In response to the monumental challenge of the Covid-19 crisis, Kayan formed a groundbreaking coalition of Palestinian feminist organizations across borders, the Fada Coalition of Palestinian Women Against Violence. The coalition was founded on a human rights and legal basis, which endorsed the fact that women’s rights are human rights, meaning they are indivisible and essential. Fada is the first and only coalition of Palestinian feminist organizations that includes groups based in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem and 1948 land (Israel). As a transnational Palestinian feminist coalition, Fada represents all Palestinian women in their various places and unifies the feminist discourse on the issue of violence against women. Moreover, the coalition holds all segments of society responsible for preventing violence against women. Using community organizing tools of lobbying, advocacy, and media campaigns the coalition has reached millions of people.

This April, the Fada Coalition hosted a webinar featuring Elia Abu Hijleh, Shatha Al Taweel, and Ruba Al-Asi who were previously incarcerated in Israeli prisons for being active in their university’s student movement. By putting this issue on the public agenda, we made those women visible and raised awareness about political activism from a gendered perspective among young women activists. These women shared the harsh realities that roughly 5,000 Palestinians face within the Israeli prison system. They also shared how they remained inspired and encouraged for their future and the future of Palestine. While imprisoned, there would be demonstrators chanting their names in protest of their arrests. Moments like these helped Elia, Shaza, and Ruba remember that they had not been forgotten. “Now I am making my own present and future, with my own hand,” Shaza Al Taweel shared.