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

Israel kills over 81 Palestinians, injures more than 250 and cause severe suffering to hundreds of thousands in the Gaza Strip

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Palestine .

Al Mezan strongly condemns the Israeli violations of human rights and the rights of the childen in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) and especially in the north of the Gaza Strip. The Center calls upon the international community to take effective action to put an end to these violations. The Center also calls human rights organizations and children NGOs, coalitions and individuals to take whatever steps within their power to mobilize a more effective intervention to prevent such violations of the International Humanitarian Law and human rights standards.

Brief Description

Since the night of Tuesday 28 September 2004 , the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) carried out a wide-scaled incursion into the area of North Gaza. IOF spokespersons announced that the Israeli Army carried out the incursion to stop the launch of Qassam and other hand-made rockets on the Israeli territory and Jewish settlements inside the Gaza Strip. The incursion is still underway for the eighth day. To date, eighty-one Palestinians; among whom are 25 children, have been killed and 270 ; including 90 children, were injured. Numerous homes and private property have also been destroyed as IOF utilize excessive, disproportionate force, including air force and heavy tanks in this military operation.

At about 3 pm on Thursday 30 October, an Israeli tank fired artillery into a group of Palestinians in the center of Jebalia refugee camp killing 10, of them at least 8 were Palestinian under-18s. Some 30 other people were injured; including 10 children.

In addition, as the incursion continues, a major proportion of the civilian population of the area suffer shortage in food and water supply due to the destruction of water and electricity facilities, or denying access of technical teams to operate them by IOF.

In the south of the Strip, there has been a serious shortage of food and fuel as IOF ban human and goods movement and, thus, the supplied from Gaza City . Moreover, hundreds of people, including numerous children are not able to access medical care due to the closure of checkpoints.

Background information:

Israel occupied the Gaza Strip and the West Bank , including East Jerusalem in the aftermath of the June 1967 war. The international community considered this occupation as illegal and has a consensus on the applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention in the OPT. During this period, Palestinians have been striving to achieve their own independent state. In September 2000, Palestinians took to the streets in reaction to Ariel Shaon's visit to Al Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem in what is called the Al Aqsa Intifada, which had a more passive nature in the beginning. The IOF perpetrated numerous violations of IHL during this Intifada, including the murder of over 2,500 Palestinians, including 700 children, and used children as collaborators and informants. IOF also destroyed more than 5,000 homes in the Gaza Strip and impose daily strict closures restricting human and goods movement.

There are some 3.5 million Palestinians living in the OPT, 1.4 of them in the Gaza Strip. The area of the Strip is about 360 square kilometers. Israel controls 40% of this area for settlement and military purposes. There are 19 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip.

International Law

The above mentioned practices represent a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949). The Convention prohibits the perpetration of grave breaches by the occupying power, such as excessive and disproportionate force, reprisals against civilians and destruction of civilian properties, collective punishment and targeting civilians (articles 146, 147, 33, 53, 49, and 47).

Israel is in breach of its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989, which Israel ratified in 1991. These practices violate Palestinian children "inherent right to life" and their right to adequate housing, among other rights (articles 6 and 27).

The practices reported also violate the basic right to adequate housing; i.e., the right of all women, men and children to gain and sustain a secure place to live in peace and dignity.

Action requested:

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights requests the solidarity of human rights organizations, groups and individuals. Please read this release and endorse it by sending a message to the Center at the below email address. Endorsements will be updated daily starting from Wednesday 7 October 2004 , and will appear at the Center's website www.mezan.org .

Please also send the attached sample letter or a letter of your own demanding respect for human rights law and restraint from reprisals against civilians and children in the OPT to international, Israeli and National officials. Some of the important contact information is enclosed in the letter.

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
Jabalia, the main Street, P.O. Box 2714 , tel/fax +970 (0)8 2453555/4
Gaza , Izadin Al Qassam Street , P.O. Box 5270 , tel/fax +970 (0)8 2820442/7
Email: info@mezan.org .
Website: www.mezan.org .

Sample Letter to the Israeli authorities

Dear Sir/Madam,

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights have informed us that the Government of Israel announced to intend to continue military action, code operation name (Operation Days of Repentance) in the Gaza Strip in response of hand-made rocket launches towards Israeli territory and settlements in the Strip. It is estimated that the Israeli military has killed 81 Palestinians, including 25 under-18s, demolished 140 Palestinian homes from 28 September to 5 October 2004, leaving hundreds homeless; the majority of whom are also children. Due to the Israeli forces operation, 10 Palestinians were killed on 30 October 2004, when Israeli forces launched artillery towards a crowd of Palestinian. Eight of the dead were under 18-years-old. Moreover, most of the victims are civilians who did not take part in any hostilities.

Meanwhile, due to the closure imposed on the North Gaza area and other parts in the Strip, the civilian population's life is endangered as they do not have access to basic needs. This includes water, electricity and health care.

These practices represent a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949), which prohibits destruction of civilian properties, collective punishment and targeting civilians and excessive, disproportionate use of force (articles 33, 53, 49 and 47). The extensive loss of life and destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity is also considered a grave breach under Art. 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Also, the practices reported also violate the inhabitants’ human right to adequate housing; i.e., the right of all women, men and children to gain and sustain a secure place to live in peace and dignity. House demolitions represent a gross human rights violation and a violation of the international human rights land humanitarian norms, especially provisions regulating adequacy, nondiscrimination and military necessity. It should be noticed that Israel bears a treaty-bound obligation to respect, defend, promote and fulfill these entitlements in an environment of self-determination, nondiscrimination, gender equality, rule of law, and nonregressivity.

Specifically, the authorities have breached their treaty obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to both of which Israel is a State Party. Additionally, The State of Israel breaches its obligations, inter alia , under the International Covenant for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), both in general and specifically Article 5(e)(iii), which treaty it ratified on 2 February 1979.

Finally, Israel is in violation of its treaty obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of children in armed conflict. The Israeli security forces did not use measures to protect Palestinian civilians and children.

We demand that you immediately take all the measures under your power to halt the acts of killing of civilians and demolition of Palestinian homes, particularly the ongoing campaign in the Gaza Strip, and to take measures to spare civilians and children life under all circumstances.

Sincerely,

[Signed]

[Your name and organization]

[Cc]

Officials in Israel:

· Ariel Sharon
Prime Minister of Israel

3 Kaplan St . P.O. Box 187 , Kiryat Ben-Gurion Jerusalem 91919
Tel: +972 (0)2 675-5555 Fax: +972 (0)2 651-2631 Website: http://www.pmo.gov.il E-mail: pm_eng@pmo.gov.il

· Shaul Mofaz
Minister of Defense
Kaplan St. , Hakirya Tel-Aviv 61909
Tel: +972 (0)3 569-2010 Fax: +972 (0)3 691-6940 Website: http://www.mod.gov.il E-mail: sar@mod.gov.il

· Lt. Gen. Moshe Ya’alon
IDF Chief of Staff
Tel: +972 (0)3 568–6601
Fax: +972 (0)3 569–6777

· Menahem Mazuz
Attorney-General
Ministry of Justice 9 Salah al-Din Street Jerusalem 91010 Fax: +972 (0)2 628-5438
E-mail: sar@justice.gov.il

· Menachem Fenklestein
Office of the Military Prosecutor
Tel: +972 (0)3 569–2911
Fax: +972 (0)3 568–4370

· Sallai Meridor
Chairman of the Executive
World Zionist Organization/Jewish Agency for [the Land of] Israel
Fax: +972 (0)2 625–2352
E-mail: sallaim@jazo.org.il

· Josh Schwarcz,
Secretary General

The Israeli Embassy or other official representation in your country; find a list at: http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0czk0

International Officials

H.E. Kofi Annan
UN Secretary General
UN Headquarters
UN Plaza
New NY 10017
United States
E-mail: ecu@un.org, coi@un.org

Office of the President
of the General Assembly
United Nations Headquarters Conference Building
New York , NY 10017 United States
Tel: (212) 963-2486, -5067 Fax: (212) 963-3301, -3133 E-mail : presidentga58@un.org

European Commission
E-mails: sg-registre@cec.eu.int; sg-plaintes@cec.eu.int; Futurum@cec.eu.int

European Parliament:
E-mails: pcox@europarl.eu.int; foreign-press@europarl.eu.int
Herr Elmar BROK
 

European Parliament
Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy, Chairman
Bât. Altiero Spinelli, 10E130 60, rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60 B-1047 Bruxelles/Brussel
Fax: +32 (0)2 284–9323
E-mail: ebrok@t-online.de

European Court of Human Rights
Council of Europe 67075 Strasbourg-Cedex
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 20 18 Fax: +33 (0)3 88 41 27 30

ICC - International Criminal Court
Maanweg, 174 2516 AB The Hague The Netherlands
Tel: + 31 (0)70 515 – 8515 Fax: +31 (0)70 515 –8555

Kindly inform Al Mezan Center for Human Rights of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply to: info@mezan.org .