Asser Institute: The right to health for women in armed conflict – addressing international law’s role in the humanitarian crisis in Gaza

“Women in Gaza resort to using scraps of tent in place of period products” reads an introduction by ActionAid, an international organization providing on-the-ground humanitarian aid amidst the crisis in Gaza. According to a UN Report updated in February 2024, around 700,000 menstruating women and girls in Gaza have limited access to hygiene supplies. This scarcity, compounded by a lack of water has increased infections to an unprecedented rate. Only a fraction of these essential requirements can be fulfilled by The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). This dire situation calls for immediate attention and action. 

This lecture will explore States’ existing obligations under international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL) in relation to the right to health in conflict, specifically focusing on how these regimes intersect in the context of the conflict in Gaza. Our speakers will address pressing issues such as the lack of menstrual hygiene products and lack of sanitation and proper aid contributing to disease, miscarriages, and trauma. The lecture will also explore ways to enforce the international laws pertaining to Palestinian women’s health needs in the on-going crisis.

Confirmed speakers:

• Dr Fleur van Leeuwen, Assistant Prof, Bogaziçi University, Dept. Political Science and International Relations
• Youmna El Sayed, Egyptian-Palestinian journalist, Gaza Strip correspondent for Al Jazeera English
• Dr  This link opens in a new tabVaios Koutroulis This link opens in a new tab, Professor, Université libre de Bruxelles, Centre for International Law
• Moderator: Gabriela Radu, Junior Researcher, Asser Institute

The event is supported by the Royal Netherlands Society of International Law (KNVIR).