End the Silence Campaign

New Zealand joined Hadassah International’s campaign on International Women’s Day, 8 March, to end the silence on the war crime of sexual violence against women. 

The campaign aims to focus the world’s attention on the gruesome reality that Hamas planned and systematically carried out acts of sexual violence against women and girls in Israel.  Hadassah has launched a petition urging United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to help end the silence around Hamas’ use of rape as a weapon of war and to demand justice and accountability.  It calls on the United Nations to carry out a thorough, independent, unbiased investigation and to pursue vigorous prosecution for these war crimes.

On October 7, Hamas terrorists raped and mutilated countless women and girls in Israel, using premeditated mass sexual violence and torture as a weapon of terror. Women were shot in their vaginas and breasts. Girls were found dead, stripped naked, genitals mutilated and covered with blood and semen. Hadassah wants to send a clear message that rape should never be sanctioned as an act of war - not in Israel, not in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Rwanda, or Bosnia, not anywhere and that these heinous acts must be recognised as war crimes and crimes against humanity. 

The local branch of Hadassah organised a rally, which took place on 8 March in central Auckland. The speakers wore eye-catching t-shirts and caps, emphasizing the message “End the Silence”. 

According to Jenny Leiman, president of Hadassah New Zealand 

“It is our way of giving the victims a voice. For the first time we are globalising Hadassah, way beyond Hadassah’s usual activities, to demand justice and change…this is international awareness of sexual and physical violence used as a tool against women.”

Watch the speeches: