24 May 1989

15th plenary meeting

Situation of Palestinian women

The Economic and Social Council,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General,

Mindful of the humanitarian principles and provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949,

Recalling the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women in particular paragraph 260 thereof,

Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolution 1988/25 of 26 May 1988,

Taking into account the intifadah of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories against the Israeli occupation and the oppressive practices of Israel against the Palestinian people, including women and children,

1. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare a comprehensive report on the situation of Palestinian women, making use of all available information, including United Nations reports, information from Governments, non-governmental organizations and missions undertaken by United Nations bodies and specialized agencies to the occupied territories, and reports of meetings and seminars as appropriate, and to submit the report to the Commission on the Status of Women at its thirty-fourth session;

2. Further requests the specialized agencies, in sending missions to the occupied Palestinian territories, to include an expert on women's issues to assess the situation of the Palestinian women and to elaborate specific projects of assistance;

3. Strongly condemns the continuation of the "iron-fist" policy by Israel, the occupying Power, against Palestinian women and their families in the occupied Palestinian territories;

4. Reaffirms that the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949 is applicable to the territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem;

5. Again requests the Secretary-General to send a mission composed of experts on the status of women to investigate the condition of Palestinian women and children, in the light of the drastic deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian territories;

6. Requests the Commission on the Status of Women to monitor the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, in particular the provisions of paragraph 260 thereof concerning assistance to Palestinian women inside and outside the occupied Palestinian territories;

7. Reaffirms that Palestinian women, as an integral part of a nation whose people are prevented from exercising their basic human and political rights, cannot fully participate in the attainment of the objectives of the Forward-looking Strategies namely, equality, development and peace, without the realization of their inalienable right to return to their homes, their right to self-determination and their right to establish an independent State in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions.