A Voice for Justice in Jenin: Saja Jawad

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. Her family, originally from Haifa, found refuge in Jenin, but the pain of displacement lingers, amplified by the trauma of the Nakba. In early 2025, Israeli military operations displaced over 17,000 people, deepening the hardship in the camp.

Raised in an environment that valued education, Saja’s father, a schoolteacher, encouraged her to pursue her dreams. Although she initially studied financial and banking sciences to avoid arrest – because law students were often detained – her passion for justice never faded. In 2023, Saja enrolled at the Arab American University to study law, determined to make a difference in her community. “Justice is the hope for everyone who suffers,” she says, driven by a desire to change the harsh realities her people are facing.

But Saja’s path has been marred by personal tragedy. In January 2023, her father was killed by an Israeli sniper while helping a young man in the camp.

Despite the deep grief, Saja stayed committed to her mission, believing in the power of grief and recovery as part of steadfastness.

Saja’s activism grew as she witnessed the devastation caused by Israeli military operations. When renewed Israeli military operations began in January 2025, over 40,000 refugees were displaced, and Jenin’s suffering worsened. Despite the chaos, Saja worked tirelessly with humanitarian organizations, providing aid and support. “I delivered food parcels to over 85 percent of the displaced and worked with the emergency committee to secure essential supplies,” she says.

Through her work with the organization Not to Forget, a Palestinian women’s NGO, Saja has helped address the psychological needs of women and children affected by violence. The organization’s mission is to offer support in areas such as education, health, and culture, intervening especially to help those traumatized by conflict. Saja has been instrumental in gathering data on the needs of displaced families and securing aid for them. “I’ve been able to secure 100 food parcels for the displaced,” she says, adding that the women of Jenin are a major focus of her work.

Known for her activism, Saja is determined to change the narrative around refugee camps.

she explains. For Saja, the people in Jenin are resilient, capable of making a difference despite their circumstances.

Today, Saja is not only a law student and activist but also a symbol of hope and steadfastness in Jenin. She remains unwavering in her commitment to justice, equality, and human dignity. “Everyone deserves the right to self-determination and the right to live with dignity,” she says, embodying the change she hopes to see in the world. Through her work, Saja proves that even in the darkest of times, every individual can be a source of strength and inspiration.