Al Mezan Concludes Five Training Courses for Teachers on “1612 MRM for Violations of Child Rights in Armed Conflict”

On Thursday 28 July 2011, the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights concluded the fifth training course on “The 1612 Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism for Violations of Child Rights in Armed Conflict,” for teachers and education personnel in ten schools in the Gaza Strip.
These courses are part of a project implemented jointly by Al Mezan and the Ministry of Education and supported by UNESCO.
 The project started in June 2011 and aims to contribute to reducing disaster risks in schools near the borders between Gaza and Israel.
Each course consisted of 24 training hours delivered over four days.
 The courses covered protection children in armed conflict, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and relevant protection mechanisms, the right to education, and relevant UN resolutions, mechanisms for monitoring and documenting violations against children during conflict; namely the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism established by Security Council Resolution 1612, which covers violations of children’s rights in armed conflict.
 97 participants; including teachers from schools located in the restricted-access area (the so-called “buffer zone”) and education officials, participated in the course.
Al Mezan’s director Mr.
Issam Younis concluded the sessions by thanking UNESCO and the Ministry of Education for their effective roles in making the courses a success.
 Mr.
Younis also thanked the participants for their effective participation in the five courses.
 He noted the important role of teachers in passing on the newly acquired skills and knowledge to their colleagues.
Mr.
Younis also discussed the importance and value of monitoring and documentation for the protection and promotion of human rights.
 He observed that Palestinian history has been an oral one for a long time, and today we are seeking to enhance written documentation skills to serve human rights and Palestinian people’s cause in a way which community contributes to effectively.
Mr.
Khalil Hammad, Deputy Director General of Educational Observation and Rehabilitation, thanked Al Mezan for implementing the courses, and the donors and participants for their commitment to the courses.
 He discussed the importance of being trained on mechanisms of monitoring and documenting violations of children’s rights and human rights, in order to disclose crimes committed against children and schools.
 Mr.
Hammad urged teachers to spread and increase awareness among their colleagues, relatives, and neighbors of the importance of monitoring and documentation.
  He said that Palestinians do not have the international follow-up and concern that Israel does when they are subject to an attack.
Mr.
Mohammed Al ‘Arrouki, representative of UNESCO, thanked Al Mezan, the Ministry of Education, and the participants.
 He said that the schools located near the borders are now ready for emergency cases and attacks.
 He expressed his hope that the training would contribute to raising their readiness level through the specialized, professional instruction they received during the courses.
Mr.
Samir Zaqout, coordinator of the project, thanked UNESCO for its support for the project and the Ministry of Higher Education for its continuous and effective cooperation in enhancing and spread the culture of children’s rights.
 He also thanked all those, such as trainers and assistants, who helped in making the trainings a success.
 He gave a special thanks to the participants for their commitment to the courses and their concern to get as much information as possible.
  He expressed his hope that the courses had met the expectations of the participants and had increased their knowledge of UN resolutions related to child rights, developed their skills effectively monitoring and documenting violations of children’s rights in armed conflict, and made them aware of mechanisms to improve the protection of children who are victims of occupation and siege.
 He mentioned that the next step would be on-the-ground follow-up in schools through periodic on-site visits by Al Mezan’s field workers, in order to assist teachers in duly writing reports and collecting information.
  End