15,000 women in Gaza receive life-saving assistance from UN Women, JHCO

AMMAN — 15,000 women and girls in Gaza will receive life-saving assistance, as a result of a partnership between UN Women and the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO).

Supported by the Jordanian Armed Forces–Arab Army, a first shipment left Jordan by cargo plane on Tuesday for Al Arish, to deliver much needed humanitarian assistance for women and girls in the Gaza strip, according to a UN Women statement to the Jordan Times.

“Under the United Nations Flash Appeal for the Occupied Palestinian Territory [OPT], UN Women has partnered with the JHCO in its efforts to support women in Gaza, in coordination with our offices in OPT,” said Nicolas Burniat, country representative to Jordan of UN Women.

“UN Women commends the Jordanian government for its strong advocacy with the international community for a ceasefire and for its unwavering efforts to strengthen the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, especially their support for women and girls.” he added.

More than 1.9 million people (85 per cent of the total population of Gaza) have been forcibly displaced amid ongoing Israeli military operations. Among them are one million women and girls enduring unbearable suffering, disease and risk of famine. Half of them are sheltering in Rafah, fearing for their lives, with nowhere to go. Recent figures indicate that 70 per cent of Palestinians killed in the war in Gaza so far were women and children, and that two mothers are killed in Gaza every hour, according to the statement.

“The partnership with UN Women reflects our shared commitment to support vulnerable communities and provide assistance during times of crisis. Together, we are working to ensure that women and children in Gaza receive the support they urgently require,” said Hussein Shebli, secretary-general of JHCO.

In addition to this support, UN Women, in partnership with the World Food Programme, aims to reach 75,000 women and their family with unconditional cash and food baskets. Recently, UN Women and the Egypt Red Crescent also delivered urgent items to 7,000 women and children in Gaza.

Additionally, UN Women is partnering with women-led organisations to deliver gender responsive services and to address the different challenges women and girls in Gaza face, including protection and well-being, according to the statement.

UN Women continues to call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and that no effort be spared to ensure women’s and girls’ protection and safe access to rapid, unimpeded and gender-responsive humanitarian assistance, the statement said.