Today, Sunday 8 March, marks International Women's Day.
This international occasion comes at a time when Palestinian women are confronting the most  severe economic, social and political conditions they have faced since the start of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories in 1967, and less than two months after the Israeli Occupation Forces' military offensive on the Gaza Strip - an offensive which was unprecedented in its brutality -
and amidst the continuing Israeli imposed siege and severe closures of the Gaza Strip.
 

Palestinian women are bearing the brunt of these difficult conditions, as has been the case for many years.
Many women have been killed, or have lost their husbands and brothers.
In the latest Israeli military offensive, 109 women were killed - nearly the same number as those killed by Israeli forces since the onset of the second intifada in September 2000.
Prior to the
latest Israeli invasion, 113 women were killed by Israeli forces in the last eight years in the Gaza Strip.


The burdens of poverty and life under siege - in the Palestinian territories in general and in Gaza in particular - have fallen squarely on women's shoulders.
Women have had to take responsibility for their loved ones as tens of thousands of families have lost their main source of income.
With severe job scarcity, women have been forced to work in harsh conditions and
for extremely low wages.
 

Many women have been forcibly displaced through destruction caused by the Israeli Occupation Forces; tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed, and thousands of Palestinians have been killed or imprisoned since the Palestinian territories were occupied.
During the intifada, around 9000 women have been forcibly displaced; Al Mezan Center estimates that this figure has more than doubled following the latest Israeli attacks.
Al Mezan
also estimates that around 250,000 people, half of whom are women, have been temporarily displaced during the latest military offensive.
Detailed figures will be made available after Al Mezan completes its comprehensive field survey on the damage caused during the latest invasion.


At a time when Palestinian women remain steadfast in the face of continued Israeli aggression, they are also locked in a fierce struggle to realize their human right to equality within Palestinian society, and to ensure political representation appropriate to their numbers and role in society.

Different social institutions and actors operating in Palestinian society must act to make gains at the parliamentary level - as an entry point to enhancing the protection of human rights in society.
This is an urgent endeavor in light of the continuing phenomenon of 'honor killing' - accepted by elements of society.
In the personal sphere, women's custody rights must
be strengthened, and the age of children at which mothers lose custody of must be increased.
In addition, the right of women to seek marital separation must be strengthened and greater attention must be paid to women's rights in cases dealt with by judicial bodies.
 

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights congratulates women around the world on this occasion and pays tribute to the role of Palestinian women in the national struggle for freedom and independence, and their own struggle to realize their rights - which has yielded results.
Al Mezan calls on women to increase their call for equality and reiterates its support for the struggle of women.
Al Mezan will continue its efforts to achieve amendments in the
elections law to increase women's parliamentary representation in the Palestinian Legislative Council so that it is proportionate to their role and numbers in society.
 

Al Mezan calls on women around the world to strengthen their support for the struggle of Palestinian women and to transform this year's women's day into an occasion to launch solidarity actions with Palestinian women.
 

Ends