Conflict Resolution Center holds a workshop on the phenomenon of violence against children in Khan Younis

Gaza, Publication and Information Unit:

A number of mosque preachers recommended that Friday sermons should focus on turning attention to children's issues and their protection, in addition to urging that children be raised in the right way. These recommendations came during a round-table meeting held by the Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution, Khan Younis branch, last Thursday.

Taking part in the meeting were representatives of the directorate of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs in Khan Younis governorate, in the presence of sixteen Friday preachers, to discuss the phenomenon of violence against children and the ways of protecting them within the local community.

Samir Al-Muqadama, a social specialist at the Conflict Resolution Center, began his talk by speaking about the Conflict Resolution Center's working mechanism, the main projects it carries out and the forms of coordination and communication with civil society organisations. For his part, lawyer Khaled Al-Astal reviewed the main rights of the child within Palestinian society.

The psychological counsellor Youssef Saqr addressed the main problems facing childhood in Palestine, the ways of solving them and the obstacles facing counsellors as they provide services to children in the various governorates. For his part, Sheikh Saeed Zaarab spoke about the sharia aspects of protecting childhood in Islamic society and about joining efforts to protect the younger generations.

At the end of the dialogue session, the participants called for the need to address the Legislative Council on the necessity of enacting laws that guarantee the protection of childhood in Palestinian society.