By Raisa Zaidi BEIRUT: The destitute conditions of Palestinians living in refugee camps in Lebanon has left a psychological strain on refugees, resulting in a high level of aggressive behavior toward their families, the neighborhood and the camp environment, according to a study by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) released this week.
The results of the study were discussed with several Palestinian organizations at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the Beirut district of Hamra Tuesday.
The UNICEF study assessed the magnitude of the problem of violence at home, in schools, in institutions, and in the neighborhood of the camp environment, along with evaluating the rate of domestic abuse among women and children, and why such violence might be occurring.
According to Ray Virgillio Torres, UNICEF representative in Lebanon, “These [instances of violence at homes and in the Palestinian camps] are not isolated cases, it happens very often, and it is happening in the open. It is known by everybody, therefore the solution lies with everybody.”
The UNICEF study shows that many children are abused physically and psychologically at home, in school by their teachers and other students, and in their camp environment. It also showed that women are often subjected to physical and verbal abuse, which can lead to a high rate of physiological and psychological problems.
Asked whether the study’s findings would cause outsiders to view, Joanne Doucet, Chief Child Protection and Palestinian Programs at UNICEF told The Daily Star that this type of issue occurs everywhere in the world and is not unique to the Palestinians, but added that “the Palestinian refugee condition is definitely unique, making their lives a lot harder to live, compared to the average person.”
Asked whether the study’s findings would cause outsiders to view, Joanne Doucet, Chief Child Protection and Palestinian Programs at UNICEF told The Daily Star that this type of issue occurs everywhere in the world and is not unique to the Palestinians, but added that “the Palestinian refugee condition is definitely unique, making their lives a lot harder to live, compared to the average person.”
“No one likes to show the bad sides, but I think people are taking it very realistically,” said Doucet. “They know it’s a reality and it needs to be addressed. That’s our role. It’s to give a voice to the children that do not have a voice and to make sure that the adults take it seriously.”
According to Doucet, UNICEF is recommending that their partners take into consideration the existence of violence within families, and in the environment of children and women. Once they address this, they can move forward with solutions to remove this problem.
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