Contents:

Towards a Better Future for Women: War on Domestic Violence in Palestine, by Benaz Somiry-Batrawi, WIFP Associate

Statement of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Regarding Possible Use of Nuclear Weapon

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Towards a Better Future for Women: War on Domestic Violence in Palestine

By Benaz Somiry-Batrawi
WIFP Associate

Women, like any other Palestinian, have for long been subject to all sorts of Israeli violence including killing, injuries, and arrests. Under such circumstances of insecurity and absence of law and order women also are subject to other sorts of violence including the so-called honor killing.

According to the Women' s Center for Legal Aid and Counseling, 33 cases were found in police records during 2002 that were mostly committed by family members. Maha Abu Dayyeh, Director of WCLAC: "there is a clear link between the Israeli occupation and the level of domestic violence, one can see a systematic destruction of the human being under the Israeli occupation

An opinion poll conducted by the Working Women Society for Development in 2002 shows that the level of domestic violence had risen by 86.9% compared to previous years. This alarming fact rings the bell for the dramatic situation Palestinian society is going through since the eruption of the current Intifada in September 2000.

Abused women and children find it difficult to report violence committed against them, due to the sensitivity of the issue since Palestinian culture considers as a family matter that is usually solved internally, if solved at all. Others, who are willing to speak out, rarely find a place to report to in a male-dominant society.

Responding to this need a number of Palestinian women organizations initiated the launch of an open telephone line where abused women and children can call for advice or help and sometimes for shelter.

I'tidal Jareery, Open Line Counselor at the WWSD states that although she is noticing an increase in the number of phone calls asking for help in the last three years, she still believes that all the society-provided services are not enough, "women need protection, the existing two safety houses are not enough, they are small and need more security in addition to a better trained staff" she added.

For decades women organizations have worked continuously to fight for the protection of women and children, but in many cases these organizations find it difficult to protect those raped or sexually assaulted. Even social and legal workers are sometimes afraid to intervene due to the lack of the legal support they need to conduct their work, due to the lack of implementation of laws dealing with such cases.

Despite all threats, women organizations have stepped their action and are now working in cooperation with the Ministry of Women's Affairs that was recently established to build a shelter for abused women and children.

According to Maha Abu Dayyeh, the need for a shelter is a must "since our work at the Women' s Center for Legal Aid and Counseling involves women's issues such as divorce, custody rights, honor killing, and domestic violence, our social workers and lawyers find that building a shelter for abused women and children is badly needed." The shelter explains Abu Dayyeh "is not the first one of its kind in Palestine, but the modernist, largest, and best equipped."

Designed to host 35 women with their children, the shelter is expected to be completed in two years and will be built in the West Bank city of Bethlehem. Funded by the Italian Cooperation, the project will be run by several parties including WCLAC, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Women's Affairs.

The newly established Ministry of Women's Affairs will play a key role in securing the proper shelter for abused women and campaign against domestic violence says Minister of Women's Affairs Zahira Kamal "the community should be sensitized about domestic violence and the importance of having such a shelter. Abused women should go through a rehabilitation process in order to get back to their families and get integrated in the society rather than be isolated."

Work with local communities, believes Minister Kamal, is one approach but most important is the ratification of relevant legislations for the protection of women and children "as a Minsiter for women's affairs, I will work on legislations like the family law and civil law and will lobby with Palestinian law-makers whether secular or religious."

The establishment of the Ministry, explains Kamal "came due to the urgency to fight discrimination against women, and in response to the massive pressure from women directories in the different Palestinian ministries as well as other civil society organizations."

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Statement of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Regarding Possible Use of Nuclear Weapon

1213 Race Street Philadelphia, PA 19107

We, in the United State Section of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), are outraged by the recent secret report prepared by the Pentagon, at the administration's request, regarding possible use of nuclear weapon against seven targeted countries including China, Russia, Iraq, North Korea, Iran, Libya and Syria, and the proposal to bring a new generation of weapons of mass destruction to battlefield situations.

First of all, it is appalling to note that the leaders of this country have not learned the lesson of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Did more than 210 thousand people die in vain a half a century ago? Regardless of the nature of international conflicts, use of nuclear weapon is not acceptable not by a rogue state, or by the United States. The United Nations has worked and many treaties have been signed to discourage research, testing, production, and further proliferation of nuclear weapons. Disregarding these treaties is affront to basic human decency.

There is a general understanding that efforts should be made to work with other countries including some of the targeted nations, to eliminate terrorism. Threatening these countries with possible use of "tactical nuclear weapons" will destroy any credibility and any chance of developing normal diplomatic relations based on the mutual trust.

This hostile posture of George Bush will adversely affect potential trade relationships that the US tax payers have supported over years and nullify much of the work that has been done by the US diplomats since President Nixon reopened the trade relationship with China and other countries. Instead, we would see even greater arms race, in this post cold war era.

Increased production of radioactive weapons would increase risk of contracting cancer and other diseases connected to radioactive contamination in US soil, water and air posing immediate dangers to the residents of this country.

There will be a grave danger that nations bearing unfriendly notions against our country will be even more emboldened to go forward with their hostile actions, and the US people will be exposed to escalating NATIONAL INSECURITY, and the added danger of presumed retaliation, possibly even greater than the attacks perpetrated on September 11.

Therefore, as the oldest peace activist organization of women we are committed to take a leadership role in protesting the preposterous war making activities conducted by the current administration. We were compelled to issue this statement because we deeply love our country and the people in it.

Originally drafted by WILPF Disarmament Campaign Cochairs