UN Women survey finds 93% women report feelings of insecurity even within their own homes
Rafah hosts 3 of the 8 operational United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) health centres in the Gaza Strip. Any military offensive would substantially increase mortality and morbidity and further weaken an already broken health system. Photo: @UNRWA / X (Formerly Twitter) A recent survey by United Nations Women paints a grim picture for the women and girls of Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip. The data reveals a population already grappling with immense physical and mental strain, with 93 per cent of women interviewed reporting feelings of insecurity even within their own homes.
The survey highlighted the devastating impact of ongoing conflict on the lives of Rafah’s most vulnerable residents. The immediate risk of death and injury among Rafah’s 700,000 women and girls will increase with any ground invasion, as they have nowhere to flee the bombing and killing, warned a statement by UN Women.
This alarming figure comes amidst heightened tensions in the region, as Israel pushes its assault on Rafah. On May 7, 2024, Israel's military announced that it has seized control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, a crucial entry point for aid into Gaza along the Egyptian border, news channel CNN reported.
According to a Palestinian official quoted by the channel, all movement through the crossing ceased after it was taken over by Israeli tanks.
The report warned that any further military escalation, particularly a ground invasion, would cause these numbers to “soar,” leading to a significant increase in casualties and a deeper descent into despair.
Rafah is the site of the Rafah Border Crossing, the sole crossing point between Egypt and the Gaza Strip and its southernmost point. The city’s population has ballooned in recent months, with an estimated 700,000 women and girls now residing there due to massive bombardment and ground assaults in Gaza City and Khan Yunis by Israel.
By February 2024, roughly two-thirds of Gaza's population, or 1.4 million people, had been forcibly displaced from other parts of the territory into Rafah, according to NPR.
On February 8, 2024, Norwegian Refugee Council warned that Israel’s military operation in Rafah would be fatal for displaced civilians and humanitarian aid.
The UN Women report underscored the precarious state of health for many women. Over half (51 per cent) of those surveyed reported experiencing medical conditions requiring urgent attention since the most recent escalation. However, a staggering 62 per cent stated their inability to afford necessary medical care.
The mental health consequences are equally concerning. The survey reveals a widespread sense of despair, with over 80 per cent of women reporting feelings of depression. Sleep disturbances, heightened anxiety, and nightmares plague over two-thirds of the women surveyed.
“Women and girls in Rafah, as in the rest of Gaza, are in a state of constant despair and fear already. A ground invasion would be an unbearable escalation that risks killing thousands more civilians and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee again. We must protect civilians. We need an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded and safe humanitarian aid distribution across all Gaza. The need for peace has never been more urgent. This is our only hope”, said Sima Bahous, UN Women executive director, said in the statement.
The report called for immediate action from the international community to address the dire situation in Rafah. This includes ensuring the protection of civilians, particularly women and girls, during any further military operations. Additionally, it emphasised the need for increased humanitarian aid to deliver essential medical care and support services.
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