16 Days of Activism against GBV – GCMHP Organizes Second Public Meeting

Gaza Community Mental Health Programme continues to implement awareness and educational activities as part of a campaign it has organized to mark the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. The campaign started on 25 November and continues until 10 December 2021, and has been run under the global theme set by the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE campaign: “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!”

On Thursday, December 2, 2021, the second educational public meeting has been conducted at Al-Aqsa University in Gaza. 

A panel of speakers discussed social and cultural issues related to state of women in the Palestinian context during the public meeting which was attended by tens of female and male students. The speakers included Dr Iyad Abdeljawad, Dean of Community Service and Continuing Education at Al-Aqsa Uni; Dr Ibrahim Salha, and Dr Basam Abu Hasheesh, both professors at the Faculity of Education at the university; Bushra Abu Leila, GCMHP mental health specialist; and Asmaa Naeim, project coordinator.

In their topics, the speakers discussed the social conditions surrounding women's issues and their development, the latest efforts made to support women, and the challenges that still standing.

The discussions also focused on domestic violence, its causes and the psychological repercussions, and the importance of the role of youth in raising awareness and changing negative social patterns.

At the end of the public meeting the students were given the floor to raise questions  and discuss their viewpoints. then a petition against GBV was signed by the participants and the attendees.