Parveena Ahanger is a Kashmiri human rights defender and founder of the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP). After her son disappeared in 1990, she began advocating for families of the missing. Known as the “Iron Lady of Kashmir,” she campaigns globally for justice, accountability, and dignity for victims of enforced disappearances.
Parveena continues to speak up for families of the disappeared, maintaining monthly sit-in protests despite political shifts and ongoing tensions in Kashmir.
She has represented the APDP’s demands for truth and justice at international human rights meetings, amplifying the cause beyond regional borders.
Her advocacy work remains central as families still seek closure in thousands of disappearance cases, underscoring ongoing challenges
Despite crackdowns and official scrutiny of NGOs, she persists in supporting community relief and legal documentation efforts
Parveena’s story and the APDP’s work inspired cultural portrayals highlighting the human impact of loss and conflict.
International solidarity networks continue to engage with her cause as part of global human rights dialogues. Read more
Rafto Prize for Human Rights – 2017
Global recognition for non-violent human rights advocacy
BBC 100 Women – 2019
Listed among the world’s most inspiring and influential women
Nobel Peace Prize Nomination – 2005
International acknowledgment for justice and human rights efforts
Parveena Ahanger was born in Srinagar, in the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir (India).
Parveena attended school up to grade six before marriage and family life. Her direct experience of loss and injustice became her real education, driving her toward human rights activism and public engagement.
Parveena Ahanger raised in a traditional Kashmiri family, she lived an ordinary life until a personal tragedy radically changed her path.
In 1990, her teenage son, Javid Ahmad Ahanger, was taken away by security forces during the height of the conflict. He never returned, a loss that transformed her life and sparked a relentless journey for truth and justice.
Parveena’s work brought long-standing abuses into public view, giving a platform to the grieving families of the disappeared. Her activism has helped maintain sustained attention on enforced disappearances and human rights violations in the region, urging state actors towards accountability and greater scrutiny.
She is a Kashmiri human rights activist and founder-chairperson of the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons.
Her son’s disappearance in 1990 transformed her life into a mission for justice and accountability.
APDP is a support and advocacy group for families of enforced disappearances in Kashmir.
Yes — she won the Rafto Prize (2017) and was listed among BBC 100 Women (2019).
Yes, she remains a vocal advocate for justice and human rights.
“I am just a mother searching for truth, but my struggle represents thousands of families still waiting for answers. Justice for the disappeared is not political; it is a human issue. I believe in peaceful resistance, dignity, and accountability. Until every family knows the fate of their loved ones, our voices will not fall silent. Hope, courage, and unity keep our movement alive.”
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