In times of humanitarian crises, women’s health needs are often overlooked. In Gaza, the aggression is worsening by the second, and as a result, women are forced to resort to unhealthy coping methods in order to adapt to the ongoing crisis, such as chemically delaying their menstrual cycles with pills because they do not have access to sanitary products such as pads and tampons. Due to the ongoing siege, civilians in the Gaza Strip also do not have adequate access to water to shower and maintain their hygiene. Not being able to clean yourself and have access to sanitary products during a menstrual cycle can put women at risk of developing infections, and can even lead to toxic shock syndrome.
Additionally, There are over 50,000 pregnant women in the Occupied Territories with an expected 13,649 deliveries in the coming month, in Gaza and the West Bank, according to the UNFPA Palestine Situation Report. Women are subjected to inhumane circumstances, where they are stuck to give birth amidst carpet bombings, with scarce sanitary resources to ensure a safe delivery and post-op care where postpartum bleeding often occurs.
Amongst the many charities, organizations, and initiatives coming together to gather as much essential aid for Gaza as possible, is Egyptian reproductive and women’s health clinic Motherbeing, which is collecting menstrual hygiene products to help women and girls in Gaza. The founder, Nour Eman, highlights in a video that not having access to these products can result in dire health consequences that can be potentially fatal. Motherbeing is calling for volunteers to donate, as they aim to collect a total of 10,000 pads of different types in their clinic, in Maadi, Cairo.
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The women’s health clinic is also offering free healthcare services to Palestinian women. In an Instagram post, Motherbeing wrote, “Due to the ever-increasing demand on the healthcare system in Palestine from the ongoing attacks on Gaza, Motherbeing is offering free online consultations for all Palestinian women who need medical advice regarding their reproductive health. There are currently around 32,000 pregnant women in Gaza. Reproductive health does not stop or pause during wars and catastrophes. These women will be in labor, will experience miscarriages, and will need postpartum support.”
Those outside Cairo, or are in Cairo but are unable to visit the Motherbeing clinic, can use a series of apps to get the pads delivered to the clinic’s location. You can use apps like Amazon, Noon, Breadfast, Rabbit, and Instashop to deliver to the designated address during its operating hours from Saturday to Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
The deadline for donations is Wednesday, Oct. 25.
