International Day of Living Together in Peace – May 16th

Written by Astrid Euwe Wyss and Panashe Marie Louise Mlambo 

On 16 May, the world celebrates the International Day of Living Together in Peace, established by the UN General Assembly in its resolution 72/130 on 8 December 2017.1 This day calls upon individuals and communities globally to unite in the spirit of peace, understanding, and cooperation, fostering an environment where differences are respected and harmony is pursued. 

Broken Chalk, a dedicated advocate for educational rights and human rights, proudly reaffirms its commitment to promoting peace and understanding in educational settings worldwide. Our organization tirelessly engages with international bodies, governments, and key stakeholders to champion the cause of living together in peace, particularly within the education sector.2 

The essence of the International Day of Living Together in Peace aligns seamlessly with the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, “Everyone has the right to education” and “Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”3 Broken Chalk stands firmly behind these ideals, advocating for educational environments where peace, tolerance, and mutual respect are paramount. 

Broken Chalk recognizes the urgent need to bridge this gap and ensure that educational laws worldwide promote peace and non-discrimination. By advocating for stronger legal frameworks and inclusive policies, we aim to uphold the fundamental right to education for all individuals, regardless of their background or circumstances. 

“Our work is driven by a commitment to fostering peace and understanding in education. On this International Day of Living Together in Peace, we urge governments and stakeholders to prioritize the promotion of peace in education and to take decisive action to address systemic inequalities and conflicts.” – Broken Chalk representatives.  

As an international organization, Broken Chalk remains steadfast in its mission to achieve both local and global perspectives in its advocacy efforts. Through collaborative action and collective engagement, we strive to create a world where every individual has access to quality education in a peaceful, inclusive, and respectful environment and continue to promote peace, tolerance, inclusion, understanding, and solidarity. 

Filistin Halkıyla Uluslararası Dayanışma Günü

Benjamin Koponen, Caren Thomas & Zina Sabbagh yazdı

Filistin’deki Eğitim Ortamı

Gazze’deki son olaylardan sonra, bölgeden bir gazeteci olan Bisan Owda, çoğu röportajına hayatta kaldığını onaylarak başlıyor. Sözleri üzücü gerçeği bir kez daha ortaya koyuyor.“Gazzede güvenli bir yer yok.” wizard_bisan1, Instagram, 2023

Eğitim kurumları üzerindeki yıkıcı etki bu açık gerçeğin altını çiziyor. Bu küçük coğrafi bölgede 200’den fazla okul acımasızca hasar görmüş, bombalanmış ya da tamamen yerle bir edildi.i Şaşırtıcı bir şekilde bu, Gazze Şeridi’ndeki toplam okul sayısının neredeyse %40’ını oluşturuyor.

Uluslararası hukuk ve küresel toplum tarafından korunan bir kuruluş olarak kabul edilen UNRWA (Birleşmiş Milletler Filistinli Mültecilere Yardım Kuruluşu) tesisleri ve okulları artık güvenlik güvencesi taşımıyor.ii Bu gerçek, 19 Kasım tarihinde Gazze’nin kuzeyinde yer alan ve UNRWA’ya ait olduğu bilinen Al Fakhoura okulunun bombalanmasıyla acı bir şekilde ortaya çıktı.iii O sırada aralarında öğretmenler, öğrenciler, aileler ve yaşlıların da bulunduğu 7.000’den fazla kişi okulun duvarları arasına sığınmıştı. Hayallerin ve umutların gerçeğe dönüşmesine yardımcı olan bir eğitim kurumu olan bu sığınak bir anda yok edildi.

Fotoğraf   Luke White , Unsplash tarafından

Filistin ortaöğretimi üç temel sektörden oluşuyor: Özel okullar, devlet okulları ve özellikle Filistinli mülteciler için kurulan UNRWA okulları.iv Bu kurumlar, Filistin Hükümeti tarafından belirlenen standart Filistin Müfredatına bağlı. Dikkat edilmesi gereken ilginç bir husus, İsrail Hükümeti Filistin Müfredatı üzerinde sürekli inceleme ve sansür uyguluyor. v TBu kurumlar, Filistin Hükümeti tarafından belirlenen standart Filistin Müfredatına bağlı. Dikkat edilmesi gereken ilginç bir husus, İsrail Hükümeti Filistin Müfredatı üzerinde sürekli inceleme ve sansür uyguluyor.vi

Ayrıca, Filistin’in sınırlarını çizen bir haritanın tasviri de sürekli olarak yasaklanmaktadır. Bu durum Filistin müfredatını son derece esnek olmaya zorluyor çünkü müfredatta sürekli değişiklikler yapılıyor.vii Dahası, hem öğrenciler hem de öğretmenler okullara erişimde çok sayıda engelle karşılaşıyor. Batı Şeria genelinde kontrol noktaları önemli bir engel teşkil etmekte ve bireylerin eğitim kurumlarına geçişini engelliyor. Benzer şekilde Gazze’de de sık sık meydana gelen bombalamalar, öğrencilerin ve eğitimcilerin eğitim arayışlarında karşılaştıkları zorlukları daha da arttırıyor viii.

Ortaöğretim sektörünün karşı karşıya olduğu bir diğer engel de finansman. Eğitimi Saldırıdan Korumak için Küresel Koalisyon (GCPEA) tarafından hazırlanan bir raporda, Mayıs 2021’de meydana gelen saldırıda okul tesislerine verilen zararın onarılması için yaklaşık 3,55 milyon ABD dolarına ihtiyaç duyulacağı belirtildi.ix Bu nedenle, eğitim sektörü büyük ölçüde başta BM olmak üzere uluslararası toplumdan gelen bağış ve yardımlara bağlı.x Ancak 2016 yılından bu yana UNWRA okullarına yapılan yardım, siyasi arenadaki değişiklikler nedeniyle radikal bir şekilde azalıyor.xi

Gazze’deki toplam 561 okulun 264’ü UNRWA tesisinden oluşuyor ve bunun temel sebebi ise yıkılan komşu köylerden gelen yüksek mülteci nüfusu.xii Bu nedenle, bu okulların birçoğu düzgün bir şekilde kullanılacak altyapı, sınıf ve malzemeden yoksun; buna rağmen yine de geliştiriliyor ve en iyi kapasitelerinde kullanılmak için mümkün oldukça çok malzeme kullanılıyor. Öğrenciler tüm bu zorlukları aşsalar bile, Gazze dışında yüksek öğrenim görmek istediklerinde İsrail’den izin alamıyorlar ve bu da onları Gazze’ye hapsediyor.

Eğitimsel olarak, İsrail, bu zorlukları daha da kötüleştiren çok sayıda farklı taktikler uyguluyor. Gazze’ye yönelik yıkım ve savaş sona erse bile, öğrencilerin, öğretmenlerin ve diğer bireylerin yaşadığı travma ve TSSB’nin işlenmesi, iyileşmesi ve tamamen iyileşmesi nesiller alacaktır. 

Fotoğraf Austin Crick , Unsplash tarafında

Filistinli Çocukların Ruh Sağlığı

Ruh sağlığı, insanların kendilerini ve çevrelerindeki dünyayı anladıkları hassas bir prizmadır. Bu prizma insanların stresi yönetme, yeteneklerini besleme, etkili bir şekilde öğrenme/çalışma ve toplumlarını destekleme becerileriyle sembolize edilir.xiii Dayanıklılık stratejileri, travma ile yaşamanın bir başa çıkma mekanizması olmaktan ziyade insanların engelleri aşmasına ve birey olarak gelişmesine olanak tanır. Ancak, çocukluk dönemindeki travmatik olaylar – savaş gibi – sağlıklı başa çıkma mekanizmalarının etkinliğini aşan bir stres seviyesine yol açabilir. Gazze/Batı Şeria’daki süregelen bombalamalar, yerinden edilmeler ve işgal, yerel Filistinli çocuklar arasında kaygı, depresyon ve travma sonrası stres bozukluğunu arttırdı.

IDF(İsrail Savunma Kuvvetleri) 7 Ekim’den bu yana yaklaşık 11.320 Filistinli sivili öldürdü.xiv Bunların arasında 4.650 çocuk ve 3.145 kadın da bulunuyordu. 29.200 kişi yaralanmış, 3.600 kişiden ise haber alınamadı (bunların 1.755’i çocuktu).xv On iki yıl önce Dimitry “çatışmaya bağlı travmatik deneyimlerin zihinsel, davranışsal ve duygusal sorunların yaygınlığı ile pozitif korelasyon gösterdiğini” tespit etti.xvi

2011 yılına kadar, çocukların yaklaşık %23 ila %70’inin TSSB’den muzdarip olduğu bildiriliyor.xvii Travma sonrası stres bozukluğu (TSSB) aşırı gergin deneyimlere verilen uzun süreli zihinsel/fizyolojik bir tepkidir. Filistinli çocuklar için terör saldırılarına maruz kalmak, evlerinden edilmek, şiddetli istismar ve günlük aşağılanmaya tanık olmak onları hayatta kalma moduna zorluyor.xviii

Günlük rutini sürdürmek, çocukların ruh sağlığını sağlamanın ayrılmaz bir parçasıdır. Ancak okulların, evlerin yıkılması ve düzenli olarak yer değiştirmeler, öngörülemeyen bir ortam yaratıyor. İsrail işgalinin süregelen doğasının, sivillerin (özellikle çocukların) iyileşme fırsatını ortadan kaldırdığı belirtildi.xix Sonuç olarak, sürekli bir travmatik stres durumunda oluyorlar. 2022 yılındaki verilere göre, çocukların %90’ı ebeveynlerinden ayrılma kaygısına sahip, %50’den fazlası intihar etmeyi düşünmekte ve %59’u tepkisel bağlanma bozukluğuna sahipti.xx Guardian ayrıca çocukların uyku güçlüğü de yaşadığını bildirmiştir.xxi Bununla birlikte, çocuklar bu travma sonrası stres belirtilerine (TSSB) farklı şekillerde yanıt vermek için stratejiler geliştirmiştir. Bunlar arasında travmatik olaylara aktif olarak maruz kalma ve siyasi şiddete karşı travma tepkisi olarak siyasi direniş yer almaktadır.

Filistinli gençlerin -genellikle genç erkek ve erkek çocukların- dayak yiyen/hapse atılan akranlarına saygı gösterdikleri biliniyor.xxii Bu şekilde zulüm korkusunu cesarete dönüştürüyorlar. Buna karşılık, Filistinli genç kadın ve kızların TSSB’yi anksiyete ve depresyon yoluyla ifade etme olasılıkları daha yüksek oluyor.xxiii Bu özellikler, Orta Doğu’da kız/erkek çocuklara yönelik cinsiyetçi beklentilerle örtüşüyor. Şaşırtıcı olmayan bir şekilde, bu davranışlarda bulunan genç erkekler ve oğlanlar, kadın meslektaşlarına göre daha fazla TSSB sergiliyor.xxiv Travmaya aktif olarak maruz kalmak, bir travma tepkisi olarak dirençle derinden bağlantılıdır.

Wispelwey & Jamei, siyasi aktivizmin, özellikle de Büyük Dönüş Yürüyüşü’nün (GMR), “bir eylemlilik ve umut duygusu yoluyla toplum ruh sağlığı üzerinde olumlu bir etki” sağlayabileceğini gösteriyor.xxv Mart 2018’de başlatılan bir dizi gösteri olan GMR, Filistinlilerin anavatanlarına geri dönme hakkını (194 sayılı BM Kararı ile güvence altına alınmıştır) sembolize etmeyi amaçlıyordu. GMR dans, yemek ve sloganlarla dolu kültürel/kutlama atmosferini benimsedi. Protestocular, İsrail Savunma Kuvvetleri’nin militarist tepkisiyle(göz yaşartıcı gaz ve kalabalığa keskin nişancı ateşi), karşılaştılar.xxvi

Filistin’deki çocukların ruh sağlığının vahim durumu, İsrail işgali gerçeğiyle iç içe geçmiştir. Anksiyete, savaşa verilen mantıksız bir tepki değildir. Depresyon, fırsat eksikliğine verilen irrasyonel bir tepki değildir. Bunlar siyasi liderler tarafından alınan kararların psikolojik belirtileridir. Save The Children tarafından yayınlanan bir mektupta 6 Filistinli çocuk -Salma, Niveen, Zain, Samer, Khaled ve Amal- dileklerini şöyle özetlemişlerdir; “İlk dileğimiz savaşın sona ermesi… Yıkılan tüm binaların temizlenmesini ve yerlerine daha iyi ve daha güzel bir şeyin gelmesini umuyoruz”.xxvii Tıbbi bakım, altyapı ve toplum desteği iyileşmenin ayrılmaz bir parçası olacaktır.  Ateşkes bu iyileşme sürecinin ilk adımıdır.

Filistin’de Öğrenciler İçin Kaynak Yoksunluğu

Birleşmiş Milletler, 2023 yılının başında Filistinli çocukları ve eğitimlerini etkileyen en az 423 olay kaydetti. Bu olaylara İsrail güçlerinin okullara ateş açması, çocukların operasyonlar düzenlemesi ve okulları yıkması da dâhildir.xxviii Gazze Eğitim Bakanlığı xxix 2023-2024 eğitim-öğretim yılını askıya aldı. Gazze’nin ayrım gözetmeksizin bombalanması nedeniyle, Gazze Şeridi’ndeki okullar Filistinliler için “güvenli alanlar” olarak kullanılıyor. Ancak okullar bile İsrail bombardımanının hedefi olmuş durumda.

Halihazırda, Birleşmiş Milletler Filistinli Mültecilere Yardım Kuruluşu UNRWA tarafından işletilen okullar İsrail saldırılarının hedefi oldu. xxx Bu okulların silahlı çatışma sırasında güvenli bölgeler olarak kabul edilmesi gerekiyor. Ancak Gazze’de tanık olduğumuz şey, başta çocuklar olmak üzere masum sivillerin kasıtlı olarak hedef alınmasıdır. Okullara sığınanların bu şekilde hedef alınması, sonuçta çok sayıda sivilin ölümüne ve yaralanmasına yol açıyor. Silahlı bir çatışma okulları ve diğer eğitim kurumlarını hedef aldığında ortaya çıkan kaynak kaybı nedeniyle eğitimin aksamasına sebep oluyor.

 Fotoğraf Gayatri Malhotra, Unsplash tarafından

Rafto Ödülü 2023’ün sahibi olan Uluslararası Çocukları Savunma Örgütü – Filistin, ‘Savaşta Çocuk, 2022’ raporunda xxxi Filistinli çocukların uluslararası toplumdan maddi yardım istemediklerini dile getirdiklerini belirtmişti. Bunun yerine çocuklar, kontrol noktalarında yapılan aramalardan ve okullarda gerçekleşen saldırılardan korunmak istiyor. Ayrıca, Filistin’den çocuk insan hakları savunucularına uluslararası insan hakları organlarıyla toplantılara katılma şansı verildi, ancak çocukların ihtiyaçlarının ele alınmasına önem verilmedi. Sahadaki gerçeklik aynı kalmaya devam ediyor.

Gazze Şeridi, altyapı ve diğer eğitim kaynaklarına büyük zarar veren silahlı çatışmalara sahne olmaya devam ediyor. Eğitim için okulda olması gereken bir çocuk, bombardımanlardan korunmak için ailesiyle birlikte okula gidiyor. Hasar gören okul sayısının en az 300 olduğu ve 183 öğretmenin öldürüldüğü bildiriliyor.xxxii Ayrıca İsrail’in su, gıda, tıbbi malzeme, elektrik ve yakıt ablukası da bu çocukların kaynaklara erişiminde ciddi riskler yaratıyor.

Çatışma nedeniyle çocuğun eğitiminde meydana gelen bir boşluk, psikososyal desteğin yokluğu ile birleştiğinde, birçok çocuğun umutsuzca geride kalmasına neden olabilir. Gazze’deki durum, halkın okullarını, sağlık hizmetlerini ve diğer eğitim kaynaklarını yeniden inşa etmesini gerektiriyor. İnsanların geçici öğrenme alanlarını barındırmanın yollarını bulması, eğitim sistemlerini yeniden inşa etmek için uluslararası toplumdan destek alması ve en önemlisi, bu genç zihinlerin parçalanmış ortamını anlayabilecek donanıma sahip öğretim personeli bulması gerekiyor. Bu yürek burkan ortamda eğitim son derece önemli, zira Filistinli çocukların karşılaştığı bazı zorlukların üstesinden gelmek için bir omurga ve potansiyel özgürlük sunmaktadır.

Sayısız uluslararası yasa ve mekanizma mevcut olsa da, bunların uygulanması, uluslararası müdahalenin çok az olması nedeniyle etkisiz bir süreç oluştu. İsrail’in Filistin’e yönelik saldırılarının uluslararası insancıl hukukla alay etmek olduğu tartışmasız bir şekilde ortadadır.

Okurlarımızı bu sorularla baş başa bırakıyoruz.

İnsan Hakları Evrensel Beyannamesi’nde yer alan temel bir insan hakkı olan eğitim, Filistinli çocuklar için ne zaman uzak bir lüks olmaktan çıkacak?

Filistinli bir çocuk ne zaman “savaş çocuğu” olmayı bırakır ve pozitif öğrenme, büyüme ve mutluluk dolu bir yaşamı kucaklar?


Referanslar

i UNESCO. (2023). Gaza: UNESCO calls for an immediate halt to strikes against schools. UNESCO. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/gaza-unesco-calls-immediate-halt-strikes-against-schools

ii UNRWA. (2023). THE GAZA STRIP: UNRWA SCHOOLS SHELTERING DISPLACED PEOPLE CONSTANTLY. UNRWA. https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/official-statements/gaza-strip-unrwa-schools-sheltering-displaced-people-constantly-hit

iii Al Jazeera. (2023). Many killed in Israeli attacks on two schools in northern Gaza. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/18/israeli-forces-strike-al-fakhoora-school-in-northern-gaza

iv Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. (2023). Schools Placement Around Palestine. https://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_Rainbow/Documents/Basic_Schools_ar.html

v Al Jazeera Net. (2017). Accusing the Palestinian curriculum of incitement against Israel. Al Jazeera Net. https://www.aljazeera.net/news/presstour

vi Al Jazeera Net. (2004). Israeli Efforts to Change the Palestinian Educational Curriculum جهود إسرائيلية محمومة لتغيير مناهج التعليم الفلسطينية. Al Jazeera Net. https://www.aljazeera.net/news

vii Palestinian Ministry of Education. (2023). Sectoral strategy for education. https://www.moe.pna.ps/category/content/1036

viii Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. (n.d.). Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. State of Palestine Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. http://www.mofa.pna.ps

ix Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack. (2022). Measuring the Impact of Attacks on Education in Palestine. https://protectingeducation.org/wp- content/uploads/impact_attackeducation_palestine_2022_en.pdf

x Palestinian Ministry of Education. (2023). Sectoral strategy for education. https://www.moe.pna.ps/category/content/1036

xi BBC News. (2018, January 17). UN alarmed as US cuts aid to Palestinian refugee agency. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42717333

xii Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. (2023). Schools Placement Around Palestine. https://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_Rainbow/Documents/Basic_Schools_ar.html

xiii World Health Organization: WHO. (2022, June 17). Mental health. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response

xiv Anadolu staff. (2023, November). Gaza death toll soars to 11,320 amid relentless Israeli attacks, including 4,650 children. aa.com. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/gaza-death-toll-soars-to-11-320-amid-relentless-israeli-attacks-including-4-650-children/3053701#

xv Anadolu staff. (2023, November). Gaza death toll soars to 11,320 amid relentless Israeli attacks, including 4,650 children. aa.com. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/gaza-death-toll-soars-to-11-320-amid-relentless-israeli-attacks-including-4-650-children/3053701#

xvi Dimitry, L. D. (2011). A systematic review on the mental health of children and adolescents in areas of armed conflict in the Middle East. Child: Care, Health and Development38(2), 153–161. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01246.x

xvii Dimitry, L. D. (2011). A systematic review on the mental health of children and adolescents in areas of armed conflict in the Middle East. Child: Care, Health and Development38(2), 153–161. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01246.x

xviii Dimitry, L. D. (2011). A systematic review on the mental health of children and adolescents in areas of armed conflict in the Middle East. Child: Care, Health and Development38(2), 153–161. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01246.x

xix Agbaria, N., Petzold, S., Deckert, A., Henschke, N., Veronese, G., Dambach, P., Jaenisch, T., Horstick, O., & Winkler, V. (2020). Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among Palestinian children and adolescents exposed to political violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE16(8), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256426

xx Sherwood, H. (2023, October 22). Children in Gaza ‘developing severe trauma’ after 16 days of bombing. The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/22/children-in-gaza-developing-severe-trauma-after-16-days-of-bombing

xxi Save the Children International. (2022, June 15). After 15 years of blockade, four out of five children in Gaza say they are living with depression, grief and fearhttps://www.savethechildren.net/news/after-15-years-blockade-four-out-five-children-gaza-say-they-are-living-depression-grief-and

xxii Agbaria, N., Petzold, S., Deckert, A., Henschke, N., Veronese, G., Dambach, P., Jaenisch, T., Horstick, O., & Winkler, V. (2020). Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among Palestinian children and adolescents exposed to political violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE16(8), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256426

xxiii Wispelwey, B. W., & James, Y. A. J. (2020). The Great March of Return. Health and Human Rights Journal22(1), 179–186. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26923484

xxiv Agbaria, N., Petzold, S., Deckert, A., Henschke, N., Veronese, G., Dambach, P., Jaenisch, T., Horstick, O., & Winkler, V. (2020). Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among Palestinian children and adolescents exposed to political violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE16(8), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256426

xxv Wispelwey, B. W., & James, Y. A. J. (2020). The Great March of Return. Health and Human Rights Journal22(1), 179–186. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26923484

xxvi Save The Children. (2022). Trapped: The Impact of 15 years of blockade on the mental health of Gaza’s childrenhttps://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/pdf/gaza_blockade_mental_health_palestinian_children_2022.pdf/

xxvii Save The Children. (2022). Trapped: The Impact of 15 years of blockade on the mental health of Gaza’s childrenhttps://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/pdf/gaza_blockade_mental_health_palestinian_children_2022.pdf/

xxviii United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. “Back to school: 1.3 million Palestinian children in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip are returning to school during a tumultuous year.” ochaopt.org August 21, 2023. http://www.ochaopt.org/content/back-school-13-million-palestinian-children-west-bank-and-gaza-strip-are-returning-school-during-tumultuous

xxix Middle East Monitor. “Amidst the bombing, school year suspended in Gaza.” middleeastmonitor.com November 6, 2023. https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231106-amidst-the-bombing-school-year-suspended-in-gaza/

xxx Mhawish, Mohammed R. “‘Why bomb schools?’ Gaza families have no safe space amid Israeli attacks”. aljazeera.com October 10, 2023. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/10/10/why-bomb-schools-gaza-families-have-no-safe-space-amid-israeli-attacks

xxxi Defence for Children International. “Children affected by armed Conflict.” defenceforchildren.org 2022. https://defenceforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Children-and-Armed-Conflict-Report.pdf

xxxii Becker, Jo. “Israel/Gaza Hostilities Take Horrific Toll on Children.” Human Rights Watch. November 22, 2023. https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/11/22/israel/gaza-hostilities-take-horrific-toll-children

Journée internationale de solidarité avec le peuple palestinien ~ 29 novembre 2023

Protesters march with free Palestine signs

Ecrit par Benjamin Koponen, Caren Thomas & Zina Sabbagh et traduit en français par Laraib Ahmed

Photo par Luke White sur Unsplash

Le Paysage Éducatif en Palestine

Au milieu des récentes escalades à Gaza, Bisan Owda, une journaliste de la région, commence la plupart de ses interviews en reconnaissant sa survie. Ses mots résonnent avec la réalité saisissante.

“Il n’y a pas d’endroit sûr à Gaza.”wizard_bisan1, Instagram, 2023.

L’impact dévastateur sur les institutions éducatives souligne cette vérité criante. Plus de 200 écoles ont été cruellement endommagées, bombardées, ou entièrement rasées dans cette petite région géographique. De manière choquante, cela représente près de 40 % du nombre total d’écoles dans la bande de Gaza.

Les installations et écoles de l’UNRWA (Office de secours et de travaux des Nations unies pour les réfugiés de Palestine dans le Proche-Orient), considérées comme des établissements protégés par le droit international et la communauté mondiale, ne bénéficient plus de la garantie de sécurité. La réalité est devenue douloureusement évidente avec le bombardement de l’école Al Fakhoura de l’UNRWA, un établissement largement reconnu dans le nord de Gaza, le 19 novembre. À ce moment-là, plus de 7 000 personnes, dont des enseignants, des étudiants, des familles et des personnes âgées, cherchaient refuge derrière ses murs. En un instant, ce sanctuaire, un institut éducatif qui a aidé à réaliser des rêves et des espoirs, a été détruit.

Approfondir les défis des Palestiniens dans le domaine éducatif offre un tableau plus clair de leurs luttes. L’éducation secondaire palestinienne comprend trois secteurs principaux : les écoles privées, les écoles publiques et les écoles de l’UNRWA spécialement établies pour les réfugiés palestiniens. Ces institutions adhèrent au programme d’études palestinien normalisé établi par le gouvernement palestinien. Un aspect intrigant à noter est le contrôle et la censure continus imposés par le gouvernement israélien sur le programme d’études palestinien normalisé. Les autorités israéliennes restreignent les informations détaillées sur le patrimoine, la culture et l’histoire palestiniens.

De plus, la simple représentation d’une carte délimitant les frontières de la Palestine est régulièrement interdite. Cela force le programme d’études palestinien à être extrêmement flexible car des changements continus s’y opèrent. De plus, les élèves et les enseignants font face à de nombreux obstacles pour accéder aux écoles. Dans toute la Cisjordanie, les checkpoints constituent un obstacle majeur, entravant le déplacement des individus vers les établissements éducatifs. De même, à Gaza, les bombardements fréquents augmentent davantage les défis auxquels font face les étudiants et les éducateurs dans leur quête d’éducation.

Un autre obstacle auquel le secteur de l’éducation secondaire est confronté est le financement. Un rapport de la Coalition mondiale pour la protection de l’éducation contre les attaques (GCPEA) a mentionné qu’environ 3,55 millions de dollars seraient nécessaires pour réparer les dommages causés aux installations scolaires lors de l’agression de mai 2021. En raison de l’occupation militaire israélienne, l’économie de l’Autorité palestinienne est gravement entravée. Ainsi, le secteur éducatif dépend fortement des dons et de l’aide de la communauté internationale, principalement de l’ONU. Cependant, depuis 2016, l’aide aux écoles de l’UNRWA diminue radicalement en raison des changements dans le domaine politique.

Les écoles de Gaza se composent de 284 établissements de l’UNRWA sur 561 écoles en raison du nombre élevé de réfugiés des villages voisins détruits. Par conséquent, bon nombre de ces écoles manquent d’infrastructures, de salles de classe et de matériel pour fonctionner correctement ; cependant, elles prospèrent toujours et utilisent autant de matériel que possible pour fonctionner au mieux de leurs capacités. Même lorsque les étudiants surmontent tous ces défis difficiles, s’ils veulent poursuivre des études supérieures en dehors de Gaza, ils se voient refuser des permis par Israël, les confinant ainsi à Gaza. En ce qui concerne l’éducation, de nombreuses tactiques employées par l’occupation israélienne exacerbent ces difficultés. Même s’il y avait une fin à la destruction et à la guerre contre Gaza, le traumatisme et le SSPT (syndrome de stress post-traumatique) auxquels sont confrontés les étudiants, les enseignants et d’autres individus prendront des générations pour être traités, guéris et totalement récupérés.

Santé mentale des enfants palestiniens

Photo par Austin Crick sur Unsplash

La santé mentale est un prisme délicat à travers lequel les êtres humains se comprennent eux-mêmes et le monde qui les entoure. Ce prisme est symbolisé par la capacité des gens à gérer le stress, à développer leurs talents, à apprendre/travailler efficacement et à soutenir leur communauté. Ces stratégies de résilience ne sont pas des mécanismes de survie face au traumatisme mais permettent aux individus de surmonter les revers et de grandir en tant qu’individus. Cependant, les incidents traumatiques de l’enfance, tels que la guerre, peuvent induire des niveaux de stress qui dépassent l’efficacité des mécanismes de survie sains. Les bombardements continus, le déplacement et l’occupation de Gaza/Cisjordanie ont accru l’anxiété, la dépression et le SSPT parmi les enfants palestiniens locaux.

Depuis le 7 octobre, les forces de défense israéliennes ont tué environ 11 320 civils palestiniens. Parmi eux, 4 650 enfants et 3 145 femmes ont été tués, laissant 29 200 blessés et 3 600 non comptabilisés (dont 1 755 enfants). Il y a douze ans, Dimitry a trouvé que “les expériences traumatiques liées au conflit sont positivement corrélées à la prévalence des problèmes mentaux, comportementaux et émotionnels”.

Dès 2011, environ 23 % à 70 % des enfants auraient souffert de SSPT. Le SSPT est une réponse mentale/physiologique prolongée à des expériences extrêmement stressantes. Pour les enfants palestiniens, l’exposition aux attaques terroristes, le déplacement de leur domicile, les abus violents et le fait de témoigner quotidiennement de l’humiliation les poussent en mode survie.

Maintenir une routine quotidienne est essentiel pour assurer la santé mentale des enfants. Cependant, la destruction des écoles, des maisons et les déplacements réguliers créent un environnement imprévisible. On a remarqué que la nature persistante de l’occupation israélienne prive les civils (en particulier les enfants) d’un moment pour guérir. En conséquence, ils sont plongés dans un état constant de stress traumatique. En 2022, 90 % des enfants ressentent de l’anxiété de séparation par rapport à leurs parents, plus de 50 % ont envisagé le suicide, et 59 % présentent un mutisme réactif. De plus, le Guardian a rapporté que les enfants rencontrent également des difficultés à dormir. Cependant, les enfants ont développé des stratégies pour faire face à ces symptômes post-traumatiques de différentes manières. Cela inclut l’exposition active à des événements traumatiques et la résistance politique en tant que réponse au traumatisme causé par la violence politique.

Les jeunes Palestiniens, souvent des jeunes hommes et garçons, sont connus pour respecter leurs pairs battus/emprisonnés. De cette manière, ils transforment la peur de la persécution en courage. En revanche, les jeunes femmes et filles palestiniennes sont plus susceptibles de manifester des symptômes de SSPT par l’anxiété et la dépression. Ces caractéristiques correspondent aux attentes de genre des garçons/filles au Moyen-Orient. Sans surprise, les jeunes hommes et garçons qui adoptent ces comportements manifestent plus de symptômes de SSPT que leurs homologues féminins. L’exposition active au traumatisme est profondément liée à la résistance en tant que réponse au traumatisme.

Wispelwey & Jamei démontrent que l’activisme politique, en particulier la Grande Marche du Retour (GMR), peut avoir “un impact positif sur la santé mentale de la communauté via un sentiment d’agence, d’espoir”. La GMR, une série de manifestations initiée en mars 2018, était censée symboliser le droit des Palestiniens à retourner dans leur patrie (consacré par la résolution 194 de l’ONU). La GMR a adopté une atmosphère culturelle/festive remplie de danse, de nourriture et de chants. Les manifestants ont rencontré la réponse militariste de l’IDF – distribuant du gaz lacrymogène et tirant sur la foule – avec un sentiment ancré d’agence pour façonner leur réalité politique.

L’état désespéré de la santé mentale des enfants en Palestine est lié à la réalité de l’occupation israélienne. L’anxiété n’est pas une réponse irrationnelle à la guerre. La dépression n’est pas une réponse irrationnelle à un manque d’opportunités. Ce sont des symptômes psychologiques de décisions prises par des dirigeants politiques. Dans une lettre publiée par Save The Children, 6 enfants palestiniens – Salma, Niveen, Zain, Samer, Khaled et Amal – ont exposé leurs souhaits ; “La première chose que nous souhaitons, c’est que la guerre se termine… Nous espérons que tous les bâtiments détruits seront dégagés et que quelque chose de mieux et de plus beau viendra à leur place”. Les soins médicaux, l’infrastructure et le soutien communautaire seront essentiels pour la guérison. Un cessez-le-feu est la première étape de ce processus de guérison.

Déprivation des ressources pour les étudiants en Palestine

Au début de l’année 2023, les Nations unies ont enregistré au moins 423 incidents impactant les enfants palestiniens et leur éducation. Cela inclut les tirs des forces israéliennes sur les écoles et les enfants, les opérations et les démolitions d’écoles. Le Ministère de l’Éducation de Gaza a suspendu l’année scolaire 2023-2024. En raison des bombardements indiscriminés de Gaza, les écoles de la bande servent de “lieux sûrs” pour les Palestiniens. Cependant, même les écoles ont été visées par les bombardements israéliens.

Actuellement, les écoles gérées par l’UNRWA – l’Office de secours et de travaux des Nations unies pour les réfugiés de Palestine dans le Proche-Orient – ont été ciblées à de nombreuses reprises par des attaques israéliennes. Ces écoles sont censées être considérées comme des zones sécurisées pendant un conflit armé. Cependant, ce que nous constatons à Gaza, c’est le ciblage délibéré de civils innocents, en particulier d’enfants. Ce ciblage de ceux qui cherchent refuge dans les écoles entraîne finalement la mort et les blessures de nombreux civils. Cela conduit à la perturbation de l’éducation en raison de la perte de ressources lorsqu’un conflit armé cible les écoles et d’autres institutions éducatives.

Défense des Enfants International – Palestine, lauréate du Prix Rafto 2023, dans leur rapport “Enfant en Guerre, 2022”, a mentionné que les enfants palestiniens ont exprimé qu’ils ne veulent pas d’aide financière de la communauté internationale. Au lieu de cela, les enfants aimeraient être protégés des fouilles qui ont lieu aux checkpoints et des attaques qui se produisent à l’école. De plus, les défenseurs des droits de l’enfant de Palestine ont eu l’opportunité de participer à des réunions avec des organes internationaux de défense des droits de l’homme, mais aucune attention n’a été accordée pour répondre aux besoins des enfants. La réalité sur le terrain reste la même.

 Photo par Gayatri Malhotra sur Unsplash

La bande de Gaza continue de subir des conflits armés, causant des dommages colossaux aux infrastructures et aux ressources éducatives. Un enfant est censé être à l’école pour apprendre, mais maintenant, il se rend à l’école avec sa famille pour se protéger des bombardements. Le nombre d’écoles endommagées s’élève à au moins 300 écoles et 183 enseignants ont été tués. De plus, le blocus d’Israël sur l’eau, la nourriture, les fournitures médicales, l’électricité et le carburant impose de graves risques pour l’accès aux ressources de ces enfants.

Une lacune dans l’éducation de l’enfant qui survient en raison du conflit, associée à l’absence de soutien psychosocial, peut laisser de nombreux enfants se sentir désespérément en retard. La situation à Gaza nécessite que les habitants reconstruisent leurs écoles, leur assainissement et d’autres ressources éducatives. Les habitants doivent trouver des moyens d’adapter des espaces d’apprentissage temporaires, obtenir le soutien de la communauté internationale pour reconstruire leurs systèmes éducatifs et, surtout, trouver des enseignants équipés pour comprendre l’environnement brisé de ces jeunes esprits. L’éducation est extrêmement cruciale dans cet environnement déchirant, car elle offre l’épine dorsale et la liberté potentielle pour surmonter certaines des difficultés rencontrées par ces enfants palestiniens.

Alors que d’innombrables lois et mécanismes internationaux sont en place, les faire respecter a été un processus inefficace principalement en raison d’une intervention internationale minimale. Il est manifestement évident que les attaques israéliennes contre la Palestine se moquent du droit international humanitaire.

Nous laissons nos lecteurs avec ces questions :

Quand l’éducation, un droit fondamental de l’homme consacré dans la Déclaration universelle des droits de l’homme, cesse-t-elle d’être un luxe lointain pour les enfants de Palestine ?

Quand un enfant de Palestine cesse-t-il d’être un “enfant de guerre” et adopte-t-il une vie d’apprentissage, de croissance et de bonheur positifs ?”


References

  1.  Agbaria, N., Petzold, S., Deckert, A., Henschke, N., Veronese, G., Dambach, P., Jaenisch, T., Horstick, O., & Winkler, V. (2020). Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among Palestinian children and adolescents exposed to political violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE, 16(8), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256426
  2. Al Jazeera Net. (2004). Israeli Efforts to Change the Palestinian Educational Curriculum جهود إسرائيلية محمومة لتغيير مناهج التعليم الفلسطينية. Al Jazeera Net. https://www.aljazeera.net/news
  3. Al Jazeera Net. (2017).  Accusing the Palestinian curriculum of incitement against Israel. Al Jazeera Net.       https://www.aljazeera.net/news/presstour
  4. Al Jazeera. (2023). Many killed in Israeli attacks on two schools in northern Gaza. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/18/israeli-forces-strike-al-fakhoora-school-in-northern-gaza
  5. Anadolu staff. (2023, November). Gaza death toll soars to 11,320 amid relentless Israeli attacks, including 4,650 children. aa.com. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/gaza-death-toll-soars-to-11-320-amid-relentless-israeli-attacks-including-4-650-children/3053701# 
  6. BBC News. (2018, January 17). UN alarmed as US cuts aid to Palestinian refugee agency. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42717333
  7. Becker, Jo. “Israel/Gaza Hostilities Take Horrific Toll on Children.” Human Rights Watch. November 22, 2023. https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/11/22/israel/gaza-hostilities-take-horrific-toll-children
  8. Defence for Children International. “Children affected by armed Conflict.” defenceforchildren.org 2022.  https://defenceforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Children-and-Armed-Conflict-Report.pdf
  9. Dimitry, L. D. (2011). A systematic review on the mental health of children and adolescents in areas of armed conflict in the Middle East. Child: Care, Health and Development, 38(2), 153–161. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01246.x
  10. Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack. (2022). Measuring the Impact of Attacks on Education in Palestine. https://protectingeducation.org/wp- content/uploads/impact_attackeducation_palestine_2022_en.pdf
  11. Mhawish, Mohammed R. “‘Why bomb schools?’ Gaza families have no safe space amid Israeli attacks”. aljazeera.com October 10, 2023. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/10/10/why-bomb-schools-gaza-families-have-no-safe-space-amid-israeli-attacks 
  12. Middle East Monitor. “Amidst the bombing, school year suspended in Gaza.” middleeastmonitor.com November 6, 2023. https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231106-amidst-the-bombing-school-year-suspended-in-gaza/
  13. Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. (2023). Schools Placement Around Palestine. https://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_Rainbow/Documents/Basic_Schools_ar.html
  14. Palestinian Ministry of Education. (2023). Sectoral strategy for education. https://www.moe.pna.ps/category/content/1036
  15. Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. (n.d.). Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. State of Palestine Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. http://www.mofa.pna.ps
  16. Save the Children International. (2022, June 15). After 15 years of blockade, four out of five children in Gaza say they are living with depression, grief and fear. https://www.savethechildren.net/news/after-15-years-blockade-four-out-five-children-gaza-say-they-are-living-depression-grief-and 
  17. Save The Children. (2022). Trapped: The Impact of 15 years of blockade on the mental health of Gaza’s children. https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/pdf/gaza_blockade_mental_health_palestinian_children_2022.pdf/
  18. Sherwood, H. (2023, October 22). Children in Gaza ‘developing severe trauma’ after 16 days of bombing. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/22/children-in-gaza-developing-severe-trauma-after-16-days-of-bombing 
  19. UNESCO. (2023). Gaza: UNESCO calls for an immediate halt to strikes against schools. UNESCO. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/gaza-unesco-calls-immediate-halt-strikes-against-schools 
  20. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. “Back to school: 1.3 million Palestinian children in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip are returning to school during a tumultuous year.” ochaopt.org August 21, 2023.  http://www.ochaopt.org/content/back-school-13-million-palestinian-children-west-bank-and-gaza-strip-are-returning-school-during-tumultuous
  21. UNRWA. (2023). THE GAZA STRIP: UNRWA SCHOOLS SHELTERING DISPLACED PEOPLE CONSTANTLY. UNRWA. https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/official-statements/gaza-strip-unrwa-schools-sheltering-displaced-people-constantly-hit
  22. Wispelwey, B. W., & James, Y. A. J. (2020). The Great March of Return. Health and Human Rights Journal, 22(1), 179–186. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26923484
  23. World Health Organization: WHO. (2022, June 17). Mental healthhttps://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

Written by Benjamin Koponen, Caren Thomas & Zina Sabbagh

Palestine’s Educational Landscape

Amid the recent escalations in Gaza, Bisan Owda, a journalist from the area, begins most of her interviews by acknowledging her survival. Her words echo the harrowing reality. “There is no place safe in Gaza.” – wizard_bisan1, Instagram, 2023

The devastating impact on educational institutions underscores this stark truth. Over 200 schools have been ruthlessly damaged, bombed, or entirely razed in this small geographic region.i Shockingly, this accounts for almost 40% of the total number of schools in the Gaza Strip.

UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) facilities and schools, which are considered a protected establishment by international law and the global community, no longer carry the assurance of safety.ii The reality became painfully evident with the bombing of Al Fakhoura UNRWA school, a widely recognized establishment in northern Gaza, on November 19th.iii At the time, over 7,000 individuals, including teachers, students, families, and the elderly, sought refuge within its walls. In an instant, this sanctuary, an educational institute that helped dreams and hopes to become a reality, was destroyed.

Photo by Luke White on Unsplash

Delving deeper into Palestinians’ challenges within the educational sphere offers a clearer picture of their struggles. Palestinian secondary education comprises three primary sectors: Private schools, public schools, and UNRWA schools specifically established for Palestinian refugees.iv These institutions adhere to the standardized Palestinian Curriculum set by the Palestinian Government. An intriguing aspect to note is the continuous scrutiny and censorship imposed by the Israeli Government on the standardized Palestinian Curriculum.v The Israeli authorities restrict detailed information about Palestinian heritage, culture, and history.vi

Additionally, the very depiction of a map outlining the borders of Palestine is consistently banned. This forces the Palestinian curriculum to be extremely flexible because continuous changes are happening to it.vii Moreover, both students and teachers face numerous obstacles in accessing schools. Throughout the West Bank, checkpoints present a significant hindrance, impeding the transit of individuals to educational institutions. Similarly, in Gaza, the frequent bombings further increase the challenges faced by students and educators in their pursuit of education viii.

Another obstacle that the secondary educational sector faces is funding. A report by the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA) mentioned that around US$3.55 million would be required to repair the damages to school facilities from the aggression that happened in May 2021.ix Due to the Israeli Military Occupation, the economy of the Palestinian Authority is severely hindered. Thus, the educational sector heavily depends on donations and aid from the international community, primarily the UN.x However, since 2016, the aid for the UNWRA schools has been radically decreasing due to changes in the political arena.xi

Gaza’s schools consist of 284 UNRWA facilities out of 561 schools due to the high population of refugees from neighbouring villages that got destroyed.xii Therefore, many of these schools lack the infrastructure, classes, and materials to function properly; however, they are still prospering and using as much material as they can to operate at their best capacity. Even when the students surpass all of these difficult challenges, when they want to pursue higher education outside of Gaza, they are denied permits from Israel, thereby confining them in Gaza.

Concerning education, there are numerous tactics employed by the Israeli Occupation that exacerbate these hardships. Even if there was an end to the destruction and war against Gaza, the trauma and PTSD faced by students, teachers, and other individuals will take generations to process, heal, and fully recover.

Photo by Austin Crick on Unsplash

Mental Health of Palestinian Children

Mental health is a delicate prism through which human beings understand themselves and the world around them. This prism is ymbolizezed by peoples’ ability to manage stress, nurture their talents, learn/work effectively, and support their community.xiii These resilience strategies are not coping mechanisms of living through trauma but allow people to move past setbacks and grow as individuals. However, traumatic incidents in childhood–such as warfare–can induce levels of stress which surpass the efficacy of healthy coping mechanisms. The continued bombing, displacement, and occupation of Gaza/West Bank has increased anxiety, depression, and PTSD amongst local Palestinian children.

Since October 7th, the IDF has killed approximately 11,320 Palestinian civilians.xiv These include 4,650 children and 3,145 women, leaving 29,200 injured and 3,600 unaccounted for (of which 1,755 children).xv Twelve years ago, Dimitry found that “conflict-related traumatic experiences correlate positively with prevalence of mental, behavioural and emotional problems”.xvi

As far back as 2011, approximately 23% to 70% of children were reported to suffer from PTSD.xvii Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prolonged mental/physiological response to extremely tense experiences. For Palestinian children, exposure to terrorist attacks, being displaced from one’s homes, violent abuse, and witnessing daily humiliation force them into survival mode.xviii

Maintaining a daily routine is integral to ensuring children’s mental health. However, the destruction of schools, homes, and regular displacement produce an unpredictable environment. It has been noted that the persisting nature of Israeli occupation eliminates civilians (especially children) a moment to heal.xix As a result, they are thrown into a constant state of traumatic stress. In 2022, 90% of children experience separation anxiety from parents, over 50% have pontificated suicide, and 59% experience reactive mutism.xx Furthermore, the Guardian has reported that children are also experiencing sleeping difficulties.xxi However, children have developed strategies for responding to these post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in different ways. These include active exposure to traumatic events and political resistance as trauma responses to political violence.

Palestinian youth–often young men and boys– have been known to hold peers who have been beaten/imprisoned with respect.xxii In this way, they transform the fear of persecution into courage. In contrast, young Palestinian women and girls are more likely to express PTSS through anxiety and depression.xxiii These characteristics align with the gendered expectations of boys/girls in the Middle East. Unsurprisingly, young men and boys who engage in these behaviours demonstrate more PTSS than their female counterparts.xxiv Active exposure to trauma is deeply interconnected to resistance as a trauma response.

Wispelwey & Jamei demonstrate that political activism, specifically the Great March of Return (GMR), can provide “a positive impact on community mental health via a sense of agency, hope”.xxv The GMR, a series of demonstrations initiated in March 2018, was meant to ymbolize Palestinians’ right to return to their homeland (enshrined by UN Resolution 194). The GMR adopted a cultural/celebratory atmosphere filled with dancing, food, and chanting. Protesters met the IDF’s militaristic response–dispensing tear gas and sniping into the crowd–with an entrenched feeling of agency to shape their political reality.xxvi

The desperate state of children’s mental health in Palestine is entangled with the reality of Israeli occupation. Anxiety is not an irrational response to warfare. Depression is not an irrational response to a lack of opportunities. These are psychological symptoms of decisions made by political leaders. In a letter published by Save The Children, 6 Palestinian children–Salma, Niveen, Zain, Samer, Khaled and Amal outlined their wishes; “The first thing we wish is that the war would end…We hope that all the destroyed buildings will be cleared away and something better and more beautiful will come in their place”.xxvii Medical care, infrastructure, and community support will be integral to healing. A ceasefire is the first step in this healing process.

Deprivation of resources for students in Palestine

At the beginning of the year 2023, the United Nations recorded at least 423 incidents impacting Palestinian children and their education. This includes the firing by Israeli forces on schools and children conducting operations and demolishing schools.xxviii The Gaza’s Ministry of Educationxxix has suspended the school year 2023-2024. Due to the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza, schools in the Strip are being used as “safe spaces” for the Palestinians. However, even the schools have been targeted by Israeli bombing.

Currently, schools run by UNRWA – the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees – have been targeted numerous times by Israeli attacks.xxx These schools are supposed to be considered as secure zones during an armed conflict. However, what we’re witnessing in Gaza is the deliberate targeting of innocent civilians, particularly children. This targeting of those seeking refuge in schools ultimately leads to the death and injury of many civilians. It leads to the disruption of education due to the loss of resources that occurs when an armed conflict targets schools and other educational institutions.

Defense for Children International – Palestine, who are winners of the Rafto Prize, 2023, in their ‘Child in War, 2022 reportxxxi had mentioned that Palestinian children have expressed that they do not want financial assistance from the international community. Instead, the children would like to be protected from the searches that take place during checkpoints and attacks that take place at school. Furthermore, child human rights defenders from Palestine were given the chance to partake in meetings with international human rights bodies, but no heed was given to address the needs of the children. The ground reality continues to remain the same.

The Gaza Strip continues to witness armed conflict, causing colossal damage to infrastructure and other educational resources. A child is supposed to be in school for education but now goes to school with their families for potential shelter from the bombings. The number of schools damaged is at least 300 schools and 183 teachers have reportedly been killed.xxxii Additionally, the Israel blockade of water, food, medical supplies, electricity and fuel imposes grave risks on the access to resources for these children.

A gap in the child’s education that has occurred due to conflict, coupled with the absence of psychosocial support, may leave many children feeling hopelessly behind. The situation in Gaza requires the people to rebuild their schools, sanitation and other educational resources. The people need to find ways to accommodate temporary learning spaces, obtain support from the international community to rebuild their educational systems and, most importantly, find teaching staff equipped to understand the fractured environment of these young minds. Education is extremely crucial in this heart-wrenching environment as it offers the backbone and potential freedom to overcome some of the difficulties faced by these Palestinian children.

While countless international laws and mechanisms are in place, enforcing them has been an ineffective process mainly due to minimal international intervention. It is unequivocally evident that the Israel attacks on Palestine are a mockery of international humanitarian law.

We leave our readers with these questions.

When does education, a fundamental human right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, cease to be a distant luxury for the children of Palestine?

When does a child of Palestine stop being a “child of war” and embrace a life of positive learning, growth and happiness?


References

i UNESCO. (2023). Gaza: UNESCO calls for an immediate halt to strikes against schools. UNESCO. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/gaza-unesco-calls-immediate-halt-strikes-against-schools

ii UNRWA. (2023). THE GAZA STRIP: UNRWA SCHOOLS SHELTERING DISPLACED PEOPLE CONSTANTLY. UNRWA. https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/official-statements/gaza-strip-unrwa-schools-sheltering-displaced-people-constantly-hit

iii Al Jazeera. (2023). Many killed in Israeli attacks on two schools in northern Gaza. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/18/israeli-forces-strike-al-fakhoora-school-in-northern-gaza

iv Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. (2023). Schools Placement Around Palestine. https://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_Rainbow/Documents/Basic_Schools_ar.html

v Al Jazeera Net. (2017). Accusing the Palestinian curriculum of incitement against Israel. Al Jazeera Net. https://www.aljazeera.net/news/presstour

vi Al Jazeera Net. (2004). Israeli Efforts to Change the Palestinian Educational Curriculum جهود إسرائيلية محمومة لتغيير مناهج التعليم الفلسطينية. Al Jazeera Net. https://www.aljazeera.net/news

vii Palestinian Ministry of Education. (2023). Sectoral strategy for education. https://www.moe.pna.ps/category/content/1036

viii Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. (n.d.). Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. State of Palestine Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. http://www.mofa.pna.ps

ix Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack. (2022). Measuring the Impact of Attacks on Education in Palestine. https://protectingeducation.org/wp- content/uploads/impact_attackeducation_palestine_2022_en.pdf

x Palestinian Ministry of Education. (2023). Sectoral strategy for education. https://www.moe.pna.ps/category/content/1036

xi BBC News. (2018, January 17). UN alarmed as US cuts aid to Palestinian refugee agency. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42717333

xii Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. (2023). Schools Placement Around Palestine. https://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_Rainbow/Documents/Basic_Schools_ar.html

xiii World Health Organization: WHO. (2022, June 17). Mental health. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response

xiv Anadolu staff. (2023, November). Gaza death toll soars to 11,320 amid relentless Israeli attacks, including 4,650 children. aa.com. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/gaza-death-toll-soars-to-11-320-amid-relentless-israeli-attacks-including-4-650-children/3053701#

xv Anadolu staff. (2023, November). Gaza death toll soars to 11,320 amid relentless Israeli attacks, including 4,650 children. aa.com. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/gaza-death-toll-soars-to-11-320-amid-relentless-israeli-attacks-including-4-650-children/3053701#

xvi Dimitry, L. D. (2011). A systematic review on the mental health of children and adolescents in areas of armed conflict in the Middle East. Child: Care, Health and Development38(2), 153–161. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01246.x

xvii Dimitry, L. D. (2011). A systematic review on the mental health of children and adolescents in areas of armed conflict in the Middle East. Child: Care, Health and Development38(2), 153–161. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01246.x

xviii Dimitry, L. D. (2011). A systematic review on the mental health of children and adolescents in areas of armed conflict in the Middle East. Child: Care, Health and Development38(2), 153–161. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01246.x

xix Agbaria, N., Petzold, S., Deckert, A., Henschke, N., Veronese, G., Dambach, P., Jaenisch, T., Horstick, O., & Winkler, V. (2020). Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among Palestinian children and adolescents exposed to political violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE16(8), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256426

xx Sherwood, H. (2023, October 22). Children in Gaza ‘developing severe trauma’ after 16 days of bombing. The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/22/children-in-gaza-developing-severe-trauma-after-16-days-of-bombing

xxi Save the Children International. (2022, June 15). After 15 years of blockade, four out of five children in Gaza say they are living with depression, grief and fearhttps://www.savethechildren.net/news/after-15-years-blockade-four-out-five-children-gaza-say-they-are-living-depression-grief-and

xxii Agbaria, N., Petzold, S., Deckert, A., Henschke, N., Veronese, G., Dambach, P., Jaenisch, T., Horstick, O., & Winkler, V. (2020). Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among Palestinian children and adolescents exposed to political violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE16(8), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256426

xxiii Wispelwey, B. W., & James, Y. A. J. (2020). The Great March of Return. Health and Human Rights Journal22(1), 179–186. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26923484

xxiv Agbaria, N., Petzold, S., Deckert, A., Henschke, N., Veronese, G., Dambach, P., Jaenisch, T., Horstick, O., & Winkler, V. (2020). Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among Palestinian children and adolescents exposed to political violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE16(8), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256426

xxv Wispelwey, B. W., & James, Y. A. J. (2020). The Great March of Return. Health and Human Rights Journal22(1), 179–186. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26923484

xxvi Save The Children. (2022). Trapped: The Impact of 15 years of blockade on the mental health of Gaza’s childrenhttps://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/pdf/gaza_blockade_mental_health_palestinian_children_2022.pdf/

xxvii Save The Children. (2022). Trapped: The Impact of 15 years of blockade on the mental health of Gaza’s childrenhttps://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/pdf/gaza_blockade_mental_health_palestinian_children_2022.pdf/

xxviii United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. “Back to school: 1.3 million Palestinian children in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip are returning to school during a tumultuous year.” ochaopt.org August 21, 2023. http://www.ochaopt.org/content/back-school-13-million-palestinian-children-west-bank-and-gaza-strip-are-returning-school-during-tumultuous

xxix Middle East Monitor. “Amidst the bombing, school year suspended in Gaza.” middleeastmonitor.com November 6, 2023. https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231106-amidst-the-bombing-school-year-suspended-in-gaza/

xxx Mhawish, Mohammed R. “‘Why bomb schools?’ Gaza families have no safe space amid Israeli attacks”. aljazeera.com October 10, 2023. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/10/10/why-bomb-schools-gaza-families-have-no-safe-space-amid-israeli-attacks

xxxi Defence for Children International. “Children affected by armed Conflict.” defenceforchildren.org 2022. https://defenceforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Children-and-Armed-Conflict-Report.pdf

xxxii Becker, Jo. “Israel/Gaza Hostilities Take Horrific Toll on Children.” Human Rights Watch. November 22, 2023. https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/11/22/israel/gaza-hostilities-take-horrific-toll-children

اليوم الدولي للتضامن مع الشعب الفلسطيني ~ ٢٩ نوفمبر ٢٠٢٣ كتبه بنيامين كوبونين ، كارين توماس ، زينا صباغ

Written by Benjamin Koponen, Caren Thomas & Zina Sabbagh Translation: Yehia Murad

المشهد التعليمي في فلسطين

سط التصعيد الأخير في غزة، تبدأ بيسان عودة، وهي صحفية من المنطقة، معظم مقابلاتها بالاعتراف ببقائها. كلماتها تردد صدى الواقع المروع. ”لا يوجد مكان آمن في غزة
wizard_bisan1, Instagram, 2023

ويؤكد الأثر المدمر على المؤسسات التعليمية هذه الحقيقة الصارخة. وقد تعرضت أكثر من ٢٠٠ مدرسة لأضرار لا هوادة فيها أو قصف أو دمرت بالكامل في هذه المنطقة الجغرافية الصغيرة. ومن المثير للصدمة أن هذا يمثل ما يقرب من ٤٠٪ من إجمالي عدد المدارس في قطاع غزة
ولم تعد مرافق الأونروا (وكالة الأمم المتحدة لإغاثة وتشغيل اللاجئين الفلسطينيين) ومدارسها، التي تعتبر منشأة محمية بموجب القانون الدولي والمجتمع الدولي، تحمل ضمان السلامة. أصبح الواقع واضحًا بشكل مؤلم مع قصف مدرسة الفاخورة التابعة للأونروا، وهي مؤسسة معترف بها على نطاق واسع في شمال غزة، في ١٩ نوفمبر. في ذلك الوقت، لجأ أكثر من ٧٠٠٠ شخص، بمن فيهم المعلمون والطلاب والعائلات وكبار السن، إلى داخل جدرانه. في لحظة ، تم تدمير هذا الملاذ ، وهو معهد تعليمي ساعد الأحلام والآمال في أن تصبح حقيقة واقعة

Photo by Luke White on Unsplash

التعمق في التحديات الفليسطينية’ في المجال التعليمي يقدم صورة أوضح عن نضالاتهم. يتألف التعليم الثانوي الفلسطيني من ثلاثة قطاعات أساسية: المدارس الخاصة والمدارس العامة ومدارس الأونروا التي أنشئت خصيصا للاجئين الفلسطينيين. وتلتزم هذه المؤسسات بالمنهج الفلسطيني الموحد الذي وضعته الحكومة الفلسطينية. ومن الجوانب المثيرة للاهتمام التي ينبغي ملاحظتها التدقيق والرقابة المستمرين اللذين تفرضهما الحكومة الإسرائيلية على المنهج الدراسي الفلسطيني الموحد. تقيد السلطات الإسرائيلية المعلومات التفصيلية حول التراث والثقافة والتاريخ الفلسطيني.

بالإضافة إلى ذلك، فإن تصوير خريطة تحدد حدود فلسطين محظور باستمرار. وهذا يجبر المناهج الفلسطينية على أن تكون مرنة للغاية لأن التغييرات المستمرة تحدث لها. وعلاوة على ذلك، يواجه كل من الطلاب والمعلمين عقبات عديدة في الوصول إلى المدارس. وفي جميع أنحاء الضفة الغربية، تشكل نقاط التفتيش عائقا كبيرا، مما يعوق عبور الأفراد إلى المؤسسات التعليمية. وبالمثل، فإن التفجيرات المتكررة في غزة تزيد من التحديات التي يواجهها الطلاب والمعلمون في سعيهم للحصول على التعليم .

ومن العقبات الأخرى التي يواجهها قطاع التعليم الثانوي التمويل. ذكر تقرير صادر عن التحالف العالمي لحماية التعليم من الهجوم أن حوالي ٣.٥٥ مليون دولار امريكي ستكون مطلوبة لإصلاح الأضرار التي لحقت بالمنشآت المدرسية من العدوان الذي حدث في مايو ٢٠٢١. بسبب الاحتلال العسكري الإسرائيلي، فإن اقتصاد السلطة الفلسطينية يتعرض لإعاقة شديدة. وبالتالي، يعتمد قطاع التعليم بشكل كبير على التبرعات والمساعدات من المجتمع الدولي، وفي المقام الأول الأمم المتحدة. ومع ذلك، منذ عام ٢٠١٦ ، كانت المساعدات لمدارس الأونروا تتناقص بشكل جذري بسبب التغيرات في الساحة السياسية.

تتكون مدارس غزة من ٢٨٤ منشأة تابعة للأونروا من بين ٥٦١ مدرسة بسبب ارتفاع عدد اللاجئين من القرى المجاورة التي تعرضت للتدمير. لذلك، تفتقر العديد من هذه المدارس إلى البنية التحتية والفصول والمواد اللازمة للعمل بشكل صحيح؛ ومع ذلك, فهي لا تزال تزدهر وتستخدم أكبر قدر ممكن من المواد للعمل بأفضل قدراتها. وحتى عندما يتجاوز الطلاب كل هذه التحديات الصعبة، وعندما يريدون مواصلة التعليم العالي خارج غزة، فإنهم يحرمون من تصاريح من إسرائيل، وبالتالي يحصرونها في غزة.

وفيما يتعلق بالتعليم، هناك العديد من التكتيكات التي يستخدمها الاحتلال الإسرائيلي والتي تؤدي إلى تفاقم هذه الصعوبات. حتى لو كانت هناك نهاية للدمار والحرب ضد غزة، فإن الصدمة واضطراب ما بعد الصدمة التي يواجهها الطلاب والمعلمون وغيرهم من الأفراد سوف تستغرق أجيالًا للمعالجة والشفاء، والتعافي الكامل.

Photo by Austin Crick on Unsplash

الصحة النفسية للأطفال الفلسطينيين



الصحة العقلية هي منظور دقيق يفهم من خلاله البشر أنفسهم والعالم من حولهم. يرمز إلى هذا المنشور بقدرة الشعوب’ على إدارة الإجهاد، ورعاية مواهبهم، والتعلم/العمل بفعالية، ودعم مجتمعهم. هذه الاستراتيجيات المرونة ليست آليات التكيف من العيش من خلال الصدمة ولكن تسمح للناس للتحرك الانتكاسات الماضية وتنمو كأفراد. ومع ذلك، فإن الحوادث المؤلمة في مرحلة الطفولة– مثل الحرب–كان تحفز مستويات من التوتر تتجاوز فعالية آليات التكيف الصحية. أدى استمرار القصف والتشريد واحتلال غزة/الضفة الغربية إلى زيادة القلق والاكتئاب واضطراب ما بعد الصدمة بين الأطفال الفلسطينيين المحليين.

منذ ٧ أكتوبر، قتل الجيش الإسرائيلي ما يقرب من ١١٣٢٠ مدنيًا فلسطينيًا. ومن بين هؤلاء ٤٦٥٠ طفلا و ٣١٤٥ امرأة، مما أسفر عن إصابة ٢٩٢٠٠ شخص وفقد ٣٦٠٠ شخص (منهم ١٧٥٠ طفلا). قبل اثني عشر عامًا، وجد ديميتري أن “ التجارب المؤلمة المتعلقة بالصراع ترتبط بشكل إيجابي مع انتشار المشاكل العقلية والسلوكية والعاطفية”.

منذ عام ٢٠١١ ، تم الإبلاغ عن ما يقرب من ٢٣٪ إلى ٧٠٪ من الأطفال يعانون من اضطراب ما بعد الصدمة. اضطراب الكرب التالي للصدمة النفسية هو استجابة ذهنية/فسيولوجية مطولة لتجارب متوترة للغاية. بالنسبة للأطفال الفلسطينيين، فإن التعرض للهجمات الإرهابية، والتشرد من منازل واحدة، والإيذاء العنيف، ومشاهدة الإذلال اليومي يجبرهم على البقاء على قيد الحياة.

يعد الحفاظ على روتين يومي جزءًا لا يتجزأ من ضمان الصحة العقلية للأطفال. ومع ذلك، فإن تدمير المدارس والمنازل والنزوح المنتظم ينتج بيئة لا يمكن التنبؤ بها. وقد لوحظ أن الطبيعة المستمرة للاحتلال الإسرائيلي تقضي على المدنيين (وخاصة الأطفال) لحظة للشفاء. نتيجة لذلك ، يتم إلقاؤهم في حالة مستمرة من الإجهاد المؤلم. في عام ٢٠٢٢، يعاني ٩٠٪ من الأطفال من قلق الانفصال عن الوالدين، وأكثر من ٥٠٪ منهم يعانون من الانتحار حبريًا، ٥٩٪ يعانون من التشوّه التفاعلي. علاوة على ذلك، ذكرت صحيفة الغارديان أن الأطفال يعانون أيضًا من صعوبات في النوم. ومع ذلك، فقد طور الأطفال استراتيجيات للاستجابة لأعراض الإجهاد اللاحق للصدمة هذه بطرق مختلفة. وتشمل هذه التعرض النشط للأحداث الصادمة والمقاومة السياسية كاستجابات للصدمة للعنف السياسي.

من المعروف أن الشباب الفلسطيني–في كثير من الأحيان الشباب والفتيان– يحملون أقرانهم الذين تعرضوا للضرب/السجن باحترام. وبهذه الطريقة، يحولون الخوف من الاضطهاد إلى شجاعة. في المقابل، من المرجح أن تعبر الشابات والفتيات الفلسطينيات عن متلازمة ما بعد الصدمة من خلال القلق والاكتئاب. تتماشى هذه الخصائص مع التوقعات الجنسانية للفتيان/الفتيات في الشرق الأوسط. ومما لا يثير الدهشة أن الشباب والفتيان الذين يشاركون في هذه السلوكيات يظهرون اضطرابات ما بعد الصدمة أكثر من نظرائهم من الإناث. التعرض النشط للصدمة مرتبط بعمق بالمقاومة كاستجابة للصدمة.

تثبت وسلوي & جمعي أن النشاط السياسي، وتحديدًا مسيرة العودة الكبرى ، يمكن أن يوفر تأثيرًا إيجابيًا “a على الصحة العقلية المجتمعية عبر الشعور بالوكالة، الأمل”. كان الهدف من، وهي سلسلة من المظاهرات التي بدأت في مارس ٢٠١٨، هو ٤ ترمز إلى حق الفلسطينيين’ في العودة إلى وطنهم (المكرس بقرار الأمم المتحدة ١٩٤). تبنى جوًا ثقافيًا/احتفاليًا مليئًا بالرقص والطعام والترديد. التقى المتظاهرون بالرد العسكري لجيش الدفاع الإسرائيلي– الاستغناء عن الغاز المسيل للدموع والقنص على الحشد– مع شعور راسخ بالوكالة لتشكيل واقعهم السياسي.

الحالة اليائسة للأطفال، الصحة النفسية في فلسطين متشابكة مع واقع الاحتلال الإسرائيلي. القلق ليس استجابة غير عقلانية للحرب. الاكتئاب ليس استجابة غير عقلانية لنقص الفرص. هذه أعراض نفسية للقرارات التي يتخذها القادة السياسيون. في رسالة نشرتها منظمة أنقذوا الأطفال، أوجز ٦ أطفال فلسطينيين هم–سلمى، نيفين، زين، سامر، خالد وأمل رغباتهم; “أول شيء نتمنى أن تنتهي الحرب…نأمل أن يتم إزالة جميع المباني المدمرة وسيأتي شيء أفضل وأكثر جمالا في مكانها”. ستكون الرعاية الطبية والبنية التحتية ودعم المجتمع جزءًا لا يتجزأ من الشفاء. وقف إطلاق النار هو الخطوة الأولى في عملية الشفاء هذه.

حرمان الطلبة من الموارد في فلسطين



في بداية عام ٢٠٢٣ ، سجلت الأمم المتحدة ما لا يقل عن ٤٢٣ حادثة أثرت على الأطفال الفلسطينيين وتعليمهم. ويشمل ذلك إطلاق القوات الإسرائيلية النار على المدارس والأطفال الذين يقومون بعمليات وهدم المدارس. علقت وزارة التعليم في غزة العام الدراسي ٢٠٢٣-٢٠٢٤. بسبب القصف العشوائي لغزة، يتم استخدام المدارس في القطاع ك “أماكن آمنة” للفلسطينيين. ومع ذلك، فقد تم استهداف المدارس بالقصف الإسرائيلي.

حاليا، المدارس التي تديرها الأونروا – وكالة الأمم المتحدة لإغاثة وتشغيل اللاجئين الفلسطينيين – تم استهدافها عدة مرات من قبل الهجمات الإسرائيلية. ومن المفترض أن تعتبر هذه المدارس مناطق آمنة خلال نزاع مسلح. ومع ذلك، فإن ما نشهده في غزة هو الاستهداف المتعمد للمدنيين الأبرياء، وخاصة الأطفال. وهذا الاستهداف لأولئك الذين يلتمسون اللجوء في المدارس يؤدي في نهاية المطاف إلى مقتل وإصابة العديد من المدنيين. وهو يؤدي إلى تعطيل التعليم بسبب فقدان الموارد الذي يحدث عندما يستهدف نزاع مسلح المدارس والمؤسسات التعليمية الأخرى.

مؤسسة الدفاع عن الأطفال الدولي – فلسطين، الفائزين بجائزة رافتو، ٢٠٢٣، في فيلمهم ”طفل في حرب“, ذكر تقرير عام ٢٠٢٢ أن الأطفال الفلسطينيين أعربوا عن عدم رغبتهم في الحصول على مساعدة مالية من المجتمع الدولي. وبدلا من ذلك، يود الأطفال أن يحظوا بالحماية من عمليات التفتيش التي تجري أثناء نقاط التفتيش والهجمات التي تحدث في المدرسة. وعلاوة على ذلك، أتيحت الفرصة للمدافعين عن حقوق الإنسان من الأطفال من فلسطين للمشاركة في الاجتماعات مع الهيئات الدولية لحقوق الإنسان، ولكن لم يتم إيلاء اهتمام لتلبية احتياجات الأطفال. الواقع الأرضي لا يزال كما هو.

ولا يزال قطاع غزة يشهد صراعات مسلحة، مما يلحق أضرارا جسيمة بالبنية التحتية والموارد التعليمية الأخرى. من المفترض أن يكون الطفل في المدرسة للتعليم لكنه يذهب الآن إلى المدرسة مع عائلاتهم للحصول على مأوى محتمل من التفجيرات. وبلغ عدد المدارس التي تضررت 300 مدرسة على الأقل، وورد أن 183 مدرسا قتلوا. وبالإضافة إلى ذلك، فإن الحصار الذي تفرضه إسرائيل على المياه والغذاء والإمدادات الطبية والكهرباء والوقود يفرض مخاطر جسيمة على إمكانية حصول هؤلاء الأطفال على الموارد.

قد تؤدي الفجوة في تعليم الطفل التي حدثت بسبب الصراع، إلى جانب غياب الدعم النفسي والاجتماعي، إلى ترك العديد من الأطفال يشعرون باليأس وراءهم. وتتطلب الحالة في غزة من الناس إعادة بناء مدارسهم ومرافق الصرف الصحي وغيرها من الموارد التعليمية. يحتاج الناس إلى إيجاد طرق لاستيعاب مساحات التعلم المؤقتة، والحصول على الدعم من المجتمع الدولي لإعادة بناء أنظمتهم التعليمية، والأهم من ذلك, العثور على أعضاء هيئة التدريس مجهزة لفهم البيئة المكسورة من هذه العقول الشابة. التعليم أمر بالغ الأهمية في هذه البيئة المؤلمة لأنه يوفر العمود الفقري والحرية المحتملة للتغلب على بعض الصعوبات التي يواجهها هؤلاء الأطفال الفلسطينيون.

في حين أن هناك عدد لا يحصى من القوانين والآليات الدولية المعمول بها، فإن إنفاذها كان عملية غير فعالة ويرجع ذلك أساسًا إلى الحد الأدنى من التدخل الدولي. ومن الواضح بشكل قاطع أن الهجمات الإسرائيلية على فلسطين هي استهزاء بالقانون الإنساني الدولي.

نترك القراء مع هذه الأسئلة.

Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash

متى يتوقف التعليم، وهو حق أساسي من حقوق الإنسان مكرس في الإعلان العالمي لحقوق الإنسان، عن كونه ترفا بعيد المنال بالنسبة لأطفال فلسطين?

متى يتوقف طفل فلسطين عن كونه “طفل من الحرب” ويحتضن حياة التعلم الإيجابي، والنمو والسعادة?


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