Country: occupied Palestinian territory Source: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights Please refer to the attached files. Palestinian Center for Human Rights Releases Report on Lack of Privacy and Safety for Women in Makeshift CampsThe Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) has released a report titled “Makeshift Camps in Gaza: A Harsh Environment Depriving Women of Safety and Privacy.” The report highlights the dire conditions faced by women in makeshift camps across Gaza, where basic human necessities are entirely absent. These areas suffer from severe shortages of clean water, lack of sanitation, and a complete collapse of medical care, making them unfit for human habitation. Women and girls bear the greatest burden under these circumstances, facing an acute lack of privacy and heightened risks of gender-based violence, all while the humanitarian response continues to disregard gender-sensitive considerations and fails to implement measures ensuring their protection and basic security.The report emphasizes that international humanitarian law recognizes shelter as a fundamental means of civilian protection during armed conflicts. It includes provisions prohibiting the targeting of civilian homes or their forced displacement. In cases where such protection fails or civilians are forcibly displaced, warring parties are obligated to provide adequate shelter and establish protected areas to safeguard vulnerable groups. Humanitarian measures must also include the provision of safe accommodations for women, taking into account their specific needs for security, privacy, and dignity, while protecting them from potential risks inside and outside displacement camps.The report details the harsh conditions women endure in Gaza’s makeshift camps due to extreme overcrowding and the absence of privacy. Families are crammed into classrooms or tents without partitions, restricting movement and subjecting women to constant embarrassment. The lack of proper sanitation facilities poses an additional challenge, as women are forced to use shared bathrooms with men in unsafe conditions, heightening fears of harassment and diminishing their sense of security.Postpartum women and those requiring special care during menstruation face even greater hardships due to the lack of appropriate facilities, often resorting to unhealthy alternatives that negatively impact their physical and mental well-being. Breastfeeding mothers struggle to find suitable spaces for nursing, sometimes leading them to forgo breastfeeding altogether, which directly affects both their health and that of their infants. Pregnant women face additional suffering due to the inability to rest comfortably in overcrowded spaces and the lack of proper sanitary facilities. Many are forced to wait long hours or travel significant distances to access bathrooms, placing their health and that of their unborn children at serious risk.The report highlights the profound psychological and social impact on women caused by the absence of privacy. This lack of personal space leads to persistent stress and exacerbates issues such as anxiety and depression. Women who have lost their homes experience deep instability, a feeling intensified by the overcrowded and unsafe conditions in displacement shelters. The absence of privacy disrupts sleep patterns and heightens the constant sense of insecurity. Many women isolate themselves to avoid embarrassment or criticism, further deteriorating their mental health. Additionally, the lack of privacy creates an environment that fosters gender-based violence, increasing women’s fear of intrusion or assault, especially at night.The report also sheds light on the absence of a gender-sensitive approach in the humanitarian response within Gaza’s displacement shelters. Despite nearly a year and a half of mass forcible displacement, authorities remain unable to implement effective solutions to address the lack of privacy, worsening women’s suffering under harsh living conditions. While humanitarian efforts largely focus on providing food, water, and medical aid, the fundamental needs of women—such as safe spaces and dedicated facilities—continue to be overlooked.