Australian women leaders demand urgent action on dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza
Images of the bombing of the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza, which killed hundreds of people over the weekend – including women and children – run alongside the jubilation of the four Israeli hostages being reunited with their loved ones.
Eight months into a brutal war that has claimed the lives of 37,658 Palestinians and 1,139 Israelis, the UN Security Council has finally passed a resolution that aims to end the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza – a conflict that has left two million people on the brink of famine and destroyed 90 per cent of schools and two-thirds of all buildings.
Australian women leaders and peace activists around the country have mobilised to demand that an immediate and permanent ceasefire is accompanied by accountability for the failure to protect the rights of women and girls who have been severely impacted by this crisis.
An open letter published by the Australian Civil Society Coalition on Women, Peace and Security this week highlights the sexual and reproductive health catastrophe that has unfolded in Gaza with deliberate targeting of healthcare facilities. It notes that an estimated 50,000 pregnant Palestinian women have faced extreme difficulties accessing prenatal and maternal health services, while living under constant fear of displacement and violence. An unacceptable number of women are giving birth without any form of pain relief and in unsterile conditions.
The Coalition has also raised alarm at growing reports from UN experts of human rights violations against women and girls in Gaza, including arbitrary detention and executions, severe beatings and sexual assault. It highlights an urgent need for proper investigation and accountability for these acts, as well as reported acts of sexual violence against Israeli women and girls. The open letter calls for immediate and decisive action to hold perpetrators accountable and to prevent further acts of violence.
First-hand accounts from women’s rights activists within Palestine and the Australian diaspora highlight the extreme hardships endured by Palestinian women, including the denial of dignified burials for their family members. For Palestinian women, this is a core demand for justice to be able to lay their loved ones to rest.
Despite the disproportionate impact of this conflict on women and girls, there is also a strong call for recognition of the tremendous leadership, courage and resilience of Palestinian women amidst the destruction wrought by war. From providing hot meals to displaced families, psychosocial support to those who’ve lost everything and getting urgent medical care to the growing numbers of wounded, women’s leadership is the backbone of communities trying to survive through the unrelenting bombing, insecurity and grief.
Despite more than two decades of global commitments to the Women, Peace and Security agenda, the open letter calls out the complete neglect of the WPS agenda in this conflict and for immediate action to protect and uphold the rights of Palestinian women. This includes supporting women’s participation in peace negotiations, increasing targeted humanitarian assistance to meet their specific needs and rights, and upholding international mechanisms for accountability.
And while the Australian government continues to come under scrutiny over contracts to companies that have supplied weapons to Israel, the WPS Coalition welcomes increased transparency and is advocating for an international arms embargo against Israel to address the unacceptable civilian death toll.
Women leaders and peace activists around the country are united in their call for immediate action to address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and ensure accountability for grave human rights violations.
Image: Michelle Higelin, Executive Director of ActionAid Australia.
