Illustration: Rommy Torrico
Solidarity is defined as unity or agreement of feeling or action, especially among individuals with a common interest; mutual support within a group. When we speak of solidarity with the Palestinian people, what does that truly mean? Does your conception of solidarity come with conditions?
True solidarity is unconditional. For those of us working in human rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), the shared pursuit of justice and equity demands unwavering solidarity. Our commitment to SRHR and broader human rights obligates us to stand with Palestinians and take meaningful action through advocacy, resource mobilization, or amplifying their voices.
Today is International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, overlapping with the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), underscoring a crucial intersection. Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) violence is tragically exacerbated in contexts of war and conflict. SGBV includes rape, attempted rape, all forms of sexual assault, sexual threats, harassment, exploitation or humiliation, forced pregnancy, forced sterilization, forced abortion, trafficking for sexual exploitation, sexual slavery, and female genital mutilation. In conflict zones, SGBV is often weaponized as a deliberate tactic to instill fear and assert control.
Further, in conflict zones, women have their sexual and reproductive health and rights further restricted. Medical facilities are often targeted or rendered inoperable, leaving pregnant people without access to maternal and reproductive healthcare. Pregnant people may be forced to give birth in unsafe conditions, increasing the risk of maternal and infant mortality. In the Gazan context, according to UN reports, shortages of medical supplies and restricted access to healthcare facilities have become dire in the region, highlighting the need for urgent humanitarian interventions.
For Palestinian women, the risks they are facing within a conflict zone are compounded by decades of occupation, displacement, and resource deprivation. According to UN Women, as of 2 November 2024, at least 43,163 Palestinians were killed in Gaza. About 70 percent of those killed are said to be women and children. In times of conflict, pre-existing inequalities intensify, making women and girls especially vulnerable to targeted forms of harm.
Prior to the intensification of violence and systemic oppression over the past 13 months, Palestinian women and girls faced pervasive GBV compounded by occupation, displacement, and resource scarcity, which have been ongoing since 1948. The ongoing conflict magnifies these vulnerabilities, limiting already weak access to reproductive healthcare and exacerbating risks of violence.
We must reject the notion that solidarity is a zero-sum game. Supporting Palestinians’ right to freedom, dignity, and self-determination does not detract from solidarity with others experiencing oppression. Liberation is interconnected; the fight for justice anywhere strengthens movements for equity everywhere. Our solidarity with Palestinians and others under occupation must be rooted in the simple truth that all people deserve freedom and dignity—without question or condition.
“One of the gender impacts of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is the wider prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) as a phenomenon in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), which is expressed in different forms and structurally entrenched to become a way of life.”
This report exposes different forms of violence as revealed in women’s own narratives. It explores the conditions of their abuse as well as the coping strategies they use in their efforts to maintain their families’ well-being, but which also compromises them due to the absence of realistic alternative options. It concludes with a list of findings and recommendations on how to strengthen the commitment to combat violence against women in the oPt.
Click the link to read the full report: https://www.sdgfund.org/sites/default/files/GEN_%20STUDY_OPT_Gender%20Violence%20situation.pdf
The article “Beyond the Battlefield: How Gender-based Violence in the Israel-Gaza Conflict is a Reproductive Rights Crisis,” published by International IDEA, explores how ongoing conflicts, such as the one in Israel and Gaza, intensify risks for women and girls. It discusses the prevalence of gender-based violence, limited access to reproductive healthcare, and violations of bodily autonomy in these zones. The piece emphasizes that displacement and systemic barriers further restrict women’s rights to contraception and maternal care. The article advocates for integrating reproductive rights into broader humanitarian and peace-building frameworks to address these compounded issues effectively.
Read the full article here: https://www.idea.int/blog/beyond-battlefield-how-gender-based-violence-israel-gaza-conflict-reproductive-rights-crisis
A concise resource detailing the impact of conflict on SHRH, with statistics and actionable insights. Serves as an educational tool for understanding the broader implications of SRHR violations in war zones, including Gaza.
Fact Sheet: https://reproductiverights.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GLP_GA_SRHR_FS_0817_Final_Web.pdf
A detailed analysis of how the ongoing Gaza crisis disproportionately affects women and girls. Highlights the compounded vulnerabilities Palestinian women face, linking GBV, displacement, and limited healthcare access.
UN Women’s resources here: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2024-01/Gender%20Alert%20The%20Gendered%20Impact%20of%20the%20Crisis%20in%20Gaza.pdf
