A thousand children demonstrate against sexual exploitation

Publication and Information Unit, Gaza:

"My dreams are innocent and my demands are simple, protect my childhood." This was the slogan raised by a ten-year-old child at a demonstration held by the Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution at the Unknown Soldier Square in Gaza City. The demonstration brought together more than a thousand children who came from all the governorates of the Strip, calling for the need to protect them from sexual harassment and to provide means of safety to guarantee their right to life.

For her part, Iman Abu Saeed, the project coordinator, explained that the event comes within the project for protecting children from sexual harassment, which affects this important group in society who cannot protect themselves. She stressed the need to provide protection to this vulnerable group and to work on raising their awareness at school and at home, in addition to providing awareness to their families so that they can protect their children from such incidents, which they may encounter in their lives.

Abu Saeed added that the event included addresses given by some of the children calling for their protection and for everyone who commits these crimes against them to be punished under Palestinian law. Messages of awareness were also directed to all parents and families to protect their children and to play a greater role in teaching their children how to act in such situations.

During the event a puppet troupe and clowns performed to bring a smile to the children's faces and make them happy, alongside a dabke troupe that gave a performance of Palestinian folklore.