Solidarity

The Center for Women’s Resources raises grave concern on the escalation of genocide in Palestine and the unimaginable violence being inflicted upon women, children, and entire communities.

According to a recently released report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel at the UN Human Rights Council, Israel has increasingly employed sexual, reproductive, and other forms of gender-based violence against Palestinians as part of a broader effort to undermine their right to self-determination. The report also details how Israel has carried out genocidal acts through the systematic destruction of sexual and reproductive healthcare facilities.

Specific forms of sexual and gender-based violence including forced public stripping and nudity, sexual harassment and threats of rape, as well as sexual assault are cited as standard operating procedures of Israeli security forces against Palestinians.

Weeks after a ceasefire deal was signed in January, Israel launched airstrikes that killed at least 436 Palestinians, including 183 children, 94 women, and 34 elderly people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. This is after Israel has consulted the US regarding the airstrikes. The Trump administration has ‘green-lighted’ the renewed military operations and enabled the ongoing genocide in Gaza by providing unwavering political, military, and financial support to Israel.

The international community must take decisive action to stop the genocide and hold perpetrators accountable. Mere condemnation by governments and international bodies, including the UN, is no longer enough. Concrete sanctions and accountability mechanisms must be enforced against Israeli perpetrators for its war crimes, including pursuing investigations of the International Criminal Court (ICC) into these crimes.

Across many regions, particularly in the Global South, women and children bear the brunt of violence and abuse in conflict situations—often driven by proxy wars or aggression aimed at maintaining hegemonic interests. It is therefore crucial to collectively stand up and speak out for Palestine and support their struggle for self-determination and justice, including the end of occupation and apartheid. Free Palestine! End the genocide!

The Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) welcomes the announcement that Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina migrant worker who has unjustly spent 14 years on death row in Indonesia, will finally be coming home following an agreement between the Philippine government and Indonesian authorities. Although this is a significant step toward ending the years of suffering and injustice that she has endured, CWR joins rights groups’ appeal to President Marcos Jr. to grant her full and absolute clemency.

Mary Jane Veloso’s case is a tragic example of how vulnerable migrant workers—especially women—can fall victim to human trafficking and unfair legal processes. Authorities arrested Mary Jane Veloso in 2010 upon her arrival in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, after finding heroin hidden in the lining of a suitcase her recruiters had provided. Convicted of illegally importing drugs, she has been on death row after enduring a series of unfair trials.

Prior to her arrest, Mary Jane worked as a domestic helper in Dubai to support her two young children. After an attempted sexual assault, she fled the country, returning home jobless and penniless. Despite the trauma, she decided to work as a maid in Malaysia. However, her recruiter instructed her to travel to Indonesia, where she received a suitcase filled with illegal drugs, as there were no jobs available in Malaysia.

Mary Jane’s case highlights the harsh realities faced by many Filipinos, particularly women, who are driven by economic hardship to work abroad—only to fall victim to human trafficking and endure inhumane working conditions. The number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) surged to 2.16 million in 2023, with women making up the majority, often subjected to precarious labor conditions.

We stand in solidarity with Mary Jane and all migrant workers and their families. Mary Jane’s execution was stayed in 2015 due to strong local and international pressure as well as the steadfast demands of the Philippine and Indonesian movements. While her return is a victory, the fight for her absolute clemency and protection of all migrant workers continues.

We call on the Philippine government to take immediate and concrete steps to ensure the safety and well-being of all Filipinos working overseas and, more importantly, to address the root causes of migration! #