Ministerial Council of WDO Convened Emergency Ministerial Meeting on The Brutal Military Aggression of Israel in Gaza
Cairo, December 20th, 2023 – The Ministerial Council of The Women Development Organization (WDO) convened virtually an Emergency Ministerial Meeting on the 20th of December, 2023 on the developments related to the brutal Israeli military aggression on the Gaza Strip.
The meeting discussed the severely deteriorating humanitarian conditions that Palestinian women suffer from, in addition to reviewing the role of the Women Development Organization in this regard.
The Minister of Women’s Affairs of the State of Palestine, H.E. Dr. Amal Hamad stated during the meeting that: “The State of Palestine trusts and counts on the Women Development Organization to stand beside the Palestinian women through all the initiatives recommended by the Member States during this meeting.”
The meeting was attended by most Ministers and Officials of the ministerial council, who condemned the ongoing Israeli crimes throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, especially to women and girls.
Member states that attended the emergency meeting are Egypt, Palestine, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Yemen, Cameroon, Bangladesh, Senegal, Mauritania, Djibouti, Pakistan, Guinea, Maldives, Gabon, in addition to the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The ministers called for an immediate and complete ceasefire before stating that it is critical to take the necessary measures and for the Muslim countries to unite their efforts and initiatives to put a swift end to the ongoing attacks and ease the scourge of war on Palestinian women and girls. They also called for the protection of the rights of Palestinian women and girls to their land and to live in peace and dignity.
Moreover, WDO’s Executive Director, H.E. Dr. Afnan Alshuaiby presented during the meeting a draft resolution on providing support for Palestinian women and girls. The draft resolution was welcomed and supported by the Member States who attended the meeting.
The Executive Director also recommended the establishment of a center that would serve the needs and basic rights of Palestinian women and girls.
“We invite Member States to support the Organization and contribute to establishing this center that will greatly benefit Palestinian women and girls amid the tragic circumstances they currently live in,” stated the Executive Director.
