Madleen Kullab grew up on the shore of Gaza, in a family where the sea was not only a place, but a source of survival. Her father was a fisherman, and from a young age she followed him to the water with her younger brother, learning the names of fish, the weight of nets, and the rhythm of the sea.

In Birzeit, Najwa Khouri is known for bringing people together. Her work is rooted in a simple belief: people need spaces where they feel safe, respected and heard.

Jericho, Palestine –14 July 2026 – As part of its continued commitment to advancing gender-responsive justice and ensuring access to protection and rehabilitation services and legal aid for women in vulnerable situations, the Sawasya III Joint Programme organized a donor field visit to the Jericho Correction and Rehabilitation Centre, highlighting ongoing efforts to support women inmates and strengthen institutional responses within correctional settings.

Six months after the ceasefire in Gaza, women and girls continue to face severe and persistent risks, as humanitarian needs remain critical and recovery conditions remain fragile. A new analysis published by UN Women shows that more than 38,000 women and girls—including over 22,000 women and 16,000 girls—were killed in Gaza between October 2023 and December 2025, representing an average of at least 47 women and girls killed per day.

Ramallah, 30 March 2026 – UN Women, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and together with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA), under the leadership of the United Nations Resident Coordinator (RC), marked the closing of the International Women’s Day 2026 campaign “We Survive, We Lead” through an online event. The event brought together national and international partners, women-led organizations, and civil society actors, with the support of the Representative Office of Finland. The event marked the culmination of a month-long campaign highlighting the resilience, leadership, and impact of Palestinian women across the occupied Palestinian territory.

“We Survive, We Lead” On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the United Nations in Palestine reaffirms its commitment to advancing the rights, protection, and leadership of Palestinian women and girls, particularly in the context of the ongoing crisis affecting the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

Ramallah, 28 January 2026 | The Sawasya Joint Programme, through UN Women, concluded its second specialized capacity-building workshop aimed at raising awareness and strengthening the capacities of planning departments and gender units within justice institutions to effectively integrate gender considerations into strategic and operational plans. This workshop forms part of ongoing efforts to promote gender-responsive planning and ensure equitable access to justice for all members of society.

Open Day for Women, Peace and Security Dialogue
Palestine Promoting Women’s Participation in Peace and Security

Remarks by UN Women Chief of Humanitarian Action Sofia Calltorp at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

Women in Gaza carry unbearable loss and survival on their shoulders. Her husband and family were killed in October last year in Israeli bombardment. Her home lies in ruins. Now she shelters her children beneath a torn tent, keeping them close as the rain seeps through.

One million women and girls in Gaza are facing mass starvation, violence, and abuse. Malnutrition is soaring, and essential services have long since collapsed, forcing women and girls to adopt increasingly dangerous survival strategies.

UN Women estimates that more than 28,000 women and girls have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war in October 2023 – that is one woman and one girl on average killed every hour in attacks by Israeli forces. Among those killed, thousands were mothers, leaving behind devastated children, families, and communities. These figures underscore the shattering human toll of the conflict, and of lives and futures lost too soon.

he situation in Gaza has become unbearable for women and girls. What was once a fragile ceasefire—a faint beacon of hope for peace and recovery—has now vanished. As Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid extends into its second month, the crisis has spiraled into catastrophe. Women and families are simply fighting to survive.

Maryse Guimond, UN Women Special Representative in Palestine, spoke at the Palais des Nations from Jerusalem on disastrous consequences for women and girls following the end of a tenuous ceasefire in Gaza.

Since 18 March, Israel’s renewed and intensified attacks on Gaza have killed hundreds of civilians, including women and children, and over 142,000 newly displaced persons have nowhere to run for safety.

Tahani Qasim is one of Gaza’s silent defenders – fighting not with weapons but with compassion and steadfastness. For 17 years, she has dedicated her life to protecting women and children amid the horrors of war.

Hayam Farhat, a 45-year-old mother of three, never imagined that her life’s work would be tested in ways she never thought possible. As the coordinator for the Women’s Affairs Center in Gaza, Hayam had spent years empowering women and providing them with critical support.

Saja Jawad, a 29-year-old Palestinian woman from Jenin Refugee Camp, is a voice for justice in a community that has been ravaged by displacement and loss since 1948.

Ramallah, Thursday, March 6, 2025 – As part of ongoing efforts to promote gender equality within the High Judicial Council, an open meeting was held yesterday in Ramallah in celebration of International Women’s Day. The event aimed to discuss ways to empower women and enhance their role in the judiciary.

Ramallah, Thursday, 06 February 2025 – The Steering Committee of the Sawasya III Joint Programme: Promoting Equal Access to Justice for All Palestinians, a joint initiative of the UNDP, UN Women, and UNICEF, convened today in Ramallah to approve the 2025 Annual Work Plan.