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

The Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) calls on the United Nations and the International Community to immediately intervene to stop the war crimes committed by the Israeli occupational forces (IOF) on Palestinian civilians and their properties in the Gaza Strip, mainly in the northern town of Beit Hanoun, which for the fourth day is under Israeli siege and attacks from tanks and air strikes. As of last Wednesday morning at least 42 people have been killed and another 175 injured, most of these were children, women, journalists and medical aid workers. Israeli occupational forces have destroyed many houses and bulldozed a wide track of cultivated land.

Tens of thousands of people living in Beit Hanoun town suffering from lack food and medical services due to the siege and curfew imposed by the IOF on the town. In addition, the IOF are denying the sick and injured access to medical treatment.

Yesterday IOF attacked a peaceful women’s march to condemn Israeli aggression and end the siege of Beit Hanoun. Two women were killed and ten more were injured. The IOF attacked historical buildings, Mosques, NGO offices and private homes and continues to violate international agreements and conventions.

The International Community has maintained a silence in the face of disproportionate Israeli aggression in the form of daily attacks and crimes.

PNGO is a coordinating body for more than 100 NGOs calls on the International Community to urgently to protect Palestinian civilians and pressure the Israeli occupation Government to stop its aggression on Palestinian people and end the siege.

Continued Israeli aggression will lead to a health and humanitarian catastrophe in Beit Hanoun, PNGO believes that condemnation of the Israeli violations is not sufficient, and demands effective pressure on Israel to ensure respect for international law and treaties, including the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Times of War.

PNGO calls on the International Community and legal and humanitarian organizations to bring Israeli perpetrators to international justice

PNGO also calls on the international NGOs to intensify thier efforts to pressure governments to work on ending the Israeli escalation of aggression on Palestinian civilians. End Palestinian NGOs Network “PNGO”

For more information please call :

PNGO Gaza office :
Tel : 00972 8 2847518
Fax : 00972 8 2835889
mobile : 00972 599401297
Email: pngo@palnet.com

PNGO Ramallah office :
Tel : 00972 2 2975320/1
Fax :009722 2950704
Email: pngonet@pngo.net
Website : www.pngo.net

The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) applauds the decision of the Venezuelan people and government to withdraw the Venezuelan ambassador from Israel. On August 3, 2006, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez stated that he has withdrawn his country's ambassador from Israel to show his 'indignation' over the military offensive in Lebanon.

Chavez stated, "It really causes indignation to see how the state of Israel continues bombing, killing.with all of the power they have, with the support of the United States" regarding the Israeli assault on Lebanon. He also added, "It's also fascism what Israeli is doing to the Palestinian people.terrorism and fascism." Since the Israeli assault on Lebanon, codename 'Operation Just Reward' on July 13, 2006, 1020 people have been killed, 3508 injured, over 960,000 displaced, in addition to the destruction of 62 bridges. In Gaza, since the beginning of the Israeli 'Operation Summer Rains' on June 28, 2006, 184 Palestinians, including 42 children, have been killed; 650 Palestinians injured, and over 3500 Palestinians have sought shelter in UNRWA installations as a result of this operation.

We highly appreciate and support the courageous position of Mr. Chaves, who was among the very few leaders in the world who took action to express his country's indignation to the violations committed by Israel against innocent civilians in Palestine and Lebanon. The Venezuelan stance shows that such actions are imperative to force Israel to respect sovereignty of nations and support for the international consensus for the protection of civilians and against the belligerence against other countries. In standing for justice and morality, this courage deserves administration in light of the prevailing callous value system where 'might is right.'

Israel has to realize that its belligerence and violations of international law will lead to its isolation and infringement from the community of nations.

President Chavez is the first leader of a country to recall his country's ambassador from Israel since the Israel assault on Lebanese civilians and infrastructure.

Members of the international community have time and again condemned Israeli actions in the occupied Palestinian territories and Lebanon. On July 23, 2006 the United Nations relief coordinator Jan Egeland condemned the devastation caused by Israeli air strikes in Beirut describing it as 'horrific' and terming it 'a violation of humanitarian law'. On May 8, 2002 the United Nations General Assembly condemned Israeli attacks on Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. Israel's response to these condemnations is quite simply to ignore them From 1955 - 1992, 66 United Nations resolutions against Israel were passed. Yet, no action has been taken by members of the international community to enforce these resolutions.

Not only has the US government provided Israel with the weapons, including illegal phosphorous and cluster bombs, with which it is now bombarding Lebanon, it has also provided virtually unlimited financial, military, political and diplomatic support to Israel. The wanton support of the United States to Israel has and will continue to wars of destruction against people and nations.

Israel 's impunity for its crimes against humanity, its violations of international law, its attacks on Arab nations and its massacres of civilians must come to an end. Again, on behalf of PNGO we applaud and commend the actions of the Venezuelan people and government and call upon the internal community, including the Arab countries to follow the lead of Mr. Chavez.

This morning Israel Defense Forces troops have raided into the West Bank city of Jericho and besieged its prison, which is holding Ahmed Saadat, the former leader of the PFLP as well as a number of his colleagues.

Israeli sources say that the raid is being carried out in order to snatch the prisoner to an Israeli jail. Witnesses are saying gunshots are firing inside the Jericho prison, while explosions are erupting. In the meanwhile a Palestinian security guard and a prisoner has been killed by IDF forces in clashes round and inside the prison. IDF bulldozers are trying to tear down the prison walls.

This unlawful action carried out by the Israeli army and government not only violates international law and human rights but also destroys the chances for a renewed peace process.

PNGO and the Palestinian civil society calls upon the international solidarity movements to raise its voice and put pressure on the Israeli government to immediately stop the Jericho raid and all its operations.

PNGO calls upon the international community to take immediate action to stop the Jericho atrocities committed by the Israeli military in the Palestinian Autonomous Area. Words of condemnation, as issued in the past, are not enough. PNGO urges world leaders, especially the representatives of the UN, the EU, Russia and the US, to actively stop Israeli violations of the internationally reached and officially endorsed agreements about the imprisonment in Jericho and stand to its commitments.

Ramallah, March 14, 2006

The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations’ Network (PNGO)

POSITION OF THE PALESTINIAN NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS’ NETWORK (PNGO) ON THREATS MADE BY PALESTINIAN GROUPS AGAINST SCANDINAVIANS RESIDENT IN PALESTINE AS A RESULT OF THE CARICATURE DEPICTION OF PROPHET MOHAMMED (PBUN)

PNGO wishes to express its regret that caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon Him) originally published in the Danish daily newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, in September 2005, reprinted in a Norwegian weekly, Magnizet, in January 2006 and, subsequently in French, Belgian, Jordanian, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch and Irish newspapers in the past few days, were printed in the first instance.

PNGO is of the view that the editors of these publications should have exercised better judgment and shown restraint with respect to their decisions to publish these caricatures which are widely regarded as racist and offensive to Muslims the world over.

However, PNGO also strongly condemns the attendant actions members of these militant groups have taken in reaction to these insensitive and blasphemous cartoons, including the kidnapping of a German teacher in Nablus, the forced closures of representative offices, diplomatic offices and foreign ministries in Gaza and the West Bank, the invasion of West Bank hotels by masked gunmen in search of foreigners to take hostage and threats to forcibly close international media offices and to harm Internationals, including aid workers and journalists, currently working and residing in Palestine unless they leave the West Bank and Gaza in the next few days.

PNGO demands that the Palestinian Authority brings an immediate end to these militant groups’ threats of physical retribution and their calls for Internationals to vacate Palestine. These are contrary what we are renowned for - our hospitable culture and customs.

PNGO endorses the fundamental democratic right of freedom of expression, as long as it is exercised within the Rule of Law and responsibly.

The Palestinian Non Governmental Organisations’ Network (PNGO)