Last November we celebrated the 18th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child -- a universal legal instrument providing all people with standards and tools to promote and protect the fundamental rights of children.
Today we celebrate Palestinian Child's Day; and as Palestinians, parents, teachers, doctors, politicians, police-officers, child rights advocates and children, we come together to demonstrate our commitment towards greater respect for the rights of Palestinian children- in Palestine and abroad.
Today we celebrate the Palestinian child, despite there being little cause for celebration...
Generations of Palestinian children have never known peace or self-determination. In May this year, we will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Nakba. In June last year we marked 40 years of Israeli occupation. Hundreds of children have been killed, thousands injured, forced to leave their homes or their country, separated from their families, arrested and detained for months or years, used in military and intelligence activities, beaten-up, humiliated and harassed on a daily basis, prevented from going to school or from receiving medical care; prevented from playing, laughing and living normal lives. Israeli occupation policies and practices represent a system of institutionalised violence and discrimination that pervades and distorts every aspect of the life of every Palestinian child.
Already 49 Palestinian children have been killed by the Israeli army since the beginning of 2008, 39 of which were not involved in any kind of combat activity. A staggering 33 of this total were killed in the space of five days, between 27 February and 3 March during Israel's "Warm Winter" operation in Gaza. Six of these children were killed while inside their homes.
Over the course of 2007, a total of 55 children were killed by Israeli troops in the occupied territory, 50 of which were not involved in any kind of combat activity. At least 345 children were injured and approximately 700 Palestinian children were arrested and detained by the Israeli army -- 30 of them were thrown into prison without charge or trial, under administrative detention orders. At least four children were used as human shields by Israeli soldiers and physically coerced to perform dangerous military operations for the Israeli army, and at least 17 Palestinian children were injured after being physically assaulted by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Especially in Gaza, children are prevented from living a normal life. With the ongoing Israeli blockade of the border crossings at Gaza, children are being deliberately deprived of medicine, school books, fuel, electricity and certain foods.
Yet Palestinian children are not only exposed to the violence of the occupying power. A lack of the rule of law, coupled with the proliferation of small arms, gravely exacerbates an already precarious and unsafe environment. Since the legislative elections in 2006, children have been exposed to increasing levels of internal violence. In 2007 alone, 27 children were killed in factional fighting, 10 of which were killed as a result of the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip in June. Sadly, the number of Palestinian children killed in 2007 was much greater than in any other year. Until now, the Palestinian Authority has failed to properly investigate these and other incidents in which children's rights have been violated.
Together, we have failed to create a protective environment for Palestinian children. Despite the current efforts to conclude a peace agreement, gross violations of Palestinian children's rights continue to be committed on a daily basis, resulting in increasing levels of disempowerment, poverty, anger, frustration and a sense of hopelessness among the Palestinian population, including children.
Together, we must seek to hold all duty-bearers and stakeholders of Palestinian children's rights to account for their obligations towards the protection of children under international law and the domestic Child Law, enacted by the Palestinian Legislative Council in 2004. Stakeholders include us all. Not only Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and EU and UN member states but also militants, police-officers, parents, teachers, doctors and the entire adult community. Together we must strive towards minimising the impact of the occupation and conflict on Palestinian children.
Let us start this action today -- Palestinian Child's Day.
Copyright © 2008 DCI/PS. All rights reserved.
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