Understanding Community Resilience Through the Accounts of Women Living in West Bank Refugee Camps

Throughout the West Bank, 19 camps are home to more than 200,000 Palestinians, more than half of whom are female. The Israeli occupation and attendant poverty cause communities inside West Bank camps to live under stress and violence particularly limiting to women. Although often portrayed as “helpless victims of war,” little research has been done to explore how women understand their contributions to the resilience of refugee communities. Female refugees were interviewed about their household roles and community participation. This inquiry shows how female refugees navigate the impacts of gender on community resilience.