WMW MENA: Our Hearts are with Algeria

The World March of Women MENA region follows, with heavy hearts and deep concern, the devastating consequences of the disaster that has struck several areas of our sister country, Algeria, resulting in deaths, injuries, and significant human, environmental, and material damage, amid harsh climatic conditions in which heatwaves, fires, and disasters threatening people’s lives and environment are becoming increasingly frequent.

We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to all those affected. We mourn those who have lost their lives and wish a full recovery, safety, and peace to the injured and to everyone living through this ordeal. We also salute all those who continue to work on the ground to protect lives, rescue people, and confront the consequences of this disaster.

Our solidarity with Algeria today is not passing or merely circumstantial. Alongside our humanitarian duty toward a sister people facing a severe ordeal, it stems from Algeria’s long history and steadfast position in support of liberation struggles around the world, foremost among them the Palestinian cause, as well as from its clear alignment with peoples in their struggle against colonialism, imperialism, occupation, and all forms of domination and oppression. Historically and in the present, Algeria has stood in support of peoples’ right to freedom, dignity, and self-determination. We see this position as an essential part of the values that unite us as progressive feminist and human rights movements in our region and around the world.

Algeria’s principled position on the Palestinian cause, its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to freedom, independence, and self-determination, as well as its opposition to imperialist policies and Zionist occupation, make our standing alongside Algeria today an expression of unconditional political, humanitarian, and ethical solidarity. Peoples who stand in support of liberation struggles deserve, in times of hardship, to find alongside them peoples and movements that believe in freedom, justice, and dignity for all.

From this position, we extend our unconditional solidarity to our sisters in Algeria, to their families, and to everyone affected by this ordeal. From the bottom of our hearts, we hope that they are all safe and well, that their families are protected, and that these difficult days pass with the least possible loss and suffering.

At the same time, given the scale of the disaster and its occurrence within highly complex regional and international contexts, we reject any attempt to close the discussion about its causes around ready-made explanations. The Algerian people have the right to know the full truth, and all hypotheses and circumstances must be examined, including the possibility that deliberate causes or actions may have contributed to some of these disasters, without concealment or premature exclusion of any possibility. We therefore call for transparent, independent, and serious investigations that reveal the truth, establish responsibility where applicable, and ensure that there is no impunity.

This position does not diminish the seriousness of climatic and environmental factors that increase the risks of fires and disasters. Rather, it affirms that protecting people and the environment requires addressing all possible causes responsibly and transparently, particularly when people’s lives, safety, environment, and property are at stake.

What unites us as women, activists, and human rights defenders is our belief that protecting life, dignity, the environment, and the right to safety is a collective responsibility, and that disasters must not become an opportunity to deepen vulnerability or expose the most affected groups to further risks. The feminist struggle that unites us also makes us more aware that women often bear a disproportionate share of the burdens of crises and disasters, driving us to advocate for policies based on prevention, protection, justice, and equity.

From the different countries of North Africa and the Middle East, we declare our solidarity with our sisters in Algeria and with the Algerian people during this ordeal. We send them, their families, and all those affected our deepest love, strength, and solidarity. We stand with you, as we always have, in good times and in difficult times, because what unites us is greater than borders, and because our struggle for a safe, dignified, and just life for women and for all peoples is a shared struggle.

May God have mercy on the victims, protect Algeria and its people, protect our sisters, their families, and all those affected, and grant everyone the strength to overcome this ordeal.

World March of Women – MENA Region