Global Fund for Women Condemns Sexual Violence In all Its Forms—Everywhere It Happens

Global Fund for Women unequivocally denounces all forms of sexual and gender-based violence worldwide. We call for an end to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) everywhere, and that includes Israel and Palestine.

Every life and body is worthy of care and is entitled to bodily autonomy. We join those working to make a world where everyone can be free from violence in all of its forms and to exercise the right to have or not have children, and to parent those children in safe communities.

In recent years, we have witnessed a troubling rise in authoritarian regimes and patriarchal systems of oppression, which disproportionately target women, girls, and historically marginalized people—the same people who also carry the weight of providing frontline services for survivors. We call for funders to show up for partners and allies facing violence in Palestine, Israel, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Tigray, and all across the globe.

In the 35+ year history of Global Fund for Women, and our collective work in advancing gender justice across the globe, our commitment has always been steadfast in supporting ALL survivors and activists. Those values drive our long history of supporting feminists in Israel and Palestine who are dedicated to peace and justice.

In our network, we have lost colleagues and community members in Gaza as well as in Israel. We mourn them still, and all of the thousands of other lives lost in Palestine and Israel. We condemn Hamas’s attacks on civilians on October 7 and call for a return of the hostages, and we condemn state leaders in Israel who have led the violent bombardment of Gaza. We call for an immediate investigation into any and all cases of sexual and gender-based violence committed against Israeli and Palestinian women.

Global Fund for Women joins feminist leaders in support of ALL survivors of sexual violence, including Israeli and Palestinian women who experienced horrific gender-based violence. There must be an immediate and permanent ceasefire, as well as an end to the collective punishment and forcible transfer of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

This is a time when feminist movements and allies everywhere need to work collectively for crisis response, healing, and long-term justice building, while calling for accountability for all war crimes.

Global Fund for Women is fiercely committed to safety, peace, love, and equity for all people. We stand with the most marginalized and we will continue to stand in solidarity with all those who fight to end violence in all forms.