Children are the core and fruit of society, a trust placed upon the entire community. They are the seeds of today and the harvest of tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore, protecting them, safeguarding their childhood, and providing them with a safe and healthy environment are among the most important and essential societal requirements today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The recent incident of harassment of a young girl in al-Fu’ah, in the Idlib countryside, which was captured on surveillance camera and led to the arrest of the elderly man, has prompted us to once again highlight and sound the alarm regarding the reality and necessity of protecting children in all regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Child harassment is a serious human and moral crime that threatens the safety and psychological and social security of society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) considers harassment and sexual assault to be a flagrant violation of the fundamental human rights of the child, a devastating crime that threatens their physical and psychological well-being, and leaves lasting effects that extend into adulthood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A UNICEF report confirmed that children in Syria have faced direct violence, abuse, and exploitation, including gender-based violence, throughout the years of conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The incident of the harassment of a child in Al-Fu\u2019ah, in the Idlib countryside, which was documented by surveillance cameras, shocked Syrian society and brought to the forefront a painful issue that had long been concealed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This incident demonstrated that the crime of child harassment is not solely a product of wartime conditions, but rather the result of accumulated cultural, psychological, and legal factors, reflecting a lack of societal awareness and weak legal deterrents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What distinguishes this incident is that the perpetrator exploited the child being alone, which proves that weak family supervision and the absence of community oversight are key factors in the occurrence of such crimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, most importantly, the presence of the surveillance camera was the decisive factor in documenting and exposing the crime, leading to media and public pressure on the relevant authorities, who responded quickly and arrested the perpetrator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This underscores that breaking the silence, providing documentation and oversight mechanisms, and raising public awareness are the first steps toward accountability and deterrence. It also demonstrates that the media’s role in covering these crimes, while protecting victims’ privacy, is an essential part of uncovering violations and preventing their recurrence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To understand the roots of this phenomenon and address it effectively, it is necessary to analyze its complex causes, which range from psychological factors to legal and social shortcomings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Psychological disorders of abusers:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some perpetrators suffer from behavioral disorders or sexual deviations, such as pedophilia, a psychological disorder characterized by sexual attraction to pre-pubescent children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This disorder requires in-depth understanding, as it is not merely criminal behavior, but a psychological condition often associated with co-occurring disorders, such as depression or substance abuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Research has indicated that underlying factors contributing to this disorder include the individual’s own experience of sexual abuse in childhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This psychological dimension necessitates a specialized therapeutic approach, alongside legal punishment, to prevent the crime from recurring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Absence or Weakness of Legal Deterrence:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some areas suffer from legislative gaps or a lack of strict law enforcement, allowing perpetrators to commit their crimes with impunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Political researcher Firas Haj Yahya confirmed that laws related to family and child protection in Syria remain scattered and fragmented between the Personal Status Law and the Penal Code, resulting in multiple and insufficiently effective legal and judicial jurisdictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Fragility of the Social Environment and Displacement:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The conditions of war and displacement cannot be overlooked, as they are among the most significant factors contributing to the increase in harassment cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In camps, parents lose their privacy, and families are forced to live in overcrowded spaces, weakening supervision of children and making them vulnerable to exploitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, children’s lack of access to education\u2014with an estimated 2.5 million children out of school in Syria\u2014makes them more susceptible to risks, including sexual exploitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Exploiting Children’s Innocence and Limited Body Awareness:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Abusers rely on children’s lack of awareness of their body boundaries and their limited ability to distinguish between safe and dangerous behavior. Children are also easily intimidated or enticed, making them easy targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Culture of Silence and Social Stigma: Families’ fear of scandal and social disgrace sometimes leads them to conceal or cover up these crimes, encouraging perpetrators to repeat their actions with other victims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This culture, fueled by a lack of awareness and insufficient legal protection, is a major obstacle to uncovering these crimes and punishing the perpetrators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The protection of children is a national priority for the Syrian Transitional Government, and we have witnessed encouraging developments in this area recently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Syrian Minister of Justice, Mazhar Al-Wais, confirmed that the Ministry of Justice, in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor and national and international bodies, has prepared a comprehensive draft law to combat domestic violence, which is awaiting submission to the People’s Assembly for approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This project represents a significant step forward in developing the national legislative framework for family protection and promoting social peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It complements the provisions of the Constitutional Declaration, particularly Articles 19, 20, and 21, which address family protection, women’s rights, and the protection of children from exploitation and violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The project includes:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Minister also noted that the Ministry has developed a comprehensive national strategy for child protection and a national program to develop the juvenile justice system, thereby enhancing legal and judicial protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best interests of the child should be the foundation for policymaking and legislation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Based on the vision of the Syrian Future Movement, and in light of the preceding analysis, we present to the Syrian government and society a comprehensive vision for reducing the phenomenon of child abuse, comprised of two main pillars:<\/p>\n\n\n\n First Pillar: Family and Community Awareness:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The second axis, legal and security protection:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n On behalf of our movement, the Syrian Future Movement, we condemn in the strongest terms and with deepest sorrow this heinous act and grave violation of children’s rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We declare our full solidarity with the child and her family, and with every child who has been subjected to any form of violence or exploitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We affirm the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Confidence in the Syrian judiciary: We are confident that the Syrian judiciary, in all its branches, will fulfill its duty to achieve justice, hold the perpetrator accountable, and apply the maximum penalties against him, to serve as a deterrent and lesson to anyone who dares to harm the safety of our children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Support for the draft Child Protection Law: We affirm our full support for the draft law to combat domestic violence, and we call upon the People’s Assembly to expedite its approval and allocate the necessary resources for its implementation. We see this project as a historic step towards building a just legal system that protects the Syrian family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Supporting the National Strategy for Child Protection: We commend the Ministry of Justice’s efforts in developing a national strategy for child protection and call for its swift implementation, with the involvement of civil society and international expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Necessity of Studying the Perpetrator’s Psychological State: We urge the relevant authorities to study the perpetrator’s psychological state and clarify any legal measures that will be taken against him, as understanding the psychological motives behind the crime is essential for future prevention and avoiding its recurrence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our children are the bridges to the future, our bright tomorrow, and our resilient and developed society. Let us fulfill our duty, act with good intentions, and be their supportive hand and unwavering refuge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The more we invest in protecting our children today, the more peaceful, stable, and prosperous tomorrow’s society will be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Protecting children from harassment and exploitation is a legal, national, and humanitarian responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It requires the combined efforts of the family, the school, the community, and the state, and a shared awareness that the safety of the child is the foundation of the safety of the entire society. In this way, we put all our experience and capabilities at the service of the cause of protecting children in Syria, believing that justice and awareness are the only way to a brighter future for our children.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The importance of protecting childhood in Syria and how accidents affect children’s psychological and physical well-being.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":67121,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4685,4853],"tags":[4718],"class_list":["post-67123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-office-en","category-research-and-studies-department-en","tag-articles"],"yoast_head":"\nThird, the National Response:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Fourth, Proposed Solutions:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Fifth, the position of the Syrian Future Movement:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n