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.

(Names of member organizations at the end of statement)

Since its creation in 2006, member states of the Human Rights Council (HRC) have passed fifty-seven resolutions condemning human rights violations of Palestinians and requiring immediate and urgent action from the State of Israel. It has also established a number of independent inquiries or fact-finding missions to investigate abuses, including extreme military actions, committed by Israel against the people whose territory it occupies.

Nonetheless, even as the HRC notes and condemns on-going human rights violations and acknowledges the deteriorating situation in the Occupied State of Palestine particularly in besieged Gaza, there has been no corresponding translation into real obligations by member states to ensure that Israel, the occupying power, is held accountable for these violations. As a result, the HRC has done nothing to prevent further abuses and consistently fails to protect the Palestinian people.

The recent Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory released 22 January 2015 offers a strong statement about the effects of Israel’s human rights violations on the Palestinian people, making specific mention of the impacts of the 50-day 2014 Israeli wide scale military offensive, “Operation Protective Edge”, against besieged Gaza. UN figures indicate that 551 children and 299 women are among those who were killed in this military offensive or, as the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights concludes, 7 in 10, or 76% of victims, were civilians. While these numbers speak volumes about the scale of the devastation and the enormous price paid by civilians, even these numbers cannot do justice to the intensity of human suffering or reveal how the conflict post trauma, will continue to impact on Palestinians, specially women and children, both those living in Gaza and outside the Strip – for months and years to come.

The specifically gendered impacts of the on-going conflict have received little public attention. Palestinian women’s organizations remain a lone voice arguing that women’s experiences of daily insecurity – whether in their families or in the public sphere – qualify them to bring a different analysis, discourse and set of solutions.

Women’s organisations are also among the few who remind the international community that human rights are not selective: they apply to all people at all times regardless of nationality, race, religion or gender and must be applied without discrimination or prejudice, especially given the extreme vulnerability of a people displaced and controlled through prolonged military occupation. The images that were seen around the world almost a year ago showed the full impacts of the destruction in Gaza on ordinary civilians, particularly on women. Hundreds of thousands around the globe stood in solidarity with Palestinians, demonstrating and calling on their governments to take action to protect the population of Gaza. They expected a full response from the member states gathered here today. Yet their hopes for justice have not been met.

To date it is clear that exigencies of political and economic allegiance have overridden human rights obligations in the HRC some of the positions adopted here seek to justify violence, further to justify or protect the impunity of Israel. Member states are effectively doing nothing– either to prevent the conflict from deepening even further, or to take concrete measures of accountability that will save lives.

While pursuing its policy of denying full and free access to the Commission of Inquiry as to other human rights mandates established by the Council and violating its duty and responsibility as a member state to respect and protect human rights, Israel, in its report “The 2014 Gaza Conflict: Factual and Legal Aspects”, released on Sunday June 14th, abrogates its responsibilities as a UN Member State, excusing its military for committing war crimes and defending its continuous violation of international law. The report seeks to maintain Israel’s apparent impunity from prosecution and is intended to pre-empt any independent investigation that would lead to sanctions or any other effective response. Its goal is to discredit and undermine the findings of the Commission of Inquiry report on Gaza even before it is officially released.

Obligations to implement WPS agenda

It is the collective responsibility of the international community to ensure women’s protection and security in accordance with UNSCR 1325, 2122 and CEDAW GR30, to take seriously what women advise and to act on the new ideas and observations they present. Yet nothing has changed on the ground. As Palestinian women have repeatedly observed, this inaction marks yet another set of broken promises and failed assurances. It seems to indicate that this Council is not capable of producing the political will necessary to uphold and protect universal human rights without bias.

Intent, once more, on reminding this Council of its obligations, Palestinian women national coalition reiterate the recommendations they made at the 26th session of the Human Rights Council. They remain firm in their position that the mind-set of the member states of this Council must change, and that all the necessary means and available mechanisms to address on-going human rights violations – as a collective responsibility of the States gathered here today – must be brought to put an end to Israel impunity and ensure ways and means to protect civilians.

Member states have the duty to guaranty the fulfilment of Palestinian human rights including their right to freedom and self-determination by bringing an end to the military occupation of Palestine and the unceasing violence with which it is maintained and deepened. Continued failure to act will only increase extremism, violence and insecurity in the occupied State of Palestine, Israel and in neighbouring countries, including those that have harboured Palestinian refugees for decades and are under increasing strain to maintain their protection of the world’s oldest refugee population. This Council has the mandate, and must produce the political will, to act decisively, to end Israeli impunity, to safeguard Palestinians, and to signal to the world that upholding human rights brings hope and human security.

Recommendations

• The only way to achieve sustainable peace and security is for Israel, the occupying Power, to end its prolonged occupation, in accordance with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. We, the Palestinian women organizations of the National Coalition, urge member states to use all necessary efforts to ensure the ending of the Occupation, including the provision of immediate international protection for all civilian population in the Occupied State of Palestine.

• High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention affirmed in their declaration of 17 December 2014 that “no violation of international humanitarian law by any party to a conflict can relieve the other party from its own obligations under international humanitarian law”. All members of the international community must take immediate action and implement effective punitive measures in order to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law. Legal accountability must be sought including through the International Criminal Court. We urge the Government of Switzerland and contracting parties, to ensure convening a Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention without further delay to take adequate measures to insure Israel’s obedience to the Fourth Convention and First Additional Protocol,.

• We perceive recommendations of the Independent, International Commission of Inquiry, as an additional step towards accountability of the Israeli violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in the Occupied State of Palestine. We, the national Palestinian women coalition call on all member states of the Human Rights Council to ensure that the findings of the Commission form a base for developing immediate concrete adequate accountability measures to prevent the recurrence of Israeli crimes and provide justice for Palestinian victims

• As the situation in Gaza worsens, with fully 70% of the population now entirely dependent on humanitarian aid, we Palestinian women reiterate our concern that the situation will deteriorate further. The international community must sanction Israel for continuing to violate humanitarian law by refusing to lift the ongoing siege on Gaza and for pursuing its policies of demolitions of houses, evictions, expanding settlements and forcible transfer of Palestinian community in West Bank and East Jerusalem and ensure the rights of mobility, free access and movement from and to Occupied Palestinian territory for people and goods.

• We call for accountability for arbitrary detention and the ill treatment of detainees notably children and women.

• We, urgently call on the international community to ensure women’s protection and security in accordance with UNSR 1325, 2122 and CEDAW GR30.

• We, call upon the United Nations Member States and the Human Rights Council to ensure immediate action for reconstruction in Gaza, to hold Israel accountable for the destruction and to guarantee the prevention of any further destruction perpetrated by the occupying power. Israel must compensate all those who are affected. In the process of reconstruction, the international community should see to it that Israel would not profit from the reconstruction operation in any way. We also urgently call for the consultation and inclusiveness of women and a holistic gender perspective the reconstruction process.

• We, the Palestinian women organizations, urge the Human Rights Council to support and hold a special session on the human rights situation of Palestinian women both under occupation and in refugee camps

Name of women organizations:
The General Union of Palestinian Women (GUPW). The Women’s Affairs technical committee (WATC), Palestinian Working Woman Society for development (PWWSD), The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (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.