MENA Fem Movement for Economical, Development and Ecological Justice
16th Days Of Activism Against Gender Based Violence
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16th Days Of Activism Against Gender Based Violence

Gaza’s Feminine Tragedy

As we enter the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, In the same spirit, and in response to Israel’s unfolding genocide in Gaza, we, the MenaFemMovement and its partners and fiminist groups stand united in shedding light on the pressing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where the ongoing conflict has transcended political boundaries to become a devastating gender-based tragedy. we call on women and women’s organizations worldwide to speak up and rise up, especially on the 16 days to support women and girls in Gaza to end this genocide.

An open-air prison for over 16 years, women and girls pay the highest price when armed conflict erupts.  Since 7 October, 67 per cent of the more than 14,000 people killed in Gaza are estimated to be women and children, and two mothers killed every hour and seven women every two hours.

Every day, 180 women are giving birth without water, painkillers, anaesthesia for Caesarean sections, electricity for incubators or medical supplies, mothers in Gaza, meanwhile, mix baby formula with contaminated water — when they find it — and go without food so that their children can live another day. And 5,500 pregnant women are expected to give birth in December in Gaza only at a moment when new life is beginning, should be a moment of joy is overshadowed by death and destruction, horror and fear.

This conflict is not only a matter of political dispute but also an economic and climate crisis that disproportionately impacts the women of Gaza. In the face of this violence, women are not only primary targets but also suffer the cascading effects on their economic well-being and the environment.

The economic violence on women in Gaza is stark, with poverty rates exceeding 60%, essential services crumbling, and livelihoods shattered due to a two-decade blockade. This economic plight makes women vulnerable to exploitation and various forms of gender-based violence.

The Israel-Gaza war’s socioeconomic shock would plunge hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into poverty, according to a United Nations analysis on the conflict’s potential long-term impact on Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

According to a study issued this week by the UN Development Programme and the UN-ESCWA, when the conflict entered its first month, poverty had grown by 20% and GDP had decreased by 4.2 percent.

Additionally, the conflict’s climate impact compounds challenges for women. Infrastructure destruction leaves women in overcrowded shelters with limited access to sanitation, leading to a dire public health situation. The collapse of water and health infrastructure exposes women and girls to diseases and infections.

what is happening in Gaza is an assault on women’s rights.

MenaFemMovement urgently calls on all to amplify efforts against apartheid Israel, Our immediate demand:

  • Ensure UN protection for Palestinians besieged in Gaza by Israel’s occupation.
  • Impose a broad military-security embargo as well as other sanctions on Israel to end their cooperation.
  • Demand that the ICC investigate Israel’s war crimes and crimes against humanity, including genocide and apartheid. for instance
  • Call on governments to secure an immediate ceasefire and ensure the entry of aid and fuel into Gaza.
  • Demand fulfillment of obligations to prevent war crimes and genocide.
  • Call for an end to bombing civilians and essential infrastructure.
  • Urge positive steps to end the Israeli Occupation and achieve a just settlement for Palestinians’ sovereign rights on their historic land.