OPT: International Women's Day - Seven UN institutions concerned with health and living conditions of Palestinian women
Rafah, March 8, 2004 - The living
conditions of Palestinian women - including their access to health, education,
food and employment - have been deeply affected by movement
restrictions, military incursions and house demolitions, particularly in
Rafah, where almost 10,000 Palestinians including many women, have been
made homeless.
"Today, as women all over the world
celebrate international women's day, Palestinian women continue to endure
such hardship that their basic humanitarian needs are no longer guaranteed
and protected," says David S. Bassiouni, Special Representative, UNICEF
in the West Bank and Gaza.
The ongoing conflict has lead to the following:
- An increase in the number of home deliveries
- from 8.2% (Pre-Intifada 2002) to 14%;
- A decrease in the number of women attending
post-natal care - from 95.6% (Pre-Intifada 2002) to 82.4%;
- 52 pregnant women gave birth at military
checkpoints since 2002;
- 19 women and 29 newborns died at military
checkpoints between September 2000-December 2002;
- 37.9% of mothers reported that access to health services became difficult. Of the mothers reporting these difficulties, 44.3% noted that these difficulties were due to Israeli siege and curfew and 27.9% due to a lack of money to pay for such services.
This situation has brought seven UN institutions in the West Bank and Gaza1 together in expressing their concern. These UN institutions believe that both parties of the conflict have obligations and responsibilities to improve the situation of Palestinian women. Accordingly, they call upon:
- The Israeli authorities to provide safe
and unconditional access to health services, education, employment, food
and other basic supplies.
- The Palestinian Authority to continuously
improve the quality of all basic services.
- The international community to ensure that all parties abide by international humanitarian law regarding the protection of civilians, including women.
For further information, please contact:
Sami Mshasha, UNRWA, tel.: 02 589 0400,
fax: 02: 532 2714, mobile: 050-317-094 email: s.mashasha@unrwa.org
Monica Awad, UNICEF, tel.: 02-5830013, ext.213, fax: 02-583-0806, mobile:
057-784-374 email: mawad@unicef.org
Footnote:
1 United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), World Health Organization (WHO), World Food Program (WFP) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).