Women and girls in Gaza and the West Bank are not receiving enough funding to help prevent gender-based violence, new figures have shown.
Figures released by the United Nations found global funding to protect women and girls against gender-based violence amounted to just £3 per person in 2024.
Education funding is also dangerously low in Gaza and the West Bank, with children receiving just £19 each through the UN Humanitarian Appeal.
In the UK, the average per-pupil funding is £7,460 per year – 75% more than in the occupied Palestinian territories.
According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 2.76 million women live in Gaza and the West Bank in 2024.
It comes at a time of heightened uncertainty for women and girls, over 950,000 of which have been displaced from their homes and been direct victims of violence.
When displaced, the risk of women facing gender-based violence increases, with women and girls accounting for 95% of confirmed cases.
Nagore Moran, Gender in Emergencies Advisor at Plan International UK, says: ‘Crises and conflicts worsen existing gender inequalities, leading to a surge in gender-based violence.
‘Displacement, food insecurity, and disruptions to essential services increase the risk of all forms of gender-based violence which include sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and early and forced child marriage.’
Protection for vulnerable children has also been underfunded in Gaza and the West Bank, with a mere £7 allocated to each child in 2024.
Without adequate funding, children can lose all access to critical mental health and psychosocial support services, the impact of which can last a lifetime, Plan International said.
Gender-based violence also prevents children from accessing and completing education – at least 85% of schools in Gaza will need full reconstruction to be functional again.
Amelia Whitworth, Head of Policy, Campaigns & Youth at Plan International UK says: ‘As is all too often the case in times of conflict, girls and women forced from their homes are facing an increased threat of gender-based violence and abuse in Gaza and the West Bank, with the attacks and bombing by the Israeli military destroying services for survivors of gender-based violence.
‘This is taking a toll on the already fragile mental health of girls and women who are losing family, friends and homes.
On November 25, 2024 Metro launched This Is Not Right, a year-long campaign to address the relentless epidemic of violence against women.
Throughout the year we will be bringing you stories that shine a light on the sheer scale of the epidemic.
With the help of our partners at Women's Aid, This Is Not Right aims to engage and empower our readers on the issue of violence against women.
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‘Whilst we welcome the UK Government’s recent funding announcement of £19 million for Gaza, this is only a small step – much more funding is needed urgently to prevent generations of women and girls from having their futures decimated.
‘The UK Government must halt the export of all arms, weapon parts and ammunitions to Israel, including parts for fighter jets, and urgently push for an immediate and permanent ceasefire across the region.
‘Only then will we see girls and young women have the chance to rebuild their lives.’
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