Where’s the Outcry? Malnourished Mothers, Starving Babies … Feminists Worldwide Must Act Now!
The genocide in Gaza and the plight of newborn babies is heart-wrenching. According to a report from The Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza, the survival chances for newborns are dire. Mothers, malnourished to the point where they cannot breastfeed, are seeing their babies literally starve to death. This grim reality raises the question, where are the feminists in the world, and why aren’t they screaming from the top of their lungs for the protection of all life?
Feminism, at its core, is about advocating for the rights and well-being of all individuals, particularly those who are marginalised and vulnerable. This includes not only women but also children, who are the most defenceless. Gaza presents an urgent call to action for feminists worldwide, challenging them to extend their advocacy to these newborns and their mothers who are facing unimaginable suffering.
In The Kamal Adwan hospital, over 250 cases of malnutrition were detected within just two weeks. This alarming figure, reported by Dr. Hassam Abu Safah, highlights the severity of the crisis. Babies, some only days old and often born prematurely, are struggling to survive as their mothers are too malnourished to provide the necessary nutrition through breastfeeding. The death of these infants is a cruel reminder of the broader humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza.
The body of a baby girl, born two months premature and now wrapped in a green shroud, symbolises the tragic fate of many now, and yet to come. Her mother, too exhausted and malnourished to carry her to full term, could not save her. Other infants, with skeletal bodies and exposed rib cages, continue to fight for each breath in a desperate struggle for survival. These heart breaking images should galvanise the global feminist movement, which has long championed the rights and health of women and children.
Yet, the response from feminists and other human rights advocates has been conspicuously muted, despite being 9 months into this genocide. This raises troubling questions about selective advocacy and the principles guiding these movements. The protection of all life, irrespective of geographical or political context, should be a fundamental tenet of feminist activism. The suffering of women and children in Gaza demands the same level of attention and outrage as any other crisis.
The situation is exacerbated by the ongoing blockade of supplies. The Rafah border crossing with Egypt remains closed, and aid delivery is being blocked by Israel. The United Nations has confirmed the stacks of supplies at the Kerem Shalom crossing, but they cannot get it through.
The horrors unfolding daily in Gaza with not only the genocide but the outbreak of diseases, further compounds the suffering. Much of Gaza remains uninhabitable. Streets and alleys are lined with rubble and the remnants of bodies, homes and shops.
Children are bearing the brunt of this crisis. Queuing with pans or plastic buckets, they wait patiently for the daily food handouts. We should all be screaming from the top of our voices witnessing this suffering in real time, and the sight of children scraping around for food. The extreme deprivation they are enduring, yet people remain silent, what has happened to humanity?
As temperatures soar into the mid-30s Celsius, the suffering of Gaza’s residents is only intensifying. Living in tents, in fear of the next bomb dropping. It is relentless, targeting the most vulnerable with ferocious and savage cruelty.
We need feminists and human rights activists to amplify their voices and demand immediate action to stop this suffering in Gaza. Advocacy for women’s and children’s rights must transcend borders and politics, to protect all lives.
The world cannot afford to pick and choose whose lives matter. The newborns fighting for survival in Gaza, along with their mothers and families, deserve the same compassion, support, and advocacy as any other group facing oppression and hardship. It is time for feminists and human rights advocates to stand up and scream from the top of their lungs, demanding justice and protection for all.
KEEP TALKING ABOUT PALESTINE!
