Reconciliation figures in educational sessions on sexual exploitation

Gaza, Publication and Information Unit

On Sunday the Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution held educational sessions for reconciliation figures and mukhtars in all the governorates of the Gaza Strip, within the events of the project "A protective environment for children against sexual exploitation", funded by the European Union, with the sessions running for three consecutive days.

The sessions aim principally to provide a safe environment for children against sexual exploitation and to spread awareness among the different groups in society of how dangerous such exploitation is, by meeting reconciliation figures and mukhtars and organising how they work on cases relating to the harassment of children.

The reconciliation figures stressed the importance and sensitivity of this subject in society, and pointed to the main cause of the worsening problem of harassment of children, namely the release of the perpetrator and their failure to receive the punishment necessary to deter them from an act contrary to religion, morals and society's customs and traditions.

Najat Al-Jubeiri, the project coordinator, explained the importance of reaching the mukhtars, since they are the leaders of the community and are in direct contact with its different groups, and are able to intervene positively in order to find lasting solutions that reduce this problem.

This activity is the last of the activities of the project "A protective environment for children against sexual exploitation" for its first year, which included many activities relating to psychological and legal support for both children and parents.