[PRESS RELEASE] Palestinian Women Lead in the Face of Crisis as Partners Mark International Women’s Day 2026

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.

Women at the Center of Crisis and Response

Since October 2023, Palestinian women and girls have faced devastating impacts. Tens of thousands of women and girls have been killed in Gaza, many in their homes, shelters, or places intended for protection. Nearly one million women and girls have been displaced, many of them multiple times, while hundreds of thousands have lost access to healthcare and essential services.

UN Women estimates that more than 58,600 households are now headed by women, reflecting the scale of loss, displacement, and shifting caregiving and economic responsibilities. Nearly 11,000 women and girls in Gaza are living with long-term disabilities, further compounding protection risks and access to care.

In Gaza alone, as estimated by UNFPA, nearly 50,000 pregnant women require care, with more than 180 births taking place daily under extremely constrained conditions.

Despite these conditions, women continue to lead, supporting their families, sustaining communities, and driving response efforts.

Women’s Leadership on the Frontlines

Women-led organizations remain essential pillars of humanitarian response and recovery across Palestine. They continue to deliver critical services, including psychosocial support, safe spaces, and protection services for women and girls, including women-headed households, women and girls with disabilities, and survivors of gender-based violence often under extremely constrained and insecure conditions.

The campaign “We Survive, We Lead” has amplified the voices of these women, highlighting not only their survival, but their leadership in shaping recovery, strengthening resilience, and contributing to a more just and inclusive future.

Event Highlights

The closing event brought together partners to reflect on the outcomes of the campaign and reaffirm commitments to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in Palestine.

The programme featured opening remarks from MOWA and the RC, followed by contributions from the Representative Office of Finland and UN partners, including UN Women, UNFPA, and OHCHR.

The event also marked the launch of a new study on the economic cost of violence against women in Palestine, highlighting the significant social and economic impact of violence and the urgent need for sustained investment in prevention and response efforts.

The study was developed under the Sawasya III programme (2024–2028), a joint UN programme by UNDP, UN Women, and UNICEF supporting rule of law, human rights, and gender justice in Palestine.

Testimonies from women-led organizations provided first-hand insights into the realities faced by women across Gaza and the West Bank, and the critical role these organizations continue to play in delivering essential services and supporting their communities.

Quotes

Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA):
“The Minister of Women’s Affairs emphasized that women’s empowerment, ending violence against women, and advancing economic justice are interconnected pathways to building a more stable and resilient society. She also underscored the importance of ensuring women’s participation in recovery and reconstruction efforts, as well as supporting small enterprises and women’s entrepreneurship.”

United Nations Resident Coordinator (RC):
“Palestinian women and girls continue to sustain their communities despite profound hardship. Women-led organizations are filling critical gaps and delivering essential services under extremely difficult conditions. Their voices must be heard in all decision-making spaces.”

Representative Office of Finland (ROF):
“Every day, Palestinian women drive change and strengthen the foundations of peace, dignity, and inclusive development. Ensuring their full participation at every decision-making table is essential.”

UN Women:
“Palestinian women are not only surviving crisis they are leading recovery, supporting their communities, and shaping a more just and inclusive future.”

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA):
“Even in crisis, women continue to lead, and UNFPA’s mission is to ensure they can do so safely, with access to the care and protection they deserve.”

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“Born into occupation, under blockade, and amidst devastating violence, Palestinian women face heightened risks of displacement, dispossession, and loss. This is a human rights crisis, and addressing its root causes remains essential.”

Call to Action

Partners reaffirmed the urgent need to:

• Provide access to lifesaving healthcare, shelter, livelihoods, and essential protection services for women and girls in Palestine
• Provide direct and sustained funding to women-led organizations to enable them to effectively participate in the response and reach the most left behind women and girls
• Ensure women’s leadership and engagement in humanitarian response and recovery at all levels

Partners emphasized that the ceasefire must hold, civilians must be protected, and women and girls must be placed at the center of all response and recovery efforts.

Looking Ahead

As the campaign concludes, the message remains clear:
Palestinian women are not waiting for change. They are leading it.

Supporting women’s leadership today is essential for rebuilding communities tomorrow.