Palestinian TV to tackle violence against women

A non-profit Palestinian news organization will be airing a new comedy series and a TV show to discuss the prevention of violence against women and young girls as part of its 2015 program list, the Guardian reported.

The Ma’an Network, based in Bethlehem, will use a grant from the British government worth $1,134,709 to air shows that raise awareness of violence against women over the next three years.

The programs also aim to tackle taboo topics such as marital rape, the British daily added.

The shows will also be accompanied by a series of workshops in rural areas across the Occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip to raise anti-violence awareness. They will be aimed at women, men, and children.

The network has already established a gender unit, staffed by three people – a journalist, a lawyer and an education expert – to oversee content.

“Violence against women in my country is still widespread,” said Raed Othman, founder and general director of Ma’an, as quoted by the Guardian.

One program will resemble a court room where actors will simulate real-life cases of violence which will be brought before a professional judge and lawyers.

While the comedy sketch “Put yourself in my shoes” will have women and men switching roles.

“Women are still killed because of ‘honor’… if families think they have a sexual relationship outside of marriage. Still in my country there is significant violence against women – economic violence against women, social violence, verbal violence against women.

“So in the court we will choose real stories. Serious issues that don’t come up, like the rape of a wife. No woman will go to court and declare her husband raped her. What we will do is discuss these issues in court, let women in society understand their rights in law and how they can deal with it.”