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FROM THE FIELD

Gaza: Psychosocial well-being of Gazan children in real danger
07 Jan 2009 12:28:57 GMT
 Source: World Vision Middle East/Eastern Europe office (MEERO)
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A Palestinian girl, who fled with her family from their house, looks out the window at a United Nations aid center in a school in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip December 30, 2008. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (GAZA)
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A Palestinian girl, who fled with her family from their house, looks out the window at a United Nations aid center in a school in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip December 30, 2008. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (GAZA)
World Vision MEERO, http://meero.worldvision.org

Background

•  Children

•  Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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With the death toll among children mounting each day, World Vision is also increasingly worried about the psychosocial well-being of Gaza's children.

'We must see an immediate cessation of hostilities in order to prevent any more tragic deaths or further trauma inflicted on the children of Gaza,' said a senior World Vision spokesperson.

A recent study by the aid agency, released just before this wave of unprecedented violence, illustrated the high rates of trauma among children in North Gaza, largely induced by fear.

'Every day the violence continues is another day of terror, uncertainty and risk for the hundreds of thousands of children caught in the middle of the fighting.

'Israel's 18-month blockade on Gaza had already eroded the ability of local hospitals to cope with the needs of the people of Gaza, and with the current closure of borders, this too is getting worse.

'Our study confirmed the extent to which the physical and psychosocial well-being of children in the area is already suffering – and we know, from our staff on the ground, that this has been getting significantly worse since the violence broke'.

More than 16 per cent of children aged 5-15 in North Gaza suffer from nightmares, the majority of which (76.7 per cent) are caused by fear. Psychological problems, health issues and trauma were also contributing causes, the study showed.

An untold number of children in Gaza and southern Israel live in fear as a result of the broken ceasefire, said a World Vision Emergency Affairs spokesperson.

'The reality is that this current violence is already compounding high levels of trauma in children, and one can only guess at the long-term effects of this.

'There's the initial impact on children, which we're already seeing – frequent nightmares, and a heartbreaking loss of hope – but there's also the long-term trauma that will devastate for years to come.'

'Every child has the right to live in safety, free from violence, fear and want. All parties involved in the conflict must remember that and act accordingly.'

The current bombardment comes at a time when the Gazan population is already severely afflicted, living in dire poverty.

World Vision is calling on the Quartet (comprised of the European Union, the UN Secretary General, the United States and the Russian Federation) to more vigorously engage in efforts to bring about an immediate ceasefire. Once a ceasefire is in place, urgent efforts must be taken to renew a process aimed at securing a lasting solution to this long-standing conflict.

-Ends-


Further info:

- The baseline study by World Vision Jerusalem-West Bank-Gaza surveyed 754 children aged 5-15, and included focus groups with parents, schools and community leaders.

- World Vision has launched an appeal to provide emergency assistance to 50,000 of the most affected people in Gaza.


[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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Last updated:Wed Jan 7 12:56:17 2009