Who is Aasiya Jeelani

“AASIA JEELANI” is not just a person's name worth remembering। She might be reminisced as a human right activist, a true Kashmiri revolutionary, brave and loyal journalist but she is the one to lead the way in teaching Kashmiris to “live for others and also die for them.” She worked for those thousands of young men who had disappeared in the dark realms of current trauma. She tried to become the voices of many voiceless victims of state terrorism.

She began her career as a trainee cum researcher with AFP Kashmir Bureau in 1998-2001 and then joined one of the leading dallies of India. “The times of India “as an internee at Delhi but she left her internship half a way. “I decided not to work in Delhi but in Kashmir for my people. I will try to make the world see what is truly taking place to Kashmir’s? Why they are treated awfully in other parts of India, just because they are Kashmiri which I myself underwent during an internship at Times of India,” said Aasia in an interview during her visit to Netherlands
Aasia’s will to do something for the Empowerment of Women and Social Discrimination made her come back to Valley। Joined ‘Jammu & Kashmir Coalition Civil Society (CCS)’ with a motive to empower Kashmiri women economically. It was then, she felt and observed the real pain and sufferings of the victims of violence and was deeply touched. She realized there is an incredible need for the empowered and impoverished sections of society and she tried to became soothing heal to many traumatized families. She completely got herself involved in the activities of the Association of Disappeared Persons [APDP] and reached to the persons and places where no one dared to access. She was desperate to provide help to such families.


She realized to develop work culture in women first and change their mind setup। Although a hard task but her dedication made her in some way successful in cursing the darkness of mentality and started Self Help Group. Initially only few girls from different parts of the valley got trained but later it evolved as the Aasia Memorial Foundation.

Her real contribution was the “voices unheard” the first ever magazine on women’s plight in Kashmir, a conflict zone। She heard the unheard voices of those whom the conflict has torn apart and who live on fringes of society. Through “voices unheard” these people caught the attention of whole world. Agha Shahid Foundation awarded Aasia Jeelani as “Heroine of Kashmir” for her meritorious services.

She hugged the women victims of violence who were ditched even by their own kith and kin. She proved a hope to many parents of disappeared persons who waited for their sons from years to come back. She tried to wake the unfortunate population of Kashmir who still remain underrepresented. It was with this background she stepped in as genius and intellectual.
Aasia had her last breath in an unkind way but became eternal. She is still present to inspire her collogues, friends and new aspirants to follow her footsteps.

“By writing about plight of Human Rights victims gives me satisfaction but a lot is needed for it. Kind Words Can Sooth Wounds, but they don’t heal them.” -Aasia Jeelani

“It is nearly impossible to admit that Aasia is no more. The loss is unbearable but she has made us & the whole Kashmir proud of her.”-Aasia’s Parents

“She remained loyal to journalism and in fact reinforced her work with engaging in social activities...aligning herself with a human right group” -S A.Zia Columnist and member of Kashmiri Women’s Initiative for Peace and Disarmament.

“People who are sober, intelligent and dynamic like Aasia cannot be enslaved for long”-A Serbian Professor remarked in a conference on Peace Management at The Hague October 2003

“She was the real spirit behind the victim –donor relation program, a program started by ADPD in which families of disappeared are adopted”-President CCS, Pervez Imroz।

“‘Voices Unheard’ became a credible information source due to Aasia’s dedication. She broke the stories of huge importance from the lengths and breadths of the state which otherwise skipped the scanty eyes of rest of the media” -A freelance Journalist Akbar Masood in his article “Diva of Desert”.