Progress Amid Resistance

PALESTINE 395the Gaza Strip Due to the Closure of Its Border Crossings,” Weekly Report: On IsraeliHuman Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, November 20–26,2008, http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2008/27-11-2008.htm; MelFrykberg, “Israel Under Pressure over Divided Jerusalem,” Inter Press Service, March23, 2009, http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=46250.102Shatha Odeh, “Long Live the Eighth of March . . . Long Live the Struggle of the PalestinianWoman,” Health Work Committees, March 8, 2008, http://www.hwc-pal.org/ar/display_news_details.php?id=152.103WATC, “Women in Political Parties: Between Discrimination and Ambition,” Sawtal-Nissa’, February 10, 2000.104World Bank, “GenderStats—Middle East and North Africa,” http://go.worldbank.org/AETRQ5QAC0.105Of married women aged 15–49, 45.9 percent in the West Bank and 41.7 percent inGaza used family planning methods as of 2006. According to 18.6 percent of women,the final decision on the issue rested with the husband; 70.8 percent said it was a collectivedecision, and 9.4 percent said the final decision was up to them. Among womenaged 15–49 who did not use family planning methods, 45.6 percent explained thatthey wanted to have more children. The remainder said the main reason was fear ofside effects (8.3 percent), menopause (7.7 percent), discomfort with available methods(7.2 percent), or the husband’s refusal (4.9 percent), among other explanations. Just 0.3percent said the main reason was that it contradicted their religious beliefs, and nearlyall of those were in the Gaza Strip. The husband’s refusal was cited by 6.3 percent ofthose in the Gaza Strip and 3.8 percent of those in the West Bank. PCBS, PalestinianFamily Health Survey 2006: Final Report (Ramallah: PCBS, 2007), 72, 75, http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_PCBS/Downloads/book1416.pdf.106According to a 1997 survey, the reasons for having many children included “familystrength” (38 percent); the fact that they simply liked having many children (22 percent);preventing the husband’s marriage to a second wife (10 percent); the desire forchildren to provide care for their families (4 percent); and the idea of children as a sourceof income (3 percent). PCBS, Palestinian Maternal and Child Health: A QualitativeNational Study (Ramallah: PCBS, July 2000), http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_PCBS/Downloads/book597.pdf.107The median age of marriage for women was 19.5 as of 2008, compared with 24.8 formen. PCBS, “Median Age at First Marriage by Sex and Governorate—2008,” http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_pcbs/populati/c8ed432f-717c-4b52-a798-32ca2fb93943.htm.108Randa Siniora, “The Right to Be Protected Against Violence,” in The Legal and SocialStatus of Palestinian Women: A Gap Analysis Report Using CEDAW as Reference.109PCBS, “Socio-Health Status of Palestinian Women 2006,” poster, http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_PCBS/posters/pal_mother.htm.110Palestinian Working Women Society for Development (PWWSD), “Women and Oc -cupation: Statistics and Numbers,” May 24, 2008, http://www.pwwsd.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=64&Itemid=75.111World Bank, “GenderStats—Health,” http://go.worldbank.org/UJ0Q1KQKX0.