Press Release

As a result of disgraceful negligence an UNRWA school student dies after falling into sewage hole.

Date: 23 January 2000

Ref: 7/2000

On 22 January 2000, the female child Nariman Sami Mohammed Badawi, 8 years old from El Nussirat camp in Gaza, died after falling into a sewage hole in her school, the UNRWA (o) Elementary School in El Nassirat. The hole was 6 metres deep with a diameter of 1 metre and is located in front of the school bathrooms, where it gathers the sewage water. When the incident took place, a worker was extracting the water. He left the site in order to empty the trucks holding the sewage water which had been extracted, leaving the hole open without any sign or anyone to guard it. The student Nariman consequently fell into the hole.

According to PCHR fieldwork reports the school director contacted the municipality, the police and the civil defense unit, who all came to the scene. Although they were able to remove the child from the hole after 45 minutes, she was already dead.

The death of Nariman is further proof of the neglect of basic workplace health and safety standards. On 12 January 2000, two workers in El Nassirat were killed while digging a sewage hole when sand fell into the hole suffocating them. Furthermore, on 12 October 1999, a worker El Maghazi died when his colleagues accidentally dropped a load of sand into the hole where he was working. These incidents reflect grave negligence in following health and safety procedures in the workplace.

Clearly, the situation becomes more dangerous when the workplace is located in a school and children are present. It is even more imperative that effective safety procedures are in place and are followed to ensure the safety of the children.

PCHR places the responsibility for the death of Nariman Badawi with UNRWA. Moreover, it expresses its deep concern regarding the increase in the number of victims of negligence in the workplace and repeats its demand that all concerned parties adopt and enforce safety and security measures in order to prevent further tragic loss of life. The Centre furthermore asks that all necessary legal measures be taken against anyone who does not follow the security measures.