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FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Al-Haq
takes the occasion of International Women’s Day, under the theme of
‘Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls,’ to highlight
the alarming situation of Palestinian women who not only live under
the yoke of an oppressive military occupation that denies them the
fundamental protections of international human rights and
humanitarian law, but who, like women in countries across the globe,
also suffer the denial of their basic rights within their own
society.
This
year International Women’s Day is commemorated as Israel’s ongoing
occupation of the West Bank; including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza
Strip, enters its 40th year. Over these 40 years, the
Israeli authorities have consistently violated the rights of the
Palestinian people as enshrined under international law. Like all
Palestinians, Palestinian women and girls are regularly subjected to
harassment, intimidation and even violence at Israeli checkpoints
scattered throughout the West Bank, as well as being the victims of
arbitrary arrest and detention, and having severe restrictions
placed on their freedom of movement. Furthermore, Palestinian women
have not been exempt from extreme violence at the hands of Israel,
the Occupying Power. Since the outbreak of the second intifada
in September 2000, the Israeli military has killed 264 Palestinian
women, including 100 girls.
The
few military investigations into these killings, and judicial
proceedings that take place, are not pursued in a prompt, effective
and impartial manner and are accordingly plagued by severe
shortcomings in the execution of justice. The infamous example of
13-year-old Iman al-Hams, wilfully killed when she unwittingly
entered an Israeli military zone in Gaza in October 2004, is a case
in point. The Israeli soldier concerned was acquitted of all charges
against him by a military court, despite clear evidence that he had
"confirmed the kill" by repeatedly firing at the already wounded
girl from close range.
On
International Women’s Day, Al-Haq is equally mindful of failures by
the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in respect of protecting
and promoting women’s rights. The legislative and institutional
framework recognising and enforcing the equal status of women in the
enjoyment of all rights must integrate all relevant international
human rights standards, especially those relating to
non-discrimination.
One of
the most deplorable forms of violence that continues to be
perpetrated against Palestinian women and girls is violence within
the family, which is not effectively punished by Palestinian
societal or judicial bodies. The steep decline in the Palestinian
economic situation over the past year has further increased the
pressures within Palestinian households, rendering female members of
the family more vulnerable. Of massive concern is the apparent
impunity from which the perpetrators of so called ‘honour-killings,’
more appropriately described as femicide, benefit as a result of
inadequate procedures law enforcement and judicial procedures.
Upon
this day Al-Haq therefore calls for:
- the international community to compel Israel to cease all
acts that violate the fundamental protections guaranteed to women
and girls under international human rights and humanitarian law.
- the international community to shoulder its legal
responsibilities and prosecute those who have committed grave
breaches of international humanitarian law, such as the wilful
killing of Palestinian women or girls.
- the PNA to ensure that all legislation contains
provisions for the protection and promotion of the fundamental human
rights of women and girls.
- the PNA to effectively investigate and, where necessary,
prosecute and implement appropriate penalties for individuals found
to have committed acts of harassment, violence and/or femicide
against women or girls.
- the PNA to adopt a formal declaration stating that it
will adhere to all provisions of the International Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and be
held accountable for breaches thereof.
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