Open Letter to President Joe Biden*, VP, Kamala Harris*, All U.S. Leaders and Representatives, and anyone who has ever stood up in an effort to stop violence against women and children: the only answer is a ceasefire.

*A direct copy has also been sent to your inbox.

Dear President Joe Biden, VP, Kamala Harris, All U.S. Leaders and Representatives, and anyone who has ever stood up in an effort to stop violence against women and children who have yet to call for a ceasefire.

Thank you for taking the time to read this urgent letter.

It is crucial that you understand that the horrific treatment and complete disregard of women (particularly mothers) and children in Gaza is contributing to the perpetuation of violence against women and children throughout the globe, including in the United States, that already suffers from the absence of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (being the only developed nation that does not offer its citizens these protections).

For clarity, your complicity is not only allowing women and children (and all Palestinian civilians) to endure one of the biggest human rights catastrophes of our time, but you are ALSO contributing to violence against women and children on a global scale (not to mention, in your own communities).

We urge you to read this excerpt from Reem Alsalem, UNSR Violence Against Women and Girls, War on Gaza: Israel’s killing of women and children bodes ill for the world (January 6, 2024):

“Make no mistake, what happens in Palestine will not remain confined to Palestine. Perpetrators of violence against women and children have taken note of the absolute impunity with which Israel has been able to carry out its crimes — day in and day out, in broad daylight, for all to see, using the most sophisticated weapons.

The complete disregard for women’s and children’s lives during times of war cannot be delinked from the violence they are increasingly facing in times of “peace”. We often speak about continuums of violence, and in many countries, the rise of femicide, along with moves to control and exploit women, pose ongoing serious challenges. Collectively, the way we treat women and children can contribute to their dehumanization and to legitimizing the onslaughts against them.

If the entire world watches without taking action against the perpetrators — and even condemns those showing solidarity with the victims — what hopes can individual women have when they are targeted by exploitation or violence?

The credibility of the international human rights system has been undermined by the double standards of governments, particularly those that claim to prioritize gender equality, women’s rights, and the rights of children in conflict.

If the world can watch in real time a full-blown genocide unfolding against Palestinian civilians, what hopes for attention and justice do women and children have in other parts of the world that do not even register on our screens or our collective conscience?”

We urge you to uphold your responsibility as a leader in this country to uphold the ICJ Provisional Measures, and the ONLY possible way to do this is to demand a ceasefire and stop funding Israel with our tax dollars.

We also urge you to employ (and model for others) Institutional Courage, (see example from The Elders) which is “an institution’s commitment to seek the truth and engage in moral action, despite unpleasantness, risk, and short-term cost. It is a pledge to protect and care for those who depend on the institution. It is a compass oriented to the common good of individuals, the institution, and the world. It is a force that transforms institutions into more accountable, equitable, healthy places for everyone.”

We thank you for your time and urgent attention to what may very well be the biggest (and preventable) human rights catastrophes of our time.

If you truly stand for the human rights of all, the protection of all children from all forms of abuse, women’s rights and ending the cycles of family violence, the only answer is a ceasefire.

We’d also like to honestly ask you (and ask you to ask yourself) why, after all you have seen, have made the conscious choice to refrain from calling for a ceasefire if you say you care and have built full campaigns around these things?

With liberty, justice (and of course freedom) for all.

Custody Peace

… And Free Palestine.

If you feel called to share this message, we invite you to copy and paste this letter and send to your representatives. Find your Representative Here