Ref: 34/2012

On Thursday, 12 April 2012, the Palestinian Centre for Human
Rights’ (PCHR) Training Unit concluded a training course on children’s rights,
organized in cooperation with Hekr al-Jame’ Youth Society in Deir
al-Balah.  The 5-day training course (20
training hours) took place in the office of Hekr al-Jame’ Youth Society between
08 and 12 April 2012 with 23 children’s rights activists in attendance. 

The training covered the following topics: International Bill of
Human Rights (including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights); introduction to
children’s rights; the Convention on the Rights of the Child; children’s rights
to healthcare; children’s rights to education and to culture; juveniles;
children in armed conflicts; and monitoring and documentation of violations of
the children’s rights.

Bassam al-Aqra’, Director of PCHR’s Training Unit, explained that
this course is part of a 3-year project, funded by the European Union and Oxfam
Novib, whose goal is to improve awareness and respect of human rights in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory.  Al-Aqra’ added that this course was part
of long-term efforts exerted by PCHR to promote human rights in the Palestinian
society in cooperation with community-based organizations.  He further
stressed that PCHR’s door is open to all Palestinians wishing to benefit from
services provided by PCHR.

The participants highly appreciated PCHR’s efforts to disseminate
human rights culture in the Palestinian society.  One of the participants,
Safa’ al-‘Edeini, said that the course contributed to raising the participants’
awareness of the concepts of human rights and children’s rights.  She
added that the course was characterized by the variation of its topics in spite
of the intensity of the training material.  Another participant, Ala’
al’-Azayza, appreciated the efficiency of trainers and the training methods,
including effective participation and discussion, which contributed to
enriching the course.  He called for the organization of similar courses
for other beneficiaries from organizations working in the area of children’s
rights.

At the conclusion of the course, al-Aqra’, Mohammed Abu Amra,
Secretary of Hekr al-Jame’ Youth Society, and Majed al-Aqra’, coordinator of
the Family Centers Program in the Gaza Strip, handed certificates to participants.