War, feminine noun: Armed struggle between states. At least, that’s what the Larousse. Its lexical field includes destruction, domination and diplomacy. We imagine men in uniform, bombs and a lot of dust.
It is the man, proud and protective, who responds to the call of his homeland: war is fundamentally masculine. What about the fate of women in times of armed conflict?
While man goes to the battlefield, woman is a battlefield. His body, in times of war, becomes a place where violence takes place comfortably.
Inspired by Luc Picard’s letter addressed to a young Palestinian, I propose: letter for a Palestinian woman. For a woman who was born, raised and will die in war. I write for a Palestinian daughter, mother, grandmother. For these pillars of society which, in Gaza, are collapsing one after the other.
Gender inequalities are sewn so firmly into the social fabric that they tend to disappear when it is on fire. However, appearances are deceptive: war exacerbates violence and inequalities against women.
History books show us that men suffer the immediate consequences of war: combat injuries and death. Women were affected during the armistice; they suffer from the deterioration of their environment, public services and their community.
The exception that proves the rule: the Gaza Strip. Since October 7, 2023, Palestinian women and girls have been the greatest victims of Israel’s attacks and the world’s inaction. According to UN Women, the United Nations women’s rights agency, more than 70% of confirmed deaths in Gaza over the past 162 days have been women and children. This is without counting the bodies which have not yet been found.
The United Nations Population Fund estimates that around 5,500 Palestinian women will give birth by the end of March. Without water. Without anesthesia. Without electricity. And without family. This is without counting the other 45,000 pregnant women who will certainly not have access to better services, given the pace at which the conflict is progressing.
The precariousness of sexual and reproductive health in the Gaza Strip does not stop there. Miscarriages, stillbirths, maternal mortality. This is the reality for future Gazan mothers: two mothers die every hour in Gaza.
Malnutrition, dehydration and unsanitary conditions are part of the daily lives of Palestinian women. According to Doctors Without Borders, food shortages and lack of water make these women vulnerable. They can no longer feed themselves adequately, no longer produce breast milk, no longer have access to menstrual hygiene products and live in disastrous hygienic conditions.
Nearly a million women and girls have been expatriated. Many are now widows or orphans and must reconcile their grief with the burden of their new responsibilities to provide for their family.
On March 12, Minister Joly announced that she believed Palestinian women were victims of sexual violence. However, Canadian commitment remains unclear. Ten days after International Women’s Day: when will we really match words with actions?
The anatomy of a Palestinian woman in 2024? She represents her nation. She is dehumanized, raped, murdered. But she is also courageous, resilient and full of ambition. Today, I write for these Palestinian women who are taught: kouni qawiyya. Be strong, because no one will be strong for you.