Ref: 62/2009  

On Thursday, 19 November 2009, the Democratic Development Unit of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), in cooperation with al-Maghazi Cultural Center in al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, organized a seminar on democracy and the rights of the child.  At least 25 university students and volunteers in civil society organizations participated in the seminar. 

Mr. Salah Abu Hatab, a social activist, presented a paper on the concepts of democracy and the rights of the child in democratic regimes.  The participants then discussed international human rights standards, and domestic law regulating the rights of the child under the Palestinian National Authority.

This seminar is part of a series of activities organized by PCHR as part of its continuing efforts to work for the promotion and reinforcement of democracy in Palestinian society in cooperation with other civil society organizations. These activities aim at raising public awareness of the concepts of democracy and means of reinforcing democracy in the Palestinian society. Such activities are increasingly urgent in light of Palestinian citizens’ deteriorating trust in the democratic process as a result of the international community’s boycott of the last Palestinian legislative elections’ results and due to the internal division and its destructive ramifications for the Palestinian cause.