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Girls, WUC Vice President Zumretay Arkin welcomed the report's recognition that prolonged separation from children and the denial of information about their whereabouts can amount to torture. Arkin said such circumstances reflect the daily reality faced by many Uyghur mothers whose families have been torn apart by China's policies in Xinjiang.

She noted that arbitrary detention, restrictions on movement and barriers to family reunification have left countless families divided for years. The WUC representative pointed to documented cases within the Uyghur diaspora, particularly in Turkey, where some children have reportedly not seen their parents for more than eight years due to restrictions imposed by Chinese authorities.

Intimidation and Threats Against Activists

Arkin also welcomed the Special Rapporteur's acknowledgement that threats against children are often used to silence women who expose human rights violations. According to the WUC, Uyghur women human rights defenders living abroad continue to face intimidation through pressure exerted on relatives remaining in China.

Drawing parallels with other movements led by mothers seeking justice for disappeared relatives, the report referenced groups such as Argentina's Madres de la Plaza de Mayo and Mexico's Madres Buscadoras, placing the experiences of Uyghur women within a broader pattern of reprisals against female human rights advocates.

Concerns Over Coercive Reproductive Practices

Arkin further raised concerns about allegations of coercive reproductive practices targeting Uyghur women, including forced abortions and forced sterilisations. She noted that similar concerns were highlighted by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in its 2023 concluding observations following its review of China.

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