ISRAEL

Miscellaneous Statements

CEDAW, A/61/38 (2006)

Part III

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Decision 36/II

Statement regarding the situation of women in the Middle East

The Committee adopted a statement on the situation of women in the Middle East (see annex VII to part three of the present report).

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Annex VII

Statement by the Committee regarding the situation of women in the Middle East

            The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, during its thirty-sixth session, held from 7 to 25 August 2006, expresses its serious concern over the hostilities which have taken place in the Middle East and which have caused hundreds of deaths and injuries among civilians, which include women and children, extensive damage to infrastructure, loss of livelihood and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of persons.

            The Committee has taken note of the statements of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights of 31 July 2006 and 11 August 2006, as well as the extreme concern expressed by the Representative of the Secretary-General on human rights of internally displaced persons, as well as the statements of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, and the Special Rapporteur on the right to food.

            The Committee has further taken note of the resolution of the Human Rights Council of 11 August 2006 and of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) of 11 August 2006, which includes a call for a full cessation of hostilities. It welcomes the resolve of the international community to assist the Government of Lebanon with humanitarian and financial assistance to enable it to deal with the worsening humanitarian disaster, rehabilitation of victims, return of displaced persons and restoration of essential infrastructure.

            Both Israel and Lebanon are long-time States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (3 October 1991 and 16 April 1997, respectively) and have, thereby, accepted the obligation to implement the provisions of the Convention. Both States have recently presented their periodic reports to the Committee.

            The Committee calls upon all parties concerned to place special emphasis in all their current and future actions and activities on the respect for and protection of international human rights standards and norms, in particular those laid out in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights.

            The Committee also calls upon all parties to comply with their obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and to also abide scrupulously by the provisions of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security, which have direct relevance to article 3, article 4, paragraph 1, and article 7 of the Convention. It encourages all parties to ensure women’s full and equal participation in all aspects of peace, security and public life, and in particular to address the special needs of displaced women and children.

CEDAW, A/64/38 Part II (2009)

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Annex II

Decision 43/III: Statement by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the situation in Gaza*

1. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women is deeply concerned about the recent military engagement (January 2009) in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, which resulted in heavy civilian casualties and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the killing and injuring of many women and children.

2. The Committee calls upon the parties to the conflict to fully implement the current ceasefire and to comply with Security Council resolution 1860 (2009).

3. The Committee recalls that international human rights and humanitarian law apply in all circumstances and at all times and to all parties involved and that the right to life should be respected even in the course of hostilities. The Committee notes with deep concern that the human rights of women and children in Gaza, in particular the right to peace and security, free movement, livelihood and health, have been seriously violated during this military engagement.

4. Recalling the preamble to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which reaffirms that the cause of peace requires the maximum participation of women on equal terms with men in all fields, the Committee urges the parties to the conflict to involve women, in accordance with Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), in the decision-making process on the promotion and maintenance of peace and security at all levels.

5. The Committee also calls upon all States parties to the Convention to support international efforts to alleviate the humanitarian and economic situation in Gaza and, especially, to facilitate the provision and distribution throughout Gaza of humanitarian assistance, including food and medical treatment, especially to women and children.

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* In the light of its earlier practice concerning consideration of States parties (decision 18/III) and communications (rule 60 of the Committee’s rules of procedure), the Committee decided that the expert from the State party concerned should not take part in the decision-making on the present statement.