This post is also available in: العربية (Arabic)
By Alaa Murrar
Posters were put up inside the taxi cars with slogans like “The Government’s Promise is a Debt,” and “No Impunity,” and “Yes to Approving the Family Violence Protection Law,” which are slogans that recently raised public controversy in Palestine, in light of a big smear campaign directed against the proposed law on grounds that it contradicts religious values.
On the other hand, human rights activists described that taxi drivers gesture in putting up these slogans as a big leap countering negative rhetoric and judgments against the law, and a conversation starter with taxi drivers on the importance of adopting practical measures to combat domestic violence in Palestinian society. The Women Media and Development Organization (TAM) had launched the taxi campaign in late 2020 to call on the [Palestinian] Authority to approve the Family Violence Protection Law at the soonest.
“The organization works on activating social responsibility, and this time we chose to target the owners of taxi companies by inviting them to put up posters that call on the government to meet its commitments by approving the Family Violence Protection Law,” said Suheir Farraj, the head of TAM. “We succeeded in convincing the Plaza Taxi company in Ramallah, As-Salam Taxi in Nablus, Al-Fararjeh Taxi in Bethlehem, and some independent taxi owners, after getting their personal consent, to join the initiative to spread messages promoting the protection of women from violence,” added Farraj.
“The Government’s Promise is a Debt,” was the slogan that worried the participants the most, according to Farraj. There were some people who feared the possibility of the taxi owners being harassed or called in for interrogation [by the security authorities].
“Therefore, we intervened and told everyone that TAM will hold full responsibility,” said Farraj. “The [advocacy] work on this law and demands for approving it have been ongoing for more than 15 years.”
TAM also highlighted that it does not stand against other people’s opposition to the law, but rather objects to the insults, mistreatment and other acts of bullying, the tearing up of posters and other violent acts.
According to the Head of the Taxi Owners’ Syndicate and owner of the Plaza Taxi Company, Khaled Nakhleh, this initiative “stems from a national and moral duty to end injustice against women, therefore, putting up those posters in our cars and involving citizens and passengers in debates around the importance of approving the Family Protection Law come from our conviction in the necessity of pressuring concerned parties to approve laws that protect women and their lives.”
“Reactions were generally welcoming, and there seems to be a consensus today that the increase in rates of violence against women and the murder of women necessitate the application of deterrent punishments as soon as possible,” said Nakhleh in reference to people’s reactions to the posters.
