International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

It has become a tradition in the village to mark the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, an important date in the UN calendar.

This year, we held an evening event in the PSCC. The evening was divided into two parts. The first part expressed the women’s struggle through an experience of dance and body culture. Two women dancers, Maisan (Miso) Samara and Nur Garabil performed excerpts from the acclaimed dance performance, "CHE", of which Garabil also was responsible for the choreography. Everyone who watched their performance admired the women for their artfulness and courage.

After the performance, Einat Betsalel, director of the Spiritual Center, interviewed the two dancers about their performance and the inspiration behind it and led a discussion on the subject of art as a means of influence for change.

In the second part of the evening, WASNS development director Samah Salaime and WASNS resident Meital Rosso led a panel of women who told moving personal stories about overcoming situations of violence. Among these was WASNS member and Guest House Hotel manager Rabiah Barhum. Also on the panel was Orit Sulitzeanu, Executive Director of the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel (ARCCI) who presented some eye-opening statistics and reflections upon violence against women throughout the country. She spoke of the many ways that it afflicts both Arab and Jewish sectors, across all social classes and all age groups.

In the audience were members of the board of the community’s association of educational institutions, who spoke of the importance of continuing vigilance in the village and the primary school against the phenomenon and to protect women from violence. Going forward, some of the village women volunteered to form an action committee.

Photo album