Supporting women in Gaza is essential to ensure women’s rights and empowerment in a society in constant crisis, and women in Gaza face significant challenges, including health and education issues, many of which require integrated social services to support them. The Women’s Support Campaign implemented by the Sawaed Palestine team plays a vital role in improving their conditions.
What challenges do women face in Gaza?
Under the war and the resulting massive destruction, which led to the collapse of the health sector, and resulted in the difficulty of dealing with pathological conditions, because of which many women are at risk of dying from medical complications after months of lack of access to any medicine, limited access to doctors and lack of treatment for serious diseases such as diabetes or cancer, including 162,000 women with non-communicable diseases or at risk of developing them such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure. With the number of martyrs rising, more than 10,000 women have lost their lives as a result of the war, and thousands of women are without a breadwinner, bearing the burden of raising children and caring for families.
The main challenges facing women in Gaza during the war:
1. Health care
There is a shortage of medicines and health services, especially for women who are pregnant or have chronic diseases.
2. Loss of provider
Thousands of women have been widowed by the war, leaving them to bear the burdens of the family on their own.
3. Houses demolished.
Many women have lost their homes and are in shelters or living in uninhabitable conditions.
4. Food insecurity
Many women take responsibility for feeding their families in difficult living conditions, often sacrificing part of their food for their children.
Stories of Gazan Women During the War... Together to Support Women in Gaza
- Dr. Al-Qatrawy, one of the women in the Gaza Strip who suffers from a bitter and painful reality, says:
"I have given birth three times, I have not tried how women give birth naturally, every time the doctor had a C-section, the doctor was a professional, after each operation he left a thin thread that he made cosmetically. All women wonder when they know that, they often say that you do not appear to have this and you do not seem to have given birth, others told me that I will suffer muscle in the winter because of the cold, and I may feel severe pain in the place of that thin cosmetic thread, but it did not happen, and I even heard that I may suffer from tingling that thread in the summer because of the heat, but it never happened, I often forgot, I did not even notice that cosmetic thread.
But now I feel it and see it a lot, I can meditate it well, it starts to affect me, it hurts my heart, my liver and my soul and even hurts when I breathe in and out, women have not told me this before, that this thin thread in my body reminds me every minute (I have given birth to a son, a daughter and twins) wonderful.
Then you stayed alone.
My four children, Yameen, Toumai (Kannan and Urquida), and Carmel, were surrounded by the occupation and prevented from leaving and then bombed the house after a week under the rubble, as the occupation prevents us from approaching the house. "
- A 48-year-old woman recounts what happened to her during the exodus:
On my way to the south with my family and thousands of displaced people, I was ordered by the occupation soldiers to throw all the packages I carried, I begged not to do, but the soldier threatened that he would stand by and shoot us if I did not throw all the food savings I carry for me and my family. "
How can women in Gaza be supported?
1. Supporting women through health care
Through the provision of medicines, special health care for pregnant women, and mental health services, in addition to the provision of special supplies for women, which include personal hygiene items, health care tools, and baby items for mothers.
2. Provision of food assistance and shelter
Women, especially single widows, need food assistance and safe housing.
3. Providing small projects to support women in Gaza
Small grants or interest-free loans help women launch income-generating home projects and help them meet some of their needs.
