Friday 15th March 2019 Christchurch, New Zealand
Following the terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand on 15th March 2019 where fifty people were killed, Australian author, speaker and social activist wrote these words.
“As women, we have to work vertically at a national level to make the change but also horizontally with other women to empower one another and this is the work that Wi’am is committed to and which we undertake with other women in Bethlehem and across the West Bank.” Meet Lucy Talgieh from Wi’am Conflict Resolution Centre in Bethlehem.
At Christmas, Bethlehem has a different feel — there is an excitement and an expectation as we get ready to welcome the King.
I always go to the grotto and sing my favourite carols. I’m never quite sure what they are called in English but with the choir, I used to love singing ‘Oh Come All Ye Faithful’, I guess it is my favourite.
But for us, it is not just Christmas — we have a message of Easter and Resurrection. Jesus carried the cross for 14 stations on his Via Dolorosa — we have had to carry the cross for over 70 years and now, the Christian community is only 1% of the population and we wonder if we will be here at all in 25 years time.
It is why statements like the Kairos Palestine call are so important, as they call on the whole Christian world to help us to change our situation. It was such a privilege to be recommended to be the youngest author of Kairos Palestine and one of only a few women.
Bethlehem today:
A mother and her children walking along the illegal Israeli Separation Wall close to Wi’am’s office. The Wall cuts through Bethlehem surrounding it on three sides.
When Zoughbi first asked me to head up the work with women at Wi’am, I did not want to leave the work I was doing with the young people, but I am so glad I did. As I started working on this I realised how much I suffered from a patriarchal society, and in my own home, where men make all the decisions. I am really passionate about changing this.
For all of us in Palestine, the biggest issue we face is the Occupation which dominates every aspect of our lives. But if I were to choose the three other things that most affect women, I would say firstly economic independence — women have such little economic independence in their homes and it restricts their ability to make key decisions.
When Zoughbi first asked me to head up the work with women at Wi’am, I did not want to leave the work I was doing with the young people, but I am so glad I did.
The difficult economic situation we face means that if women are able to become more economically independent, it will also bring money into the house and we have seen that it transforms their homes, it reduces domestic violence and their children see things differently.
Secondly, education — we need to educate women but especially girls and boys so as to change the patriarchal society we live in and the male domination we experience. Thirdly, women need to take part more in politics — our representation is capped at 20% — that is the quota for women to hold positions in office and we need to change this. To start with, 20% was to empower us, now it holds us back but Fatah and Hamas do not want to change this, they say 20% is enough, no more.
I have been elected as a councillor in the Bethlehem district and while we used to have a female Mayor, there are so few women involved in politics and heading up organisations. The higher up you go, the fewer women you see, and it is essential that women are much more involved in the peace process. At Wi’am, we believe that women can make the change, especially with peace-building.
The higher up you go, the fewer women you see, and it is essential that women are much more involved in the peace process.
As women, we have to work vertically at a national level to make the change but also horizontally with other women to empower one another and this is the work that Wi’am is committed to and which we undertake with other women in Bethlehem and across the West Bank. This is why our work with women is so important.
— — — — — — — —
Watch our short film about Wi’am Conflict Resolution Centre in Bethlehem.
Welcome to the first On Her Terms update of 2019. This year marks 30 years since the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This landmark in children’s rights has remained a hugely important reference point for those working for justice for children and young people.
“Climbing Kilimanjaro has been on my bucket list for some time. At 5,895 metres it is both the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world.” Neil Irving writes about ticking-off one item from his bucket list to raise funds for Amos Trust.
18-year-old Millie Rose, who first visited Nicaragua in 2015, is spending 4 months working in CEPAD’s office before starting an International Development course at University. We asked her to share a little about her impressions of CEPAD’s work — particularly after the recent flooding and unrest.
“I’ve been guilty over the last few months of shirking my responsibilities towards a cause that is very close to my heart. On the eve of International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, I’ve decided to renew my commitment to this cause, to seeking justice and equal rights for everyone who calls the Holy Land home.” Sarah Baron writes about how we can reinvigorate our support for Palestine.
“The idea was beautiful and crazy. The logistics alone would be an organisational nightmare. The risk assessment would run for pages. It would be a five-month, 3,300 kilometres trek across eleven countries with mountains, rivers and seas to navigate. And then there was no guarantee that the walkers would even be allowed to cross the border into the occupied West Bank, let alone reach Jerusalem.” Amos trustee Robert Cohen writes the forword for ‘Walking To Jerusalem’ – Justin Butcher’s book about his experience of walking from London to Jerusalem as part of Amos Trust’s ‘Just Walk To Jerusalem’ project in 2017.
Amos Trust
7 Bell Yard, London
United Kingdom
WC2A 2JR
Telephone:
+44 (0) 203 725 3493
Email:
[email protected]
Registered Charity No.
1164234
This item has been added to your shopping basket. Please click on the Checkout button below where you can choose your quantity.
Continue shopping Checkout Close