On the 30th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, the Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development Advocates for Women's Rights and Highlights the Impact of Occupation on Women

New York, March 10, 2025 - The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD) is actively participated in the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) at the United Nations, alongside numerous civil society organizations, activists, and policymakers from aroundd the world.

During the opening ceremony, UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous addressed the persistent challenges facing women and girls, highlighting violence, limited access to education, and exclusion from leadership roles. She emphasized the need for urgent, comprehensive action from governments and stakeholders to ensure women's participation in decision-making processes and peacebuilding efforts.

Mona Khalili, the Palestinian Minister of Women's Affairs, highlighted the ongoing war atrocities and described the situation in Palestine as genocide and gross violations of human rights. Khalili stressed the urgent need for a coordinated response to address the needs of displaced women, including those affected by the conflict in Sudan.

Khalili addressed the challenges imposed by the Israeli colonial occupation on Palestinian women, which represents the main obstacle to their empowerment through repressive policies such as demolitions, arrests, and military checkpoints that hinder their access to basic services. She called for international intervention to impose a permanent ceasefire and send fact-finding commissions on violations against women, with the necessity of adopting a humanitarian response that takes into account the gender perspective. She also emphasized that achieving just peace in Palestine is linked to women's empowerment and stressed the importance of joint international efforts to support Palestinian women's rights to achieve stability and prosperity for the community.