A Mother's Cry in the Shadow of Destruction as the World Watches in Silence

Rehab Qtait, 35, is a mother of five and lives with her family in Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip. To make a living, Rehab has put her skills in sewing, embroidery work and crochet to good use. But her income does not cover her household needs

Israa Abu Dawod, 32, was born with a complete vision impairment. She lives with her parents and brother (also with vision impairment) in Hebron in the West Bank. Both of her parents have health issues and are unable to work. Israa holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic Language Teaching, and hosts a weekly radio programme on the rights of people with disabilities. Israa was among the 300 women who received cash for work opportunities by UN Women in Palestine. Generously supported by the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), UN Women’s Cash for Work Programme offers economically vulnerable women, particularly those with disabilities, temporary work opportunities coupled with vocational trainings and protection services, to help them pursue more sustainable livelihood.

Through the HAYA Joint Programme funded by the Government of Canada, UN-Habitat, in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government and the Nablus Municipality, inaugurated the newly rehabilitated safe, inclusive, and accessible community garden for citizens in Nablus.

Samar Al Shaer, 40, is living with a joint disability and has metal plates inserted in her leg. She is from Hableh, a rural area in Qalqiliya, the West Bank. Al Shaer is a divorced mother of three children, and she is their only breadwinner.

Ilham Edaes, a 28-year-old health worker in the West Bank, Palestine has been back to work, every day, since May, serving the hardest-to-reach communities through a mobile clinic that offers breast cancer screening. Edaes has a five-year-old son, Majd, who is growing up watching his parents share childcare and domestic chores – an unusual occurrence in the region, where domestic and unpaid care work is largely seen as women’s work.

Dalia Osama is one of three female architects at Al-Shoka neighbourhood in Rafah City, Gaza Strip, selected to redesign and restore the public garden in Al-Shoka as part of the UN Women and UN Habitat joint programme “Utilizing Digital Tools to Promote Human Rights and Create Inclusive Public Spaces in the Gaza Strip”.

Ayk Sbaihat is a volunteer lawyer at the Reconciliation Unit within the Kannanyat for Development and Studies Center (Kannanyat) in Jenin, Palestine.

UN Women is working with the Attorney General’s Office in Palestine on a human-rights-based approach to handling cases of domestic and gender-based violence, by training public prosecutors in line with international standards and developing operating procedures.

In Palestine, a Centre offers shelter and changes lives for survivors of violence