Cairo- 22 October 2020 – The United Nations Population Fund, Arab States Regional Director, Dr. Luay Shabaneh, is shocked and deeply disturbed by the killing of 24 years old pregnant women in Nabi Ilyas village east of Qalqilya, State of Palestine on Wednesday, 21 October 2020. The victim is a mother of two children.

The woman’s dead body was found in a house showing signs of physical attack throughout her body according to the forensics report.  Local authorities confirmed the crime and took some measures to address the matter.

Dr. Luay Shabaneh reaffirmed the urgent need to protect women and girls from all forms of gender based violence and harmful practices. Women who are facing these forms of inhuman practices should be heard to and protected.

The Palestinian Authority has an obligation to ensure the enforcement of the laws and legislations and provide the protection to all women and girls who are vulnerable to violence and abuse in accordance with its obligations under the 1979 the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and other international conventions.

The responsible for this crime and all Gender based crimes should be brought to justice. The authorities should provide protection and support to survivors of all forms of Gender based violence and harmful practices.

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UNFPA delivers a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled.

For more information, please contact:

In Cairo: Samir Aldarabi, Regional Media Adviser for the United Nations Population Fund for the Arab States Region,  +201068484879, aldarabi@unfpa.org