PSYCOSOCIAL SUPPORT TO THE CHILDREN AND THEIR CAREGIVERS IN GAZA STRIP

CRIC - Centro Regionale d’Intervento per la Cooperazione, is a non-governmental, no-profit organization born in 1983, active in cooperation and solidarity.
CRIC’s perception of cooperation is based on the following assumption: an exchange among the different social, cultural and economic realities active in Europe and their correspondents in the “South of the World”

In the Palestinian Territories
Since 1991 CRIC is working with its partners in the definition of intervention strategies able to answer to a common global objective in the effort of building social and political alternatives to the chronic crisis in a continually changing situation on the ground. Within the programmes there are numerous interventions carried out together with local associations and NGOs working in the fields of education, citizenship and human rights, water, agriculture, environment, gender equality, in the effort of building and supporting awareness and peace processes in a wide framework of political and social opposition to the humiliation of human being in the everlasting war and conflict conditions. The Psychosocial Programme in Gaza Strip Since 2001, in the aftermath of the second Intifada breakout, CRIC focused in psychosocial sector in Gaza Strip targeting pre-school aged children by intervening in their socio-educational context in order to create positive and resilient environments to help them coping with stress and disorders caused by the conflict and its effects. To this aim CRIC mainly targeted Kindergartens, teachers and families of children by providing skills and involving caregivers in the educational process and by improving KGs environment.

1. Background
The living, social, economic and political situation in Gaza Strip has deteriorated dramatically during the recent past year. The military confrontation between militants and Israeli Army produced continuous raids and incursions within the Strip. At the same time, the embargo implemented through the closure of terminals for goods and people caused the collapse of the Strip’s economy with consequent very negative effects on the living and safety conditions of the inhabitants. Communities settled close to the Israeli borders, are bearing most part of the burden of the dramatic escalation of the conflict. The violent incursions launched by IDF exposed the members of Gaza communities to fear and danger of life. HQ: via Monsolini, 12 – 89121 Reggio Calabria, ITALY - Tel: +39 0965 812345; Fax: +39 0965 812560; info@cric.it

The number of casualties amongst the civilians raised up to unprecedented level in the last three years. These events have given a further push to the collapse of the already dramatic economic conditions in Gaza Strip mostly depending on the international funding policies towards the government.
The almost 900.000 persons under 18 years, most part of them children, living in Gaza are main victims of disproportionate attacks in addition to abuses and deprivations which denies a normal childhood and consequently aggravate children psychosocial conditions.
According to one of CRIC partners (Gaza Community Mental Health Program) data, the number of children suffering from post-traumatic stress disorders increases every year: 70% of the children in Gaza suffer the consequences of trauma and compared to 2005 the rate of traumatized adults raised of 30%. Educators and caregivers cannot control the safety of children and ensure a proper education for them.
As concerns Children’s Families: Hundreds of casualties due to both Israeli incursions and internal confrontations in Gaza Strip dramatically affected families assets which continue to fear for further losses due to the escalation of military operations.
The political situation modifies also the relationships inside the families. Traditionally the role of the man is to provide protection and economic support for his family. In 13% of families in Gaza the woman provide economic support (PCBS data – March 2008).
During military attacks men are helpless to guarantee safety for their families. Due to lack of job men are not able to economically support the family. For these reasons men are missing their role, and feel to lose trust and authority in front of their wives and children. This creates stress and frustration. The interactions inside the family often become tense and sometimes violent. Often women and children pay the highest price of so much pressure. According to Palestinian Centre for Human Rights’ statistics, domestic violence increased during 2007: 66.1% of married women have been exposed to psychological violence (against 61.7% in 2006); 33,9% suffered physic violence (against 23.3% in 2006); 15% suffered sexual violence (against 10.9% in 2006)1.
This tremendous spiral of violence determined a change of attitudes of mothers, main caregivers, towards their children and themselves, causing: insecurity about their role as caregivers, fearing for the life of their children, feeling isolated and helpless. The degrading of family environment caused the repression of children and punishments (also physical). These data have been confirmed in focus groups carried out by CRIC in the psychosocial programme: 90% of mothers declared to be not able to cope with the symptomatic behaviour of their children and with their anxiety and worries.

2. The Psychosocial Programme’s Outcomes:
The monitoring and elaboration of collected data carried out during the school year confirms the positive variance of participation, concentration and continuity, autonomy and confidence, relationship ability of children attending the assisted KGs.
The KGs teachers and directors, the parents and the community volunteers are much more aware and more effective on early childhood education issues. They are implementing the principles of the proposed education method.
Children attend their classes in an improved resilient environment. The KGs have received rehabilitation and maintenance interventions focused on safety and welcome environment for children attending the KGs. Educational items (toys and stationary) have been distributed Results:
1) Children have access to quality education in the assisted KGs.
2) Parents, teachers and community members are aware of the concept of children developmental needs, appropriate education, and respond accordingly in an active manner, i.e. showing acquired capacities to pay attention to their children by listening to and playing with them.
3) Kindergartens are rehabilitated and equipped as safe and resilient environments.

3. Best Practices
The need to reinforce the community around the child, emerged in response to the particular social context in Gaza where coping mechanisms of communities are being eroded on a multiple level, making them fragile and unable to respond to children needs and problems.
The crisis of families and communities is directly affecting the wellbeing of children. In the framework of our intervention the need emerged to homogenize the operations we carried out with EC and Italian Local Governments funds, among others, in order to provide support also to children communities in already assisted KGs areas. This is in line with the need to constitute a reference system for the community as concerns children education and wellbeing, also by a social point of view. In this sense KGs can be the environment where the reference system can be put in place.

4. The need to expand the intervention programme
The huge military attack over Gaza Strip launched by Israeli Army on 27 December 2008 is having devastating effects on the civil population. Until 15 of January over 1000 persons have been killed, almost 5.000 have been wounded.
Children, the most innocent and vulnerable human beings, are paying the highest price: more than 400 have been killed, over 1.500 have been wounded, the most part of them will be disable for the rest of their lives.
All children in Gaza are terrorised by bombings and traumatised by witnessing this violence. Many among them will be affected by this trauma forever. The need to support those last in finding a way to cope with the tremendous consequences of this war is moving CRIC in searching additional funding to expand the psychosocial programme, in order to be able to act immediately after a real and durable truce will allow the implementation of humanitarian action in Gaza Strip.
1 Data source: PCBS, Domestic Violence Survey 2005/2006, and Palestinian Centre for Human Rights 2007 database.