This Tuesday, during the opening segment of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the Second Secretary of the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC), Zonya Rivero López, spoke on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations.
In her speech, Rivero Lopez expressed the deep concern of the members of the Group of Friends about the humanitarian situation in Palestine, describing it as one of the most painful conflicts in modern history. He highlighted the unprecedented levels of violence, death and destruction that have swept across the Gaza Strip over the past 17 months, with more than 48,000 civilians killed and 110,000 wounded.
"This brutal Israeli military aggression in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the illegal colonial occupation of the Palestinian land continue to cause suffering and pain, while impeding the full enjoyment of human rights," Rivero Lopez said.
The FMC’s Second Secretary also highlighted the disproportionate impact of the conflict on women and girls, who make up a large proportion of the casualties. She said that according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, almost a third of the fatalities are women, and that according to UN-Women, there is a health crisis for women in Gaza, including pregnant women and new mothers.
The Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter reaffirmed its unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian cause and its commitment to support women and girls resisting the occupation. She also called on the international community to commit to fulfilling its obligations and not allow Palestinian women to suffer this unjust fate.
Rivero Lopez reiterated the deep concern of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter about the intentions to take over Gaza, to forcibly displace the Palestinian people and to promote Israeli annexation plans in the West Bank. At the same time, it underlined the indispensable role of UNRWA in providing basic services to Palestinian refugees, especially to women and girls, and reiterated the need to ensure political and financial support for its vital operations.
The Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter reaffirmed its commitment to support the Palestinian cause, to achieve the independence of the State of Palestine and to reach a just, comprehensive and lasting solution to the question of Palestine on the basis of the two-state solution that will enable the realization of the independence of a sovereign and viable Palestinian State based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
"The future of Palestinian women and girls, their integral development and full respect for their sacred history and culture, as well as their central role in society, is an integral part of the foundations of the State of Palestine and vital to overcoming decades of relentless violence, oppression and siege. It is our common duty to honor the historic debt owed to Palestine and to realize its inalienable rights to self-determination and independence," said Rivero Lopez on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations