"Dorek": Palestinian women's political renaissance

Since August 2018, Kayan has continued our project and efforts to end violence against women. This gender-based violence manifests in many forms for Palestinian women living in Israel. Most recently, the issue of femicide and the killing of women throughout Israel has come to the forefront of discussion. The perpetrators are rarely brought to justice by the State and women who seek aid from the police are routinely turned away. In general, State violence against Palestinian women can be defined by "neglect," which spawns a culture of impunity in which rights violations against Palestinian women are commonplace in all spheres of life. 

For Palestinian women in Israel, violence takes many forms that include physical, sexual, legal, economic, social, and political. In recent years, the media has emerged as a new space in which violence occurs in the form of threats, sexual harassment, shaming, and slander, and is actually one of the most common forums for violence against women. 

This project includes changing the norms in the media and practices related to violence against women through many strategies, one of which includes targeting men and youth in workshops and activities related to this phenomenon, and enlisting their support in the movement to end gender-based violence. Much of our work has entailed direct partnerships between women and youth activists as well as women-led youth activities. By working with and targeting youth, we are preparing the next generation of youth activists, and laying the foundation for a just and secure future for Arab women.

Accomplishments in the past months include a widely publicised Jusur Forum-led annual 16 Days of Activism to End Gender Based Violence Campaign which included media, meetings, and more than 20 workshops and activities in the field that reached thousands of students and women in the communities. This year, we have focused on sexual harrassment prevention.

In addition, Kayan staff participated in and supported the December 4th strike to promote awareness of the increasing violence against women in Israel, and the refusal of the State to intervene. Kayan has also been campaigning consistently on social media, because as previously mentioned, media is emerging as one of the most common spaces for violence against women to occur. We have also created and disemminated automobile air fresheners that include Kayan's logo and the 16 Days of Activism slogan. In the coming year we are beginning a new project which will feature a traveling art gallery with installations on the subject of gender-based violence. 

By working on these levels of awareness, advocacy, and education, Kayan and grassroots women leaders are making progressive changes toward women's security in the Arab society in Israel.