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Future
Directions For Meeting The Challenges of Domestic Violence Against Women
in The Gaza Strip
"First
National Conference on Domestic Violence in the Gaza Strip"
February 11, 2002
ORGANIZER
Center for Human Research & Social
Development (CHRSD)
IN COOPERATION WITH
Oxfam-Québec & Oxfam Community Aid Abroad, Australia
CONTENTS
WHO WE
ARE? (THE CENTER)
FUTURE Directions (THE CONFERENCE)
Introduction
Impact
of the Status Quo on the Conference
Conference Objectives
Conference Agenda
Conference Proceedings
First
Session
Motives for Family Violence
& Preventive Measures
Violence against Women from the Past to the Present
Position of Law on Violence against Women
Second
Session
Impact of Family Violence
on Women's Health
A psychologist Experience in Domestic Violence
Mental Health and Domestic Violence
Conference
Discussions
Recommendations
Care and
Services
Policy
and Legislation
Empowerment
of Women
Public
Awareness Campaigns
Education
and School Curricula
Cultural
Aspects
Religious
Aspects
Media
Information
and Research
WHO WE ARE
Center for Human Research & Social Development
(CHRSD)
By the end of 1994, the
"Center for Human Research & Social Development (CHRSD)" was
founded by a group of Palestinian academics interested in the Gaza Strip
affairs as a non-profit organization to contribute to the construction of
civil society, development of the Palestinian Society and support of peace
process. The CHRSD's administration works according to a three-track plan
as follows: (1) Observing the present situation and diagnosing its
problems particularly those related to the advancement of the status of
women; democratization of the society; human rights; socio-political
problems; and increase of reproduction & population problems. (2)
Offering programs and projects that search for applied solutions to the
above issues, some of which are: dissemination of democratic awareness;
community education towards family planning and sex & reproductive
health; promoting the status of women in Gaza through supporting and
protecting their rights; and social reintegration of victims of internal
violence. (3) Peace Affairs: within this track, the CHRSD concentrates on
materializing and developing the efforts made for a new Middle East by
promoting dialogue, institutional exchange and cooperation between the
Palestinian and Israeli Peoples.
CHALLENGES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN THE GAZA STRIP
"First
National Conference on Domestic Violence in the Gaza Strip"
INTRODUCTION
The
Center for Human Research & Social Development (CHRSD) organized the
First National Conference on Domestic Violence in the Gaza Strip at
Assalam Restaurant in Gaza in cooperation with Oxfam-Québec and Oxfam
Community Aid Abroad, Australia.
This
conference comes within the efforts made by the CHRSD to eliminate all
forms of violence against women. It marked the completion of its project
for Training and Qualifying Specialized Counselors for Domestic Violence
and the inception of a new project of 3-year period for Working towards
the Elimination of Domestic Violence against Women.
It
was in many ways an historic conference, which set the future direction
for eliminating domestic violence against women. The conference brought
approximately 110 participants from over 55 Civil Society Organizations (CBOs),
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and government institutions, and 7
Ministries. The conference attendees also included a number of eminent
academics, researchers, religious leaders, lawyers, physicians, nurses,
educationists, social workers, counselors, psychologists, mental health
professionals, sociologists, mass media, and others.
Impact
of the Status Quo on the Conference
The Israeli military authorities divided the Gaza Strip into two parts,
south and north. These measurements prevented the representatives of at least 30
invitee southern organizations from attending the conference. During the
second session, the Israeli helicopters and F16 were shelling the
institutions of the Palestinian Authority, some of which were very close
to the conference hall. These attacks did not negatively affect the
proceedings of the conference with the exception of about 15 women left
because they were concerned about the safety of their children.
CONFERENCE
OBJECTIVES
1)
Understand the nature, cause and extent of domestic
violence and provide correct information about it.
2)
Raise awareness among the general public to address
domestic violence effectively.
3)
Encourage Community-Based Organizations to
participate in social actions aiming at ending domestic violence in the
community.
4)
Lobby the media to discuses the issue of domestic
violence and respond to the problem in a positive and constructive way.
5)
Stimulate the formation of multidisciplinary
solutions to end family violence
6)
Urge the government and non-governmental
organizations, the universities and interested institutions to cooperate
together to conduct studies on the prevalence of domestic violence in the
Palestinian society and to propose effective solutions.
7)
Develop and promote activities to lobby the
government and decision-makers, and to press for appropriate legislation
to eliminate domestic violence, specifically violence against women.
Conference
Director
Dr. Sufian Abu-Nijaila
Director of the CHRSD
Conference
Coordinator
Ms. Salma Hammad
Assistant to the CHRSD's Director
Conference
Rapporteur
Dr. Ismael Bulbul
Assistant Professor of Islamic & Arabic Studies,
Al-Azhar University of Gaza
Conference
Technical Committee
Mrs. Amal Taleb
Ms. Ibtisam Kafarna
Mrs. Manal Abu Wattfa
Ms. Sama Rizq
Mrs. Samia Hijazy
Mr. Shaban Mortaja
Ms. Yousra Nairab
CONFERENCE AGENDA
First Session: Social & Legal
Dimensions
Chair: Dr. Sufian Abu-Nijaila, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Al-Azhar
University of Gaza and the Director of the CHRSD
Working
Papers
Mrs.
Mai Nayef,
Researcher of Arabic Studies of Palestinian National Council
Motives
for Family Violence & Preventive Measures
Mrs.
Nahda Younis, Women Activist
Violence
against Women from the Past to the Present
Prof. Moussa Abou Mallouh,
Professor
of Law at Al-Azhar University of Gaza
Position
of Islamic and Criminal Laws on Violence against Women
Discussion
& Recommendations
Second Session: Health &
Psychological Dimensions
Chair: Dr. Ahmed Abu Tawahina, Clinical Psychologist of Gaza Community Mental
Health Program (GMHP)
Working
Papers
Dr. Dina Abu Sha'ban,
Director of Women’s
Health & Development Administration of the Ministry of Health
Impact
of Family Violence on Women's Health
Ms. Hala Al-Sarraj,
Psychologist at Women's Empowerment Project of Gaza Community Mental
Health Program (GCMHP)
A
Psychologist’s Experience in Domestic Violence
Dr. Mahfouz Othman, Psychiatrist at Rafah-UNRWA Clinic
Mental
Health and Domestic Violence
Discussion & Recommendations
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
First Session
At the
start of the first session, its chair Dr. Sufian Abu-Nijaila, the
Assistant Professor of Psychology at Al-Azhar University of Gaza and the
Director of the CHRSD, clarified the goals of the Conference in relation
to the real needs of the Palestinian Society particularly amidst the
current violent situation where the national struggle overshadows every
aspect of the Palestinians' life. Some people may feel that addressing
problems like unemployment and poverty or the destructions of the
infrastructure and the deterioration of the educational and health systems
are far more important than women's issues and domestic violence. The
ultimate goal of this conference is to lay down the foundations for a
family with low levels of stress, free of violence against women, respects
women's human rights, and enjoys good reproductive health. This family is
more powerful and more competent to encounter the sever complications of
the current difficult situations. On the other hand, Dr. Abu-Nijaila
stressed that domestic violence is a problem which occurs in every country
of the world and should be treated as a public social phenomenon rather
than a private matter. However, he strongly believes that future programs
to eliminate this phenomenon from the Palestinian Society must be tailored
to its specific peculiarities while taking into consideration the much
stresses imposed on it. Finally, he urged women to take an active part in
solving this problem and called for men to participate in the efforts made
to eliminate violence against women.
Motives
for Family Violence & Preventive Measures
The first presenter in the first
session, Ms. May Nayef, addressed the issue of Family Violence while
taking into consideration the peculiarity of the
Palestinian society.
She discussed its causes, manifestations, consequences,
and its various forms against women, children and the elderly. The
presenter concludes with a discussion of the responses to this problem,
which can be channeled through two ways: prevention and protection.
Violence
against Women from the Past to the Present
Mrs. Nahda Younis presents the supporting factors that
make violence against women a continuum of acts. She used two theoretical
frameworks to reveals the nature of this problem, the first of which is
the patriarchal authority that reinforce discrimination and maintain it
through traditions, norms, and customs as well as political, legal and
economic mechanisms. The other framework is the dialectic of public and
private. Domestic violence is treated as a private, or even sacred,
affair. Very often, victims of domestic violence and those calling for
open discussions of the problem pay the cost of bringing this issue into
the public forum. The presenter thinks that greater awareness of the
structural causes of this problem and action on the legal, political,
social and economic fronts will gradually lead to its elimination.
Position
of Islamic and Criminal Laws on Violence against Women
The third presenter noted that
the International Law, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as the
existing law in the Gaza Strip prohibit violence against women. Prof.
Mossa Abu Malouh also stressed that the Islamic Sharia protected the
rights of women against physical and emotional violence yet allowed the
punishment of wife and children as a means of discipline. Wife beating is
highly restricted to women who commit a sin. Abu
Malouh believes that creating a society bases on the rule of law, respects
human rights, and values tolerance would require new educational methods
arise from an enlightened interpretation of the basic teachings of Islam.
Second Session
Opening remarks of the second
session were made by its chair Dr. Ahmed Abu Tawahina, the Clinical
Psychologist of Gaza Community Mental Health Program. He indicated that
the man who experience stressful life events feels a sense of helplessness
and failure to fulfill one's role, thus, making him a direct victim. In
his attempt to overcome the feelings of helplessness, he searches for a
weaker victim. He will never find better than his wife. This victim
conflict leads to the outburst of domestic violence. Dr. Abu Tawahina also
mentioned a key theme in the issue of domestic violence, which is the
absence of democracy from family life. Women are brought up without having
the right to say "no". It is believed that the women's place is
in the home, and that it is the women's responsibility to bring up the
children.
Impact
of Family Violence on Women's Health
Dr. Dina Abu Shaban stressed that violence against
women is now recognized as a violation of human rights and considered a
priority public health problem. Serious complications have been attributed
to such violence, which include gender-based abortion, forced pregnancy,
sterilization or abortion, battering in pregnancy, female genital
mutilation, malnourishment of female children, sexual exploitation, sexual
assault, Intimate partner violence, marital rape, honor killing. The
presenter lamented the lack of local data on the prevalence of domestic
violence and considered it a serious problem.
A
Psychologist’s Experience in Domestic Violence
The presenter related her experiences as a
psychologist in domestic violence. Ms. Hala Sarraj reported that most of
the victims seeking counseling attempted suicide to escape their feelings
of helplessness to resist or avoid violence, the silence of the family and
community at their victimization, and the failure of the police to protect
them. Moreover, those victims usually suffer from depression because of
being abused by an intimate male partner. Ms. Saraj also noted that some
women tend to give justification for the abusive behaviors of their
husbands such as he is unemployed, nervous, an indication of manhood.
Moreover, women may accept physical and emotional abuse as a husband's
right, or blame themselves for provoking their husband's violence.
Mental
Health and Domestic Violence
This presentation looked at offenders and victims.
It is noted that sexual possession is the underlying factor for
husband's jealousy. Many battered women indicated that the most frequent
reason for their husbands' abusive behavior was jealousy. On the other
hand, men reinforce psychological domination over victimized women. The
act of men's domination is similar to imprisonment with the exception that
at home there are no concrete blockades that prevent the victim from
escape. The fundamental objective of the offender is to create a willing
victim. Psychiatrics stressed that there are many symptoms of this
psychological domination.
CONFERENCE DISCUSSIONS
Following the presentation of the working papers,
discussions were held for about 50 minutes after each session. Issues were
discussed in such a manner that provided a forum for the free expression
of differing points of view. This atmosphere provoked active discussion,
which was higher in the first than the second session. The nature of the
first session, which focused on the social & legal dimensions of
domestic violence, enabled discussants to disclose the social situation of
the Palestinian Society, particularly in relation to the status of woman.
What make the situation worst are the wide variations in women's attitudes
and the evident contradiction between speeches and actions.
Some women called for fundamental changes in the social
and political infrastructures, and in the Palestinian laws and legislation
that reinforced discrimination between men and women. However, other
discussants blamed the women who called for enacting legislation to
protect the rights of women against all forms of discrimination and felt
sorry for the low participation of women in the public hearings of the
Palestinian Legislative Council that discuss the status of women.
Although some women were not satisfied with the existing
legislation in the Gaza Strip concerning wife- and child discipline as
interpreted according to the Holy Quran, several discussants attributed
the suffering of women, the violation of their rights, and the much
violence inflicted on them, to the deviation from the principles of
Islamic Law. In fact, Islam gives women all the rights women should have
and guarantees women's freedom of choice, particularly in the choice of a
spouse. The participants stressed that a return to the true teaching of
Islam and adoption of Islamic values are the means to deal with violence
against women. The eternal question raised is whether all people adhere to
Islamic teachings? The "no" answer came from several
participants who said that most peoples' attitude towards religion is
based on utilitarian grounds and in many cases some of them adopt opposing
positions to explicit Quranic verses; as it happens in depriving women
from their right to inheritance.
In sum, the general consensus of discussants was that
eliminating domestic violence against women requires several procedures
starting with promoting democratic education in the family, then enacting
legislations, followed by designing plans for the advancement of the
status of women, continuing with changing the dominant masculine
traditions, and not ending with promoting dialogue and eradicating the
language of violence from the Palestinian family as a means of conflict
resolution.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Care
and Services
1)
Organize programs for providing direct counseling services, family
counseling, dispute resolution, and crisis management skills.
2)
Establish centers where victims of domestic violence can receive
psychological rehabilitation and assistance to overcome the problems
brought on them as a result of the abuse.
3)
Offer legal protection for women and provide legal education
campaigns to educate women about preventive and protective actions of
domestic violence.
4)
Implement practical measures to reduce the occurrence of domestic
violence and help its survivors, and to create a safe and supportive
environment, which encourages women to report it.
Policy
and Legislation
1)
Develop and promote activities to lobby the government and
decision-makers, and to press for appropriate legislation to eliminate
domestic violence, specifically violence against women.
2)
Develop and take up comprehensive strategies across the local community
for combating domestic violence.
3)
Increase responsiveness of NGOs and the government
to the needs of
victims of violence.
4)
Prevent early marriage, raise the legal age of marriage, and enforce the
Marriage Laws.
5)
End discrimination among community members, and take legal action
against the perpetrators of violence against women.
Empowerment
of Women
1)
Eliminate discrimination against women in the economic, social,
educational, and political areas of life.
2)
Encourage women to play a more productive role in society and to
recognize the importance of their active participation in community
development.
3)
Educate women to take their proper places in society.
Public
Awareness Campaigns
1)
Conduct public
discussions with the participation of all sectors of society and in
different regions of the Gaza Strip --mainly in refugee camps, villages
and marginalized areas-- on the causes and consequences of domestic
violence to come up with effective solutions to this problem.
2)
Develop
educational and counseling programs for men on how to improve family
relations and to eliminate all forms of violence against women.
3)
Make women more
aware of how to address the problem of domestic violence and settle family
disputes by holding educational settings at public places such as women's
organizations to provide many opportunities for promoting awareness and
community education.
4)
Engage school
and university students in workshops on the problem of domestic violence.
Education
and School Curricula
1)
Address the problem of domestic violence through educational curricula.
2) Prepare subjects and topics on the non-use of violence as a means of
conflict resolution for inclusion into the Palestinian educational
curricula.
3)
Incorporate the concept of gender equality and nondiscrimination on the
basis of sex into school curricula.
4)
Introduce new textbooks that change the negative images of women.
Cultural
Aspects
1)
Make reforms in the traditional structure of the society to deal with
domestic violence cases in a positive and responsive manner.
2)
Change male-dominated culture and socialization practices that reinforce
violence.
3)
Change the climate of tolerance toward domestic violence in the
community and reduce cultural supports for battering women.
4)
Work to change public and men's attitudes towards perpetrators of
violence against women.
5)
Promote community dialogue and discard violence as a solution for
conflicts.
Religious
Aspects
1) Apply the tolerant Islamic law (Sharia).
2)
Urge Muslim religious leaders, Imams of mosques, preachers and mediators
to play their religious and community role in eliminating all forms of
violence and to bring about effective solution to this problem.
3)
Disseminate correct religious education by religious leaders on children
and wife's rights in Islam.
Media
1) Formulate a comprehensive mass media plan of action that is directed at
men and women and deal with violence against women.
2)
Produce media programs to create awareness among family members on the
nature, prevalence, consequences and prevention of domestic violence.
3)
Produce television and radio programs that address domestic violence and
search for appropriate solutions.
4)
Promote women's positive representation in the media and stop portraying
stereotypical images of women.
5)
Lobby the media to discuses the issue of domestic violence and respond
to the problem in a positive and constructive way.
Information
and Research
1)
Urge the government and non-governmental organizations, the universities
and interested institutions to cooperate together to conduct studies on
the prevalence of domestic violence in the Palestinian society and to
propose effective solutions.
2)
Encourage the Ministry of Health to collaborate with research centers in
the Gaza Strip to investigate the effects of domestic violence against
women and make recommendations to the executive power.
3)
Gather regular statistics for measuring domestic violence by various
Ministries and specialist organizations and make them available to all
parties interested in improving the situation and reducing its severity.
4)
Encourage university and postgraduate students to conduct their graduate
theses and dissertations in the area of domestic violence.
5)
Utilize the research results in developing fundamental solutions to the
problem of domestic violence and make recommendations to interested
ministries, specifically the Ministries of Health and Social Affairs, and
the Legislative Council to ensure that these results are translated into
action.
Note:
I forgot to save the name & e-mail address of the sender....my mind is
a sieve these days ;-( Please send your info again so I
can credit you for this article. Thanks, Uzma
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