Aside from the wider humanitarian costs, Israel's illegal siege on Gaza is having a direct gender cost that militates against peace, write Mary Robinson and Lakhdar Brahimi We have just visited the Gaza Strip where we met many courageous people trying to live relatively normal lives despite the crippling effects of the illegal Israeli blockade. The blockade was imposed to punish the Hamas-led government, but it is women and children who are paying the highest price. In our conversations with a range of women, we learned that despite the apparent "easing" of restrictions by Israel and Egypt, important socio- economic indicators such as poverty, malnutrition, unemployment and family violence are getting worse. Women in this conservative society find their domestic responsibilities made all the more difficult and time- consuming by the blockade, and they bear the brunt of society's frustration and anger in such trying times. Equally disturbing are the creeping restrictions on women's freedom imposed by Hamas activists. These restrictions are not being imposed through the introduction of laws, but rather through party-led initiatives that are enforced without any system of accountability. For example, there is no legal decree stating that all schoolgirls must wear a headscarf, yet those who don't wear it are harassed. Women are punished if they smoke in public, while their male compatriots are allowed to do so. And at the beach, Gaza's main source of fun and entertainment, women and men are strictly segregated. The erosion of women's freedoms is compounded by their lack of participation in politics. In Gaza, women already struggle to be heard. The absence of women from politics in turn fuels perceptions of women as passive; they are seen as victims of the ongoing conflict, rather than active participants in shaping opinions and political processes. Despite the extremely challenging circumstances in which they live, it was therefore encouraging to meet a remarkable group of women in Gaza who are working hard to counter prevailing stereotypes. They are doing it in particular, through a UN mechanism called 1325. Ten years ago, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 which recognised that sustainable peace could not be achieved in any conflict without the full participation -- and protection -- of women. We were impressed to see that women's groups in Gaza are working hard to mobilise support for the democratic principles of Resolution 1325. At the heart of this resolution is the conviction that women, like men, have a right to participate as decision- makers in all aspects of governance: women have a right to a voice in institutions that are democratic and accountable, including those that govern peacemaking. Women's groups in Gaza told us that they are doing their best to raise awareness about Resolution 1325 among local leaders. They have provided training to women on the ground in how to exercise their political rights. They have documented human rights violations and violence against women, and they participated in the UN investigation, led by Judge Richard Goldstone, to establish whether war crimes were committed during the devastating Israeli attack on Gaza in December 2008/January 2009. However, they don't feel that there has been any positive improvement in the lives of Gazan women. Women activists are clamouring for help from beyond Gaza. "What we do ourselves is not enough," they told us. "We need help to make sure that our voices are heard in the outside world." These women are very keen to join networks worldwide that are working on Resolution 1325 and women's rights more generally; they want to stand in solidarity with women around the world and feel that they are not alone. They want to reach out to the wider international community, but they are penned in -- the blockade prevents them from doing so. This is one, largely unrecognised, price of the blockade of Gaza: it is hampering women's efforts to cooperate and to build a movement that can effectively advance gender equality. The effect extends beyond politics; the disempowerment of women hinders post-conflict reconstruction, reduces the likelihood that it will be sustainable, and prevents any meaningful progress on development. As Elders, we call for the immediate and complete lifting of the blockade on Gaza. The ongoing siege is a denial of dignity; it is the denial of rights of a people, particularly its women, who yearn to be free. Lakhdar Brahimi -- distinguished diplomat and mediator -- and Mary Robinson -- former UN high commissioner for human rights -- are both members of The Elders (theElders.org), an independent group of eminent world leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela.
