On the 25th of November of each year, we celebrate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, which was designated by the United Nations General Assembly (Resolution 54/134), to promote measures set forth to prevent crime as well as criminal justice that aims at eliminating violence against women.

This year, we celebrate this occasion in peculiar times as the pandemic complicated and worsened women’s reality across the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) socially, economically and in terms of their health. Meanwhile, other factors that undermined women’s rights before the pandemic continued as did their implications on women’s lives, including the occupation, which continues to violate women’s rights, and the Palestinian internal division which continues to hinder legislative progress in terms of passing new laws applicable across the oPt that are just to women.

The Israeli occupation commits a multitude of violations against Palestinian women, who have paid a hefty price for its practices, including instances where women themselves were targeted or their loved ones, in attacks that resulted in injuries or death. Other Israeli practices also impact women’s lives, including house demolitions and raids, and the daily arrest campaigns conducted by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) where this year alone – to date- 52 women were arrested. Additionally, 39 other Palestinian women are imprisoned in Israeli prison – Damon. All of these daily practices are combined with strict restrictions on the freedom of movement due to permanent and temporary IOF checkpoints and Israeli settlers’ attacks on Palestinian civilians, that are always accompanied by IOF.

In terms of the internal situation in Palestine, the political division is a main contributing factor to the suffering of Palestinian women as the suspension and subsequent dissolution of the Palestinian Legislative Council constituted a major block in the way of passing new laws that are just towards women. This year, PCHR documented 8 cases of murder against women on different grounds: 5 women in the West Bank and 3 in the Gaza Strip. Last year, PCHR documented 14 cases of murder against women: 8 in the West Bank and 6 in Gaza, 3 were victims of honor crimes.

Palestinian women and girls continue to suffer from gender-based-violence, which has witnessed a significant increase during the pandemic especially when combined with the deteriorating economic, social and humanitarian conditions. Furthermore, the shutdown of the court system to curb the spread of the coronavirus impeded women’s access to justice and their ability to file cases at court or have court rulings executed. This has negatively affected women’s living conditions and their mental health.

According to the findings of a study conducted by the Ministry of Women's Affairs on a total of 6,000 families in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem regarding violence, psychological abuse was the most prevalent at 55%, followed by economic violence at 53%, social violence at 27% and last verbal abuse at 24%. Additionally, physical abuse has significantly increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, as 47% of women surveyed reported they sought protection during the pandemic, especially that men abused the shutdown of the courts and obstacles on women’s access to specialized centers that can provide help.

On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and with the start of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign to End Violence against Women and Girls, PCHR stresses its support and advocacy for the rights of Palestinian women and girls through enhancing their access to justice and raising awareness on the issue of violence against women and girls. PCHR also calls for providing protection for women and prosecuting perpetrators of violence; and affirms its commitment to women’s rights and that its legal aid programs targeted at women will continue throughout the pandemic, through both legal intervention in Sharia courts on behalf of women and legal counselling via PCHR’s toll free number.

PCHR reiterates its support for women and girls wherever they are and highlights their extraordinary humanitarian suffering under the occupation and the political division, and during this pandemic. In this context, PCHR: