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No Day Is A Woman's Day in Gaza
GAZA CITY - Mahasen Darduna suffers in ways the world recognises; her suffering comes at the hands of the Israelis.
But there are many Palestinian women whose suffering the world does not see, because their hell is inflicted on them by Palestinians.One way and another, no day is a woman's day in Gaza.
For all of a week, Mahasen Darduna, 30, has sat day and night by her son's bedside in hospital. The boy, Yahiya, 9, was among the group hit by an Israeli missile while playing football on a field at the Jabaliya refugee camp. Yahia survived, but with severe injuries.
"He needs my support, he has been confined to this bed since he was maimed by the Israeli missile," Mahasen says. But she must also slip away often to see her other five children, who she has moved to her mother-in-law's house in belief they will be safer there.
"I think of them constantly when we are apart. I feel terrible: two are getting sick, and they all cry each time we say goodbye. I can't be at both places."
In the same hospital room, Umm Ali Faraj looks after her seven-year-old son, who suffered a cracked skull in a bombing. Umm Ali too has rearranged her family life. Four of her seven children stay with her in the hospital. Umm Ali goes back and forth between hospital and home, cooking for the children and getting them off to school.
Like Mahasen and Umm Ali, countless women have suffered through more than 40 years of Israeli occupation.
"Palestinian women's lives are incredibly difficult under the crippling international siege and the Israeli army's killing invasions," says Nadyia Abu Nahla, director of the Women's Affairs Technical Centre in Gaza, an independent group that supports women's rights.
The large number of women who have been forced to give birth at army checkpoints is well documented by international and Israeli rights groups. Israel's policy of demolishing Palestinian homes has collectively punished tens of thousands of women in Gaza and the West Bank, rendering them and their children homeless.
But through this period, women have also struggled against denial of rights by Palestinian society.
"The dire economic situation is one of the causes of an increase of violence in Gaza," Abu Nahla told IPS. With resistance to the siege and military attacks, religious fanaticism has grown, and that has contributed to an increase in violence against women, she said.
"Islam forbids violence against women, and forbids the use of women as slaves," says Sheikh Dr. Hassan al-Jojo, head of Gaza's Legitimacy Court, the main court for society and family issues. But Dr. Jojo acknowledges that women do not have their full rights.
'Honour killing' has increased, according to Abu Nahla. At least 17 women died in 'honour killings' in Gaza last year, her centre reports. Last year and 2003 have been the worst years for known 'honour killings' in Gaza. In 2003, 34 women were killed in Gaza and the West Bank.
Jordanian criminal law enforced in the West Bank, and Egyptian law enforced in Gaza, neither effectively prohibit nor appropriately punish violence against women. Women are rarely encouraged to go to the courts, or to seek the help of social services for rehabilitation.
Police chief investigator Mussa Dawoud told IPS that violence against women is taken seriously. But in trying to solve problems, he says the police try to protect the family structure, and avoid complications that could lead to divorce.
Police officers and clan seniors routinely mediate to resolve issues around family violence, but provide solutions that usually mean that the abused woman is sent back to her husband. Where women receive support to take a strong stand, they face pressure and punishment from abusive men.
One 29-year-old woman from Khan Younies is not allowed by her husband to use the phone or even send an sms, says Abu Nahla. She is locked up at home daily, and on one occasion could not take her sick child to hospital. Other women have been beaten up by husbands for visiting relatives without their permission, Abu Nahla said.
Only 13 percent of Palestinian Legislative Council members are women, with fewer holding leading positions. "This is not enough," Abu Nahla said. "We are hoping there will be more seats for women." And, she said, that there will be safety at home in every way.
© 2008 Inter Press Service
8 Comments so far
Show AllThere was domestic violence and sexual discrimination in Nazi occupied Europe as well. The victim populations of Germany had, unfortunately, other priorities to deal with. While recognizing that the suffering of women knows no political borders, the lot of Palestinians, men and women, would be improved if the occupation and all its associated violence was ended. Then, they, like we in the "first world" could have the luxury of trying to wrestle with these social ills.
No country or UN should sit back and watch these atrocities happen. All innocent humans should be treated with dignity and respect.
Sad story, but good article. We should be made aware that these types of additional crimes are happening in Palestine, for the USA can surely be faulted for also this. After all, it's the USA that makes life an impossibility for Palestinians; if it wasn't for the USA, Palestinians could have a just govt and society, far more than they presently have anyway, for now is 'NO' justice at all, etc. Israel would be "put in its place" or else severe sanctions would be internationally applied, if not for criminal U.S. govt and its real ruling elites. And Palestinians would be able to elect a govt that would guarantee protection according to human rights.
Saddam Hussein didn't tolerate crimes against any Iraqi women; whether the crimes were committed by husbands in homes, or outside, he'd punish all perpetrators.
NOT the USA though! Nope, it does not have an iota of care about human rights at all; not the govt and its real ruling elites and their supporters, that is.
"Straighten out" the U.S. govt and the Palestinian and other situations of injustice will automatically start to improve, quickly becoming drastic improvement; 'The People', populations, would see to making this happen, with or without outside assistance. As long as the USA remains as it has been and is, "life's over!" for the Palestinians and many other innocent populations that are oppressed, ...; including the perpetually genocided First Nations Peoples of North America.
If we can do that to the indigenous populations here, then we need no further understanding; the same heinousness will most certainly be repeated whereever significant profit even only seems to potential be "on the horizons". That's just when the profitability is 'potential', so it'd be likely worse when it's not about 'potential', but worse; when it's a 'certainty'.
I relate even these 'honour' killings in Palestine to the U.S. again being very much at fault, and to the UNSC, for its allowance of totally criminal U.S. vetos against necessary resolutions.
Saddam Hussein didn't allow this and other crimes against women!
Mike Corbeil wrote: "Saddam Hussein didn't tolerate crimes against any Iraqi women; whether the crimes were committed by husbands in homes, or outside, he'd punish all perpetrators."
WHAT????????? Are you not aware of the hundreds of women Saddam's two sons raped and then who were discarded, and ultimately rejected by their own families for this "disgrace"? You think Saddam didn't know it? - he raised those 2 monsters. The sons would often murder the boyfriends of the young women after making them watch - murder them right in front of the women and then go laughing into the night to do it again.
Wow. I can't believe you believe what you wrote.
The death of Israel as a nation, whether it economically by boycotts, militarily through war, or politically by sanctions, will spell the end of the neoconservative, pro Zionist movement that has controlled American foreign politics for the last 40 years. It will also reduce the Christian fundamentalist influence to the political backwater swamp from where they belong and where they should fester until they may be deemed marketable as a short-term energy resource. It will also be the end of those dual citizenship criminals in this government represented by the likes of Michael Chertoff, Michael Mukasey, et al, and all those pro-Israel proponents in our cancerous government that pursue the Palestinianization of our Constitution and our freedoms. Henery Kissinger and Lawrence of Arabia were right; the state of Israel is not in the best interest of America. Rock on Palestine.
Its the age old story that gets re-lived in war and peace and in every corner of the world where a certain unenlightenment exists and that is when the men are under pressure and they take it out on their women and what greater pressure than the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Whether it's just blaming her for every little thing that seems wrong to demanding that she do everything in an unreasonable way without assistance and then blame her for not being superhuman. Meanwhile, the men are getting micro-managed by their boss or passed over for promotions or laid off, or suffering alcohol withdrawal - the women take the brunt. Women are not the enemy and in fact if you make their life more loving you would be amazed at the real miracles women (and anybody)can do when they are treated like they are loved.
"Honour killing' has increased, according to Abu Nahla. At least 17 women died in 'honour killings' in Gaza last year"
I don't want to make light of these crimes, but comparable or greater numbers of women probably die at the hands of their husbands or boyfriends in some US cities (Gaza's population is 1.4 million) every year.
So, I detect some Islamophobia in this article.
I wonder if the 'honor murderers' were arrested.......if not, just goes to show what a warped culture the Palestinians have.
Hey...Ive got a solution.The Israelies should leave Gaza. Opps.....they did that 3 years ago. They should leave what they built......oops again. They did and the Gazans destroyed their inheritance.
Maybe if they stopped their missile attacks ( I believe its up to about 2000 fired now ) they wouldn't be bombed. Brilliant idea !!!
They Israelis should be admired for their restraint. Imagine if Mexicans shot 2000 missiles into Laredo. We'd destroy them.
As for the so called 'anti-zionists' above............the Israelis are not going to disappear. Get used to it. The ball's in the Arab court. Been there for years.