Introducing Hana Elias Anton Kare – Wi’am/West Bank
Introducing Hana Kare, a researcher, trainer and peace activist with Wi’am: Palestine Conflict Transformation Centre. Like the other Women, Peace and Security partners, Wi’am is a long-term ecumenical and KAIROS partner, now active in the emerging gender, conflict and climate program.
Hanna conducts trainings for youth and women on leadership, conflict resolution, communication, environmental awareness, and gender-based violence. She was the Middle East Representative for the Women Peace Program Working Group (WPPWG) in the Netherlands and contributed to a book titled A Force Such as the World Has Never Known: Women Creating Change (2013) with a chapter on “Advocating Women’s Rights in Palestine.”
Hana talks about the increased vulnerability of Palestinian people to climate change, resulting from Israeli occupation, and how Wi’am is supporting local Palestinian communities:
“Unfortunately, the climate change crisis is progressing faster than government and civil society can handle. Israeli occupation makes the Palestinians suffer double. Through our work with Wi ‘am, we raise awareness. For example, Wi’am tries to mitigate hazards by home economy, victory gardens (a Wi’am initiative), water recycling, renewable energy, re-plantings, use of solar sources to generate electricity. Restrictions on the free movement, land grabs, settler violence, all increase climate change and vulnerability.”
Hana calls on the Canadian government to pressure the Israeli government to abide by international laws to reduce climate risk:
“I recommend that the Canadian federal government puts pressure on the Israeli government to abide by the international laws and signed agreements to prevent climate change risks and further implications on environmental and public health. Also increasing the budget to NGOs that are mitigating climate risk would be an asset.”
Watch Hanna Kare’s introductory video:
