Horror as women ‘enslaved, sterilised and raped’ in ‘genocide’ hell | World | News
Human rights groups condemned the United Nations for hosting a women’s empowerment summit in Beijing last week, claiming delegates overlooked reports of women facing enslavement, forced sterilization, systematic rape and forced separation from their babies in what independent investigations described as an ongoing genocide.
The Women’s Global Leaders Meeting, held on October 13 and 14 and co-hosted by UN Women and the People’s Republic of China, attracted the reaction of Justice for All’s Save the Uyghurs Campaign. According to the campaign, the event, which was attended by former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, proceeded without mentioning the documented violations against Uyghur and other Turkish women.
Ms. Bachelet, who served as High Commissioner from 2018 to 2022, was welcomed by Chinese officials as a “friend of the Chinese people.” A campaign spokesman said he praised the success of the summit and supported the themes of multilateralism and a “shared future for humanity”. No press release from him during the visit made any reference to the allegations.
The condemnation highlights an example of the UN’s inaction amid evidence from the UN’s own 2022 report confirming “crimes against humanity” including arbitrary detention, torture and cultural repression affecting more than a million people, primarily in Xinjiang. The report, based on 40 interviews and Chinese government documents, detailed patterns of sexual violence and forced medical procedures.
A 2021 ruling by the Uyghur Tribunal, an independent panel based in the United Kingdom, classified the situation as genocide, citing rates of forced sterilization as among the highest in the world. Survivor accounts describe women receiving unexplained injections to stop their menstrual cycles, organized rape in detention camps, and separation from children as young as breast-fed babies.
Gulbahar Jelilova, a Uyghur survivor of the detention system, told the court: “As Muslims, we were humiliated and ashamed of our bodies. Some detainees were given injections and unknown drugs without explanation, and some women’s menstrual cycles were stopped.”
Hena Zuberi, director of advocacy at Justice for All, said: “Uyghur women are bearing the brunt of this genocide by the Chinese Communist Party. They experience enslavement, torture, gender-based violence, an organized rape system, sexual slavery, forced marriage and sterilization. They are subjected to the psychological torture of being separated from their children, even breastfeeding their babies, and are faced with the terrible choice of marrying faithless Communist Chinese or imprisoning their parents.”
Ms. Zuberi added that the Beijing summit “should have investigated” these claims rather than celebrating women’s leadership under the host regime.
Uyghur Rescue Campaign team leader Arslan Hidayat directly criticized Bachelet’s participation. He said: “Michelle Bachelet once again chose symbolism over substance by attending an event hosted by the Chinese Communist Party, rather than taking the opportunity to investigate ongoing human rights violations. A former UN Human Rights Commissioner should have gone to China to seek truth and accountability for the Uyghur people, not to appear alongside officials responsible for atrocities.”
The campaign also opposes Ms. Bachelet’s candidacy for UN Secretary-General. Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, president of Justice for All, said: “Rewarding Michelle Bachelet with the nomination of Secretary-General after years of silence on genocide is an insult to the victims for whom she failed. Her refusal to stand up to China’s atrocities while millions are detained, tortured and stripped of their identities disqualifies her from leading the United Nations.”
Ms. Bachelet’s performance during her term underscores the campaign’s concerns. For four years, his office did not issue an independent statement on the mass detention of Uyghurs. The 2022 report was revealed on August 31, the last day of his mandate, after sustained pressure from activists, the US Congress and European parliaments.
UN Women did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the criticisms. A spokesman for Bachelet declined to address the Xinjiang allegations, citing her post-mandate status.
The summit focused on gender equality and global cooperation, with participants including government officials and NGO representatives. Chinese state media reported the event as a success, highlighting Ms. Bachelet’s comments without mentioning human rights.
Broader application remains limited. The United States imposed sanctions on Chinese officials in connection with the detentions, but there was no referral to the International Criminal Court. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International continue to document ongoing abuses in Xinjiang, including forced labor transfers and surveillance.
The Justice for All campaign reaffirmed its push for accountability, including targeted sanctions and UN reforms. Mr. Hidayat said: “Global institutions should no longer reward silence over justice.”
While reports of these atrocities continue two weeks after the Beijing meeting, advocates warn that unchecked impunity risks escalating further. The group plans to conduct lobbying activities in UN member states ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women next month.
Ms. Bachelet has been reached for comment.
