On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Arab Council reaffirms its commitment to work towards enhancing women’s rights and combating all forms of violence targeting them, considering it a prerequisite for building an Arab society based on equality and social justice.

The Council views the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women as an opportunity to shed light on the challenges facing women in our societies and emphasizes the need for collective action to raise awareness and develop effective policies to reduce this destructive violence.

The Council calls for strengthening local and international laws protecting women’s rights and holding perpetrators of crimes against them accountable. It urges governments and the international community to collaborate to ensure an end to this type of violence and provide support to women exposed to it.

The Council considers this issue a priority, given the significant challenges women face in conflict areas in the Arab region, including imprisonment, displacement, and sexual assaults.

It highlights the specific plight of Palestinian women, who are particularly targeted with killings, displacement, daily suffering, and discriminatory practices, as revealed by the recent release of some female prisoners and their testimonies of mistreatment and dignity-violating assaults in Israeli prisons. The Council calls on international bodies to intervene for the release of all female prisoners and urges a halt to the abuse by Israeli authorities.

The Council asserts that it is a duty of the international community and UN organizations to ensure respect for human rights and full protection for women and children during wars and conflicts. It considers ending wars, achieving peace, and stability as essential conditions to improve women’s conditions and eliminate the most dangerous forms of violence against them.

Arab Council