On Wednesday, 11 February 2026, the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies (CHS) and the Conflict Management and Humanitarian Action at Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) hosted a public lecture titled “Women in Crisis: Palestine and Beyond." The lecture was delivered by Dr Lina AbiRafeh Founder and CEO of Better4Women, and moderated by Dr Lara Khattab, Assistant Professor at DI.
In her lecture, Dr AbiRafeh explored the structural underpinnings of gender inequality in the context of armed conflict and protracted crises, arguing that the status of women serves as a critical indicator of justice, social stability, and viability of sustainable peace. She drew attention to the widening global gender gap and the continued entrenchment of what is commonly termed the “feminisation of poverty," set against escalating levels of violence targeting women, particularly in environments marked by conflict and institutional fragility. According to the data she presented, one in ten women worldwide lives in extreme poverty, while women earn 24 percent less than men for comparable work. Yet, she emphasised that quantitative indicators capture only part of reality. Gender inequality is most starkly reflected in the prevalence of everyday violence, with one in three women experiencing some form of violence during their lifetime. She further stressed that crises, regardless of their nature, do not generate disparities from scratch. Rather, they deepen and accelerate pre-existing structural inequalities, amplifying the social and economic burdens placed on women and heightening their vulnerability in critical domains such as education, healthcare, and protection.
Addressing the Palestinian context, Dr AbiRafeh pointed to the structural linkage between Palestinian women's struggle for rights and the prevailing political reality, particularly under occupation and settler colonialism. She drew attention to the severe humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip and their profound impact on women, including access to healthcare limitations, freedom of movement, and threats to personal security. She also noted that repeated displacement and systematic dispossession have constituted an enduring experience for Palestinian women across generations.
In this regard, she stressed that women play principal roles in recovery and reconstruction efforts. Drawing on international experiences, she noted that their participation in peace processes contributes to strengthening the prospects for sustainability. She concluded her remarks by calling for the empowerment of women in decision-making positions and for enhanced support to women-led initiatives in conflict settings, underscoring that such measures constitute essential conditions for achieving just and sustainable peace.