Support Arab women's needs in the COVID-19 crisis

Dear Friends, 

Thank you for your continued support for Palestinian women in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis and beyond. Through your help, we have managed to expand our reach and the projects we launched to address the increased need over the last year and a half.

As you will know, Kayan takes a bottom-up approach to social change. By investing in the grassroots and empowering local women to become transformative leaders and changemakers, we can collectively work to break down the social and institutional barriers to gender equality in Palestinian and wider society. Kayan currently works with 12 local groups across Israel who combat sexism, sex- and gender-based violence, and who become incredible leaders on the local and national level in the process.

During the first half of 2021, our work was strongly affected by the political challenges facing our region, which included a wave of violence. As the most vulnerable members of the community, Palestinian women and youth were especially effected by this situation, leading to their growing fear. One type of violence faced by Palestinians in Israel, including women, as a result of this crisis was harassment in the workplace. Many women experienced threats of dismissial or subjection to investigation by security personnel based solely on their nationality or involvement in political activism, including posting on social media and demonstrating. In less than one month, Kayan’s hotline received 83 complaints representing approximately 200 women facing workplace harassment or outright firings. Most of the women who approached Kayan for assistance were traumatized and afraid to speak to the press, fearing of losing their jobs. A large number of these cases are ongoing, and your support helps us to work on this fundamental issue of rights for Palestinian women. 

Even during the pandemic and the political crisis, these passionate and powerful women in local groups have planned workshops, protests, and events. Over the past 7 months, our grassroots groups have hosted over 21 workshops on sex- and gender-based violence, personal status rights, and community service. This June, the Majed Al-Krum locality held a neighborhood meeting to raise awareness and learn about sexual and gender based violence from the perspective of local women in order to develop an action plan for the future. Another local group in Yafit Al Nasrah held a workshop on the economic impacts of the coronavirus on women in March. Another in Arrabeh Atiaf held a seminar to give women advice on dealing with the emotional stress and impacts of the pandemic. All these women who have engaged with Kayan have been empowered through your continued support. 

Kayan’s work against sex-and gender-based violence is buttressed by our hotline for emotional and legal support. This hotline is being utilized and expanded now more than ever. Here are some of the statistics which you helped to contribute to:

• 402 calls from January through July.
• 30% of women who called the hotline took concrete legal action on their situations, such as reporting to the police or receiving legal assistance from the state. 
• 20% of women who called the hotline were helped to receive governmental social services.
• 15 new volunteers have been recruited and are being trained to be first responders on the hotline. 

The challenge of sex- and gender-based violence did not begin nor will it end with Covid-19. The pandemic clarified the prevalence of this issue and the urgent need to address it. Kayan's grassroots work in this time sows the seeds which will grow and flower long after the pandemic one day lifts. The increased hotline support and integrated local women's groups have strengthened a service which was already established, and highlighted the direction which Kayan will take in the future. With your help, long term change is possible. 

Gratefully, 

The Kayan Team