NAGHAM KARAJEH

Gaza- The number of femicide and suspicious deaths of women have been recently increasing in Palestine. The killing of 24-year-old Heba Abu Abdo by her husband in front of her children in June 2023 and the killing of 21-year-old Shaima Abu Taima, mother of two, by her husband sparked anger in Palestine. No effective investigations are launched into the killings of women in the name of “honor” and the suspicious deaths of women recorded as “suicide”.

58 women and girls have been killed in Palestine since the beginning of 2023, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Palestinian human rights activist Randa Qadada thinks the number of femicide has been increasing in Palestine because of the laws protecting perpetrators in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

‘Palestinian women still struggle for their right to life’

“The cases of femicide have been increasing. Femicide is the violation of the right to life. It also shows that there is no justice, welfare and peace. The issue of protection for women must be immediately put on the agenda. We demand the punishment of the perpetrators, who killed two women. If the perpetrators of femicide receive high penalties, the cases of femicide will decrease. While women all around the world struggle to ensure gender-based equality, Palestinian women still struggle for their right to life because the laws in the West Bank and Gaza Strip do not protect women,” said Randa Qadada.

Speaking about the Penal Code applied in the West Bank, she said, “For instance, the Jordanian Penal Code No. 16 of 1960 is applied in the West Bank. Some articles of the Penal Code can be used to provide mitigating circumstances to murder in the name of “honor”. This penal code allows rapists to escape punishment if they agree to marry their victim.”

‘Everyone should struggle’

Calling on the authorities to launch effective investigations into the crimes committed against women and children, Randa Qadada said, “Rapists must be punished even if they marry victims of rape. Women need a law regarding harassment and bullying behaviours at the workplace. All women and women’s organizations must unite to struggle against crimes committed against women and girls.”