Palestinian women protest ahead of International Women’s Day

There are currently 63 Palestinian women prisoners in Hasharon and Damon Prisons, including sick mothers, 10 minors and eight wounded

by Mohammed Asad

Palestinian women protest ahead of International Womens Day [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Thousands of Palestinian women have taken to the streets for International Women’s Day in an attempt to shed light on the issue of incarcerated women who have had their fundamental rights taken away from them.

The marches took place in several areas of the Gaza Strip and eventually met in front of the United Nations office. Women carried banners and demanded their right to work, healthcare, and education and called for an improvement to the country’s economy.

There are currently 63 prisoners in Hasharon and Damon Prisons, including sick mothers, 10 minors and eight wounded. Yasmeen Sha’ban is considered to be one of the oldest Palestinian prisoners and she has been serving a five-year prison sentence since 2014.

The Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainee Affairs confirmed in a report issued today that Israeli authorities are not doing enough to prevent the violation of civil and human rights of Palestinian female prisoners.

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The Ministry highlighted that since 1967 the Israeli forces have arrested more than 15,000 Palestinian women and detained them in extremely poor conditions, including in solitary confinement. They are being subject to the most severe and cruel forms of physical and psychological torture.

The Ministry pointed out that this year alone Israeli authorities arrested dozens of women. The case of 17-year-old Tamimi serves as a clear example of how international laws and conventions for safeguarding children are flouted.

Palestinian women protest ahead of International Womens Day [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

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