UN Rights Expert Cancels Visit to Palestinian Territory

Israel’s lack of cooperation leads to cancelled visit by UN rights expert to the occupied Palestinian territory

GENEVA (16 January 2015) – An official information-gathering visit to the occupied Palestinian territory by a United Nations human rights expert was cancelled today until further notice for lack of cooperation of the Government of Israel.

The UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Rashida Manjoo, was scheduled to visit the occupied Palestinian territory at the invitation of the Palestinian Authority from 19 to 29 January 2015 to obtain first-hand understanding of issues related to violence against women.

“For the past six weeks, I have repeatedly sought the cooperation of the Government of Israel to facilitate access to the occupied Palestinian territory for me to undertake this visit. Regrettably, I did not receive the necessary support, including a visa by the Government of Israel, ahead of my travel, which is scheduled for tomorrow.

It is unfortunate that I have been denied the opportunity to engage directly with women survivors of violence, and that the exercise of my mandate has been hindered by the unwillingness of the Government of Israel, as the occupying power, to facilitate access to the occupied Palestinian territory.

My intention, as per practice during my country visits, was to support the Palestinian Authority to strengthen its capacity to protect and promote women’s rights and to meet its international human rights obligations.

The programme of the visit included meetings with Palestinian officials, law enforcement agents, representatives of civil society organisations and survivors of violence in different locations. It also included visits to prisons, refugee camps and shelters for women survivors of violence, among others.

I wish to express my gratitude to all those who have been involved in supporting the organization of this visit, in particular to the Palestinian Authority, representatives of civil society organizations, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Country Team.

I remain interested in visiting the occupied Palestinian territory, and call on the Government of Israel, as the occupying power, to facilitate access to the territory.”

ENDS

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