1_March 2019, Ramallah – On the occasion of the International Women’s Day (8 March), a week-long joint campaign “My Rights, Our Power” was launched today in Palestine to raise awareness on women’s fundamental human rights. The joint effort, with participation from over 30 national and international partners from civil society organizations, media outlets, and international development agencies, targets youth, women, and men in various geographic areas in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza to promote women’s human rights in Palestine.

The campaign comes at a crucial moment when the anticipated adoption of the Family Protection Bill is at a standstill, raising concerns among national and international stakeholders about the consequences of such delay on safeguarding women’s fundamental human rights in Palestine. According to the Palestine report of the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES), nearly one in five Palestinian men (17 percent) surveyed said they had perpetrated act of physical intimate partner violence against female partners, while 21 per cent of women surveyed reported having experienced such violence.

“Family violence, usually committed by a family member who has social or economic power over others in the family, causes enormous pain and suffering to all members of the family, especially the women and children,” said a spokesperson from civil society, which has vigorously initiated the development of the Family Protection Bill (FPB), and has strongly pushed its adoption since 2004.

“The violation of women’s human rights manifests in various levels and should be also understood from economic, cultural, and social aspects,” the spokesperson added, highlighting the lack of opportunities and freedom of choice, as well as limited access to justice and services that women in Palestine still experience.

The joint campaign aims to raise awareness of the general public, especially youth, women, and men on women’s fundamental rights in line with international standards and embedded in the Family Protection Bill draft endorsed by the previous Cabinet at the end of December 2018. Five key messages, addressing women’s right to a life free of violence, right to achieve justice and seek help in case of violation of such life, as well as the right to equal opportunities and right to make one’s own choices, will be distributed through various channels such as radio, social media, helpline (121), outreach activities, and on-site events. The closing event of the joint campaign will take place on 8 March in Jerusalem and will celebrate women’s achievements using TED-style talks, followed by art performances.

“My Rights, Our Power” joint campaign is part of the global International Women’s Day 2019 campaign under the theme of “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change”. The theme focuses on innovative ways in which we can advance gender equality and the empowerment of women, particularly in the areas of social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure, echoing the theme of the 63rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 63) taking place in New York on 11-22 March 2019.

The participating organizations of the “My Rights, Our Power” are (in alphabetical order): 17 Palestinian women’s organizations represented by Al-Muntada (coalition), British Consulate-General, Business Women Forum, CARE International, Consulate General of Sweden, Consulate General of Belgium, EUPOL COPPS, EU Representative Office, FAO, General Union of Palestinian Women, Government of Japan, CowaterSogema/GROW Project, International Labour Organization, Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, Ma’an TV, MIFTAH, Netherlands Representative Office, Nisaa FM, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development, Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association, Representative Office of Canada, Representative Office of Denmark, SAWA, Sawasya II, Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, Sports for Life, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Representative Office of Norway, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNOPS, UN Women, Women's Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling, Women’s Studies Center.

For more information, please contact Eunjin Jeong at UN Women via eunjin.jeong@unwomen.org or 059 2321 308, Majd Beltaji at UNESCO via m.beltaji@unesco.org or 059 4501 506.

Mr. President,

We thank France for organizing this important meeting and extend our appreciation to the Chef de Cabinet of the Secretary General, the Executive Director of UN Women, the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security and the Secretary-General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie for their efforts and important briefings.

The issue before us is of relevance not only for half the planet, but to all, given the role and contribution of women in the fields of peace and security and the untapped potential that could be unleashed by mainstreaming their participation. Since the adoption by consensus of resolution 1325 by this Council, a lot has happened, and yet we are still far from the goal of full and equal participation, including in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace-building, and from ensuring the protection and empowerment of women. Gender equality and non-discrimination remain prerequisites for the fulfilment of the purposes and principles of this organization and all of our lofty, collective commitments, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The State of Palestine welcomes the Secretary General’s report and his commitment to implementing the women and peace and security agenda, including by placing gender at the centre of his prevention platform and surge in diplomacy. We appreciate all efforts by the UN in this regard, including by UN Women, OHCHR and UNDP, notably in the field of human rights, capacity building, employment and rule of law. We urge UN bodies, notably those operating in Palestine, including the Special Representative, to intensify their engagement and collaboration with women organizations.

Mr. President,

I wish to highlight some of Palestine’s own important efforts in this regard. The Palestinian women’s movement is one of the oldest and strongest in the region and beyond, with institutional and representative structures established as early as the 19th century. Within the PLO, the General Union of Palestinian Women was among the first unions to be established. A coordination of women frameworks within PLO political parties and other organizations has also been established as the “Women’s Affairs Technical Committee” in the aftermath of the 1991 Madrid Peace Conference.

There have been many achievements thereafter. Among them: In 2012, Palestine inaugurated a High-Level National Committee for the implementation of resolution 1325, led by the Ministry of Women Affairs in partnership with relevant Ministries and NGOs. In 2016, the State of Palestine was among the 68 countries and areas that adopted a National Action Plan on women, peace and security.

This Action Plan (2017-2019), adopted by both the Government and civil society organizations, identifies three primary objectives: 1. ensuring protection for women and girls both domestically and in the face of the Israeli occupation; 2. ensuring accountability through national and international mechanisms, with a particular focus on crimes and violations committed by the occupation; and 3. furthering women’s political participation in decision making at the national and international level. The State of Palestine also joined core IHL and human rights instruments, including CEDAW, without reservations. Women’s participation and empowerment are also important and cross-cutting objectives in the context of the National Policy Agenda (2017-2022).

We are, however, conscious that, despite all these efforts, much more work remains to be done. Only in 2009 was a women elected to the highest executive body of the PLO. Quotas are still decisive in allowing women’s election to Parliament and local councils. And while women organizations were among the strongest advocates of national reconciliation, they have been unfairly absent from reconciliation talks. The relevant legislative framework applicable in Palestine is also outdated and must be revised to ensure consistency with Palestine’s international commitments and obligations and avail women the protection and rights they are entitled to and the opportunities they deserve.

Mr. President,

The Palestinian women’s movement since its establishment over a century ago pursued the struggle on two fronts – the struggle for the independence of Palestine and the struggle for women’s rights and empowerment – a dual struggle the movement continues to pursue to this day. The Israeli occupation remains the main source of the violations of our women’s rights and their vulnerability and violence against their person. We have repeatedly called for protection of the Palestinian people, especially women and children. We have also called for accountability, a key element of resolution 1325, the first resolution to address the disproportionate and unique impact of armed conflict on women, as the only way to put an end to violations and crimes.

While Palestine stands ready to do its part to advance women rights and the role of women in the fields of peace and security, it is clear that the enjoyment of these rights in our country necessitates ending the Israeli occupation. We will thus continue to work for an end of the occupation and true progress on the path to independence, justice and peace, with the equal and full involvement of women, leading to an independent State of Palestine ensuring human rights for all its citizens without discrimination.

On the occasion of the ICC Prosecutor’s Office to Palestine, the Palestinian Women Coalition of UNSCR 1325, which consists of twelve different Palestinian women’s organisations, is urging the Prosecutor’s Office to take concrete actions towards investigating war crimes committed against Palestinians. The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom remains deeply concerned with the complete impunity of Israeli war crimes and firmly supports the Coalition’s call for a just accountability mechanism for Palestinian victims. WILPF also calls on the international community to recognise and fully support Palestinian women’s organisations substantial role in paving the paths to justice, accountability and peace. Read the statement of the Palestinian Women Coalition of UNSCR 1325 below.

We, the Palestinian Women Coalition of UNSCR 1325,welcome the visit of the delegation of the ICC Prosecutor’s Office as a step in the right direction. But we are deeply disappointed that the purpose of this visit was restricted to preliminary examination, while Palestinian victims of Israeli war crimes, including women, continue to suffer and urgently await justice and an end to Israel impunity.

We do not understand the decision to exclude the Gaza Strip from this visit, when Gaza has been the site of the most war crimes and where women have been most systematically impacted by Israeli collective punishment policies; a prolonged imposed siege and a severe humanitarian deterioration resulting from Israeli military aggressions .

We are further disappointed that women who have been systematically impacted, and their women’s organisations, have been excluded from the delegation’s agenda.

We call upon all future delegations of the ICC Prosecutor’s Office to include on their agenda meetings with women’s organisations and women who have experienced direct and indirect impacts of Israeli crimes.

We, the Palestinian Women Coalition of UNSCR 1325, have seen in UNSCR 1325, 2242, and other UN Resolutions a commitment to hold the Israeli perpetrators accountable for their war crimes.

We look to the ICC as the most important mechanism to end impunity for all war crimes committed, finally bringing justice for the Palestinian people. Yet, we are very concerned that the preliminary examinations will be an endless process.

Therefore, we urge, Ms. Fatou Bensouda, the Prosecutor of the ICC, to conclude the preliminary examination and move to investigations into Israeli war crimes, bringing justice to Palestinians.

We have paid the price of non-accountability and impunity of Israeli war crimes for too long. “Delaying justice is justice denied.”

Palestinian Women Coalition of UNSCR 1325: The General Union of Palestinian Women (GUPW), the Women’s Affairs Technical Committee (WATC), Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD), MIFTAH, Filastinyat, Women Media and Development (TAM), Women Stu Dies Center, Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counseling (WACLAC), the National, YWCA of Palestine, Center for Women’s Legal Research and Consulting (CWLRC), the Culture and Free thought Association(CWLRC) and Women’s Affairs Center (GWAC).

Occupied Palestine

October 11, 2016

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights expresses its great concern upon kidnapping of Kate Burton and her parents and calls upon the PNA to exert efforts to secure their release

One day has passed since Kate Burton was kidnapped and at the time the PNA [Palestinian National Authority] is still unable to identify the place of kidnappers.

Kate Burton is British of 24 years old; she has been working as International Coordinator at Al Mezan Center for Human Rights for the last three months. Ms. Burton has also taken part with the UNDP [United Nations Development Programme] in the Gaza Strip where she maintains excellent relationships with Palestinians. She actively supported the Palestinian cause, and worked hard on backing up Palestinians and exposing Israeli violations against Palestinian civilians. Ms. Burton has chosen to stay and work in the Gaza Strip in spite of the insecure and unsafe situation.

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemns the disrespect of the law substantiated in kidnapping international activists and social workers who face great sufferings while coming to the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) to provide assistance for Palestinians. Further, Al Mezan Center emphasizes that such incidents deform the image of Palestinians and misinterpret their cause to the world.

Therefore, Al Mezan Center expresses its concern upon kidnapping the human rights activist Kate Burton, and calls upon the PNA to exert its utmost effort to secure the release of Kate and her parents.

The Center calls on the political bodies and citizens to assist by providing any evidence that would lead to Kate, and appeals to whoever has information on the kidnapping to contact Al Mezan at +972 2820442 - 2820447 or call on the Fieldwork Unit Coordinator cell phone: +972 0599461681.

Between December 15th and the early morning of 18th, the IOF continued their shelling over areas of the Gaza Strip, shelling approximately 42 tank missiles and 30 air missiles, in addition to random firing from military watch towers located on the border between Gaza and Israel. This offensive resulted in 8 injured Palestinians, among them a woman, a baby girl and a disabled person. The main roads were closed due to damages caused by the shelling.

According to Al Mezan’s fieldworkers, Israeli tanks were positioned on the eastern borders of the northern Gaza Strip, and fired approximately 42 missiles on populated areas of east Jabalia, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun. Israeli air forces continued shelling areas in northern Gaza, destroying Al Sika bridge to Beit Hanoun, causing a deep ditch at the crossroads which obstructed the movement of people and vehicles. The affected streets were Khalil Il Wazir, Salah Il Din and the Bedouin Village road; in addition unpaved roads in agricultural areas of east Jabalia and northern Beit Lahia were also damaged. Furthermore, the shelling caused severe damages to nearby houses, injuring 7 Palestinians including 2 women and a 3- month old baby girl Maria Fikri Akhrawat who, according to medical sources, suffered shrapnel wounds to her right eye. In addition, the IOF fired a missile on a yard pertaining to the agricultural faculty of Al Azhar University located in northern Beit Hanoun, causing partial damages to the faculty.

The IOF fired 2 missiles on To’aymat area east of the Islamic University building in Khan Younis, resulting in no casualties but terrifying civilians, most notably women and children. The IOF also fired a missile on Salah Il Din near Sofia junction between Khan Younis and Rafah, and another missile on Hamuda petrol station in northern Gaza, causing complete inaccessibility of the road for several hours.

At approximately midnight on December 17th, the IOF opened fire on the eastern part of Shuhada cemetery in East Jabalia, injuring a mentally disabled 30-year-old citizen Wael Khami Il Qahawaji who suffered a gunshot to his left leg. At approximately 10pm on December 17th, the IOF opened fire on houses located in northwest Beit Lahia killing another citizen, 22-year- old Lokman Mohammed Hamad Abu Zakri from Nusseirat Camp. The IOF have maintained the closure of Sofia border crossing since December 14th and Erez border crossing since December 16th; medical patients in particular remain prevented from crossing through Erez crossing.

Al Mezan centre for human rights condemns the ongoing IOF offensive and emphasizes that such random attacks that terrify civilians, and the imposed siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, constitute war crimes by international law and notably the 4th Geneva Convention.

Therefore, Al Mezan calls upon the international community, in particular the contracting parties to the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, to immediately intervene to halt and put an end to Israeli war crimes and provide protection to civilians as a vital first step to effectively ending the occupation of the OPT.

In a critical escalation of the state of insecurity in the OPT, a family dispute in Gaza has resulted in 5 dead and 30 injured, among them 8 children and 2 women.

According to the Center's fieldworkers, on December 1st at approximately 8pm, a violent fight broke out between two families in the North Gaza District of Beit Hanoun, killing 5 citizens and injuring 2 women, 8 children, and 30 citizens, 5 of whom are now in critical medical conditions. Those killed are:

• Shaher Jameel Al Masri, aged 25
• Al Sheikh Salah Mohammad Mohammad Al Masri, aged 47
• Hussain Hassan Ibrahim Al Masri, aged 35
• Abdel Salam Mustafa Ashour Al Kafarna, aged 50
• Police officer Issam Assad Hewaihi, aged 27

National Islamic efforts and tribal interventions were attempted to end the fighting, although were unsuccessful. The PNA, however remained silent with the exception of sending police forces to the scene two days later on the 3rd December.

Al Mezan expresses its sincere sorrow over the loss of these victims. In addition, the Centre condemns the heightening levels of insecurity and the PNA's incapability to put an end to such feuds which are encouraging citizens to disrespect the law and take it into their own hands.

Thus, Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights calls on the PNA to take all necessary procedures to end the state of insecurity and the use of arms in Palestinian streets, and enforce the rule of law to guarantee stability and safety among Palestinians.

Al Mezan Center condemns the ongoing Israeli offensive against the Palestinians, and calls upon the Palestinian factions to respect the law and end armed parades.

In a recent escalation, Israeli air forces launched three air strikes on different areas in the Gaza Strip.

According to the center's fieldworkers, on September 24th, 2005, at approximately 5:05 am, Israeli air forces hit the house of Abu Laban family in Beit Lahia, north of the Gaza Strip, destroying it partially. No causalities were reported.

Five Minutes later, they hit unpopulated area near Ali Bin Abu Taleb Mosque, western Az-Zaitoun area in Gaza City. No causalities or property damages were reported.

Further, at approximately 5:15am, the same day, they shelled a smithery workshop owned by Ghazi Abu Assi, near As-Seka Street, east Az-zaitoun area in Gaza City, destroying it partially. One Palestinian was wounded as a result.

Israeli Air Forces continued to launch illusionary strikes on the Gaza strip, causing panic among Palestinian civilians and children.

Furthermore, IOF continue to close Rafah crossing, the only outlet for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to the outside world, and interrupt the course of reaching an agreement on reopening Rafah crossing. IOF, also, impede the construction of a seaport in the Gaza Strip, and rebuilding the Gaza International Airport.

They also continue the construction of the apartheid wall that disconnects Israel from the Gaza strip, seizing thousands of dunams of Palestinian agricultural lands.

On the other hand, On September 23rd, 2005, an expulsion occurred during a military parade of the Izz Ad-Din Al-Qassam brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). 19 Palestinians were reported killed and 130 injured. A Hamas spokesperson affirmed that the explosion was as a result to an Israeli air strike by an exploratory airplane. However, the Palestinian Ministry of Interior assured that the explosion occurred as a result to internal technical mistakes.

It also calls upon the PNA to open an investigation into this incident to find out the truth. It is worth noting that the IOF consider firing rockets on Palestinians targets legal, and practice it widely without discrimination.

Also, repeated technical mistakes that resulted from practices of armed groups led to the death of tens of Palestinian civilians in several occasions.

The center is gravely concerned about the continuation of military parades carried out by military factions and their grievous consequences. The center calls upon all armed groups to stop such marches and military parades, respect the law, and reinforce the internal security in the Palestinians Society

The Center condemns IOFs' re-escalation of their offensive and the imposition of tight siege on the Gaza Strip.

The center believes that the IOF misled that world by allowing the disengagement to function as a cover under which Palestinians’ human rights will continue to be violated. The center emphasizes that the Israeli practices represented in arbitrary and randomly shelling of Palestinians property, killing of Palestinians civilians and tight siege constitute grave breaches of international law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention

The center calls upon the international community to put an end to the Israeli war crimes and provide protection to the Palestinians in the OPT.