December 10 marks the end of another 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and International Human Rights Day.

Yet, it feels deeply unsettling to discuss human rights while one of the most documented genocides in history unfolds before our eyes: the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

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This crisis, driven by a settler-colonialist state operating under an apartheid system, has perpetuated ethnic cleansing for more than 14 months.

However, this tragedy did not begin on October 7 last year; it is the result of more than seven decades of systematic oppression and violence against Palestinians.

These crimes include the dispossession and destruction of lands and homes, looting and theft of property, physical violence, killings, torture and sexual violence — atrocities carried out with complete impunity.

The urgency for accountability and justice has never been greater.

Women, girls, and children remain the most vulnerable groups in all conflict zones — including Palestine. They bear the heaviest burden by paying the highest price as political conflicts evolve into devastating gender-based tragedies.

The toll on women in Gaza is particularly harrowing.

The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office revealed in November that nearly 70% of verified victims were women and children; 44% were children and 26% were women.

Among those killed, five-to-nine-year-olds were the most affected age group. About 80% of the victims died in residential buildings,........

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