TOT Workshop Ministry of Health on protecting children from violence

The QADER for Community Development Foundation, in partnership with the Palestinian Ministry of Health, concluded a three-day Trainer Training Workshop on Protecting Children from Violence in the Health Sector. The workshop involved a group of Ministry of Health staff, including family and pediatric doctors, nurses, social workers, and psychologists. This course was organized as part of preparations for implementing the child protection system in the Ministry of Health, which includes a protocol for medical teams on handling cases of violence, abuse, and neglect, especially for children and children with disabilities. This initiative is part of the Comprehensive Development Project in Education, Health, and Protection, implemented by the QADER Foundation and the Italian Solidarity for People Foundation in partnership with the Palestinian Ministry of Health, and funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.

The event was opened by Dr. Imad Shhada, Director of the Bethlehem Health Directorate, who welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of collaboration with civil society organizations, particularly on topics related to child protection and marginalized groups. Dr. Shhada highlighted that violence is a nightmare threatening the safety of any household, and that healthcare staff often encounter cases that show signs of violence. It is crucial to have a unified system to prevent the continuation of such violence, especially against children. Mrs. Lana Bandak, Director General of the QADER Foundation, emphasized that this training is part of the efforts by QADER and the Ministry of Health to institutionalize child protection within the Ministry's departments and institutions, ensuring a unified approach among health sector workers in handling cases of violence, abuse, and neglect. She explained that the training is a first step toward institutionalizing and applying the child protection system within the Ministry, aiming to develop a specialized team from the Ministry of Health, equipping them with skills to identify indicators of violence, build documentation systems, and manage interventions and referrals for cases of child abuse. Dr. Walid Al-Khatib, Director of the School Health Department and Coordinator of Protection and Disabilities at the Ministry, praised the depth of this training and its contribution to increasing awareness among health workers, who are in direct contact with the community. He emphasized the importance of the training in unifying concepts and expertise among health workers and pointed out that the ministry staff are legally accountable for any cases of violence, abuse, or neglect that are not reported.

The trainer, Yaad Ghandari, a clinical psychologist, led the training, providing detailed explanations on issues related to child abuse, how to identify and handle such cases, and defining various types of violence and abuse. She raised questions about the challenges faced by healthcare professionals, the legal and professional frameworks that govern their work, and how these relate to child abuse compared to abuse of adults.

The training also covered key professional aspects of managing suspected cases of abuse and violence, diagnosing abuse, the importance of intervention with the victim and their family, and handling the perpetrator through reporting and referrals based on law and regulations. At the end of the training, the workshop content was evaluated, and it was emphasized that the work with health teams would continue to enhance skills and reinforce professional attitudes in line with the covered topics. The participants were also assured that QADER’s team would continue to provide support during the coming period until the training content is extended to other Ministry of Health staff. Additionally, QADER and the Ministry of Health will organize another Trainer Training Workshop for a second group of Ministry staff in the northern West Bank governorates soon.